The St Paul Expedition
A 2 0 D AY P I LG R I M AG E | AT H E N S TO I S TA N B U L
from
The Acts of the Apostles come alive as we traverse the
ancient paths of St. Paul and unearth the origins and
emerging faith of the first Christian communities.
$ 7895
Introducing
Meteora &
Cappadocia
AUD per person
Now includes all taxes fees and levies
Itinerary
• Athens (2)
• Corinth
• Delphi
Thessaloniki
• Kalambaka (2)
• Meteora
• Philippi
Meteora 2
• Kavala (1)
Kalambaka
• Thessaloniki
• Kos (1)
• Patmos (2)
• Miletus
• Kusadasi (2)
Corinth
• Ephesus
• Pergamum
• Canakkale (2)
• Assos
• Alexander Troas
• Troy
• Gallipoli
• Istanbul (2)
• Cappadocia (2)
• Optional Malta extension (3)
1
3
55
bulgaria
Philippi
1
Istanbul
2
Kavala
Gallipoli
2 Canakkale
Alexander
Troy
Troas
Assos
Pergamum
Aegean Sea
2
Ephesus
Athens
Patmos
2
2 Kusadasi
Miletus
1
Kos
Rhodes
A unique two night stay on the holy
island of Patmos to visit the actual
cave where St. John wrote the Book of
Revelation.
Celebrate an inspired Mass in Gallipoli
aboard our special charter vessel as the Anzac
Cove coastline emerges before our very eyes
2
Cappadocia
PILGRIMAGE
C O M B I NAT I O N S
ADD 17 NIGHTS
Egypt & Holy Land
OR
H AR V E S T H I G H P O I NT S
Stand in the very places of St. Paul’s
preachings in the spectacularly preserved
ruins of Ancient Corinth and Philippi.
Black
Sea
2
4
66
Marvel at the living Byzantine Monasteries
of Meteora spectacularly suspended atop
rocky pinnacles and occupied by hermits
since the 11th century.
Enjoy a full day to explore the wonders
of Ephesus where St. Paul lived and
preached for more than two years.
Be awestruck in Cappadocia as we explore
the region of the early Christian communities
and their stunning Fairy Chimney houses
and churches shaped by the weather.
ADD 3 NIGHTS
Malta
DAY 1 DEPART FOR GREECE
DAY 2 ARRIVE ATHENS
Athens today is the thriving capital of Greece
but, more importantly, we have entered into
the world of the New Testament where St
Paul and his companions established the first
Christian communities throughout his four
missionary journeys.
Meteora
On arrival in Athens we will be met and
transferred to our centrally located hotel for the
remainder of the day at leisure. This evening we
will celebrate our first Mass together.
Athens overnight (D)
DAY 3 ATHENS AND CORINTH
When St Paul first came to Athens it was
predominantly a city which worshipped pagan
gods. St Paul was taken before the city council at
the Areopagus Hill, a rough outcrop of limestone
rock from which he preached the Gospel message
to the Athenian philosophers (Acts 17:16-21).
This morning we will celebrate Mass before
we set out on our tour of Christian Athens
including the Acropolis, the Areopagus where
St Paul delivered his famous sermon about
the identity of “the Unknown God” (Acts
17:15-34). Visit the Ancient Agora before
exploring the Parthenon and the Plaka (Old
Greece). Also see the Kallimármaro Stadium,
dating back to 330BC and restored for the first
modern Olympic Games held here in 1896.
Journey out to Ancient Corinth this afternoon
where the apostle Paul lived for almost two
years, teaching the people the word of God
and converting many. We visit the ancient
ruins and see the site where he preached the
Gospel from the Rostrum. Also visit the
Peirene fountain, and the 6th century BC
Temple of Apollo before an outdoor Mass
in this stunning pilgrimage setting. Finally
we come to Cenchreae, the ancient port from
where Paul said farewell to the believers and
departed for Ephesus (Acts 18:18).
Athens overnight (BD)
DAY 4 VIA DELPHI TO METEORA
We travel this morning to the remarkable
city of Delphi where we are rewarded with
the view of this ancient site unsurpassed in
natural beauty. We will be taken on a guided
tour including the Sanctuary of Apollo
and the Museum housing important relics
excavated here.
We continue north this afternoon on to the
small town of Kalambaka built at the foot of
the majestic grey rocks of Meteora.
Kalambaka overnight (BD)
DAY 5 METEORA EXPLORATION
Our morning will begin with a visit to the
beautiful Church of the Dormition of the
Virgin in Kalambaka for Mass. We will
spend some time marvelling at this unique
phenomenon of nature – 24 perpendicular
rocks where 600 years ago Byzantine monks
chose to worship God and build their
Monastic community of Meteora. We will
visit some of these living monasteries and
view the extraordinary collection of priceless
religious frescoes and other treasures that will
make this a remarkable day.
Enjoy some free time this afternoon.
Kalambaka overnight (BD)
DAY 6 METEORA TO PHILIPPI &
KAVALA
Arise and journey east along the ancient route
of the Apostle Paul via Amphipolis (Acts
17:1) and on to nearby Philippi, named after
Philip II, father of Alexander the Great. It
Ancient Corinth
T H E
was here that St Paul won his first European
convert, a woman named Lydia, from the
city of Thyatira (Acts 16:12-40). Visit the
Baptistery of Lydia for a beautiful outdoor
Mass on the River Zygaktis, and renew
our Baptismal vows. Visit the market place
(where St Paul and St Silas were brought
before the rulers) and the cistern which
tradition identifies as the place where St Paul
was imprisoned.
Continue on to the port city of Kavala (ancient
Neapolis), once named “Christoupolis” after
being the first European city to accept
Christianity. It was here that St Paul, St
Timothy and St Silas first landed from Troas
(Acts 16:11), one of the great moments in the
history of Christianity.
Kavala overnight (BD)
DAY 7 VIA THESSALONIKI TO KOS
Travel this morning to Thessaloniki, Greece’s
second city, founded in 315 BC, and where St
Paul preached during the winters of 49-50AD
and wrote the two epistles to the ancient
Thessalonians. It was here that he established
the first Christian Church in Europe. See the
ramparts of the city, the triumphal Arch of
Galerius and the Roman Agora where St
Paul once preached. Time permitting we shall
visit St Demetrios’ Church with its valuable
mosaics and frescoes and will drive up to the
upper town, which offers a marvelous view
of the city.
This afternoon we are transferred to
Thessaloniki airport for our flight via Athens
to the Greek island of Kos.
Kos overnight (BD)
Pilgrim’s Journal
S T
E X P E D I T I O N
Ephesus
DAY 8 KOS TO PATMOS
This morning we board our boat transfer to
the Dodecanese island of Patmos, where St.
John wrote the Book of Revelation. Lying
between the islands of Leros and Ikaria is the
‘ascetic shaped’ Patmos, called the ‘Jerusalem
of the Aegean’ due to the overwhelming
atmosphere of the island during the great
celebrations of Christianity.
Enjoy the remainder of the afternoon at
leisure to rest and enjoy the atmosphere of
this amazing and historic island.
Patmos overnight (BD)
DAY 9 PATMOS EXPLORATION
This morning we enjoy an orientation tour
including a walking tour of the main square
of the village of Chora. This is the traditional
settlement and capital of Patmos, where the
narrow streets were designed to ward off
pirates over the centuries. Ascend to the
Monastery of St John the Beloved, a huge
fortress-like building dating from the 11th
century, for a visit and celebration of Mass.
Our exploration of this living monastery
will culminate with time in the actual Cave
of Revelation where God chose to reveal to
Patmos
Thank you Harvest
for this incredibly
wonderful
pilgrimage. Visiting
these ancient sites
dating back to
early BC, learning
the history of the
Apostle Paul’s journeys
was something one will never forget.
Barbara Ashwell
PAU L
St John the mysteries of the last book of the
Bible - the Apocalypse. The cave is now at the
foot of the monastery, which houses priceless
icons and manuscripts, sacred relics, vestments
embroiled with silver or gold threads and
bejeweled with precious stones.
Later continue to the active Convent of
Evangelismos (Annunciation) built by
the hieromonk Nikiphoros who was cured
from the plague after praying to St. Luke
the Evangelist. Visit the ruins of the ancient
acropolis, the church of Panagia Koumana
and the convent of Zoodochos Pigi with icons
dating from the 16th to the 18th century.
Patmos overnight (BD)
DAY 10 PATMOS TO TURKEY
Early this morning we depart Patmos by
private charter vessel to Kusadasi in Turkey.
Upon arrival we will board our coach and
travel south to Miletus. St Paul and his
companions travelled via Mytilene, Chios
and Samos to Miletus, where St Paul delivered
his touching farewell address to the elders of
Ephesus and predicted his death, saying ‘I now
feel sure that none of you among whom I have
gone about proclaiming the kingdom will ever
see my face again’. (Acts 20:25).
GREECE • TURKEY
Return to Kusadasi, doorway to Ephesus
and the Churches of Revelation.
Kusadasi overnight (BD)
DAY 11 EPHESUS PILGRIMAGE
This morning we travel directly to Ephesus,
the most famous of the Seven Churches of
Revelation (Rev 2:1-7) where St Paul spent
more than two years in the course of his third
missionary journey. It was to the Christian
community of Ephesus that St Paul wrote
his greatest and most challenging letter (the
epistle to the Ephesians) and also succeeded
in converting many away from worship of
the god Artemis.
Our visit today will include the ruins where St
Paul lived and preached, the Ephesus Museum
and the prison of St Paul. Walk through the
ancient marble streets founded in the 10th
century BC and see this most ‘complete’
Roman city providing us with an excellent
window into Imperial Rome. We will walk
through the same ancient marble streets passing
the Temple of Hadrian, the Library of Celsus,
the enormous amphitheatre (Acts 19:29-31),
and finally come to the ruins of the Christian
Basilica where the Third Ecumenical Council
took place in 431AD, and where Our Lady was
proclaimed “Mother of God”. We ascend the hill to the House of the Virgin
Mary for Mass where it is said Mary spent
the later years of her life. Finally we visit the
restored remains of the 6th century Basilica
of St John at Celcuk where a small church
was originally built over the tomb of St John
the Evangelist.
Kusadasi overnight (BD)
DAY 12 PERGAMUM AND
CANAKKALE
This morning we set out towards Izmir, once
the site of ancient Smyrna, one of the Seven
Churches of Revelation (Rev 2:8-11). This was
home to a lively Christian community under the
pastoral care of its bishop – the saintly Polycarp.
After Mass here we will continue north to
Gallipoli
Pergamum (Rev 2:12-17), one of the most
impressive classical sites in Turkey and another of
the Churches of Revelation. Once described by
John as the place “where Satan has his throne”,
this too was the site where the first Christians
were martyred by Rome (Rev 2:12-17).
Canakkale overnight (BD)
DAY 13 ASSOS, ALEXANDER TROAS
& TROY
This morning we journey south to resume
our Paulian trail at Assos. Here St Paul had
arranged to rejoin his companions before
sailing on to Miletus. Explore the remains of
the Council Chamber and the 6th century BC
Temple of Athena. Also see the impressive
Acropolis and experience the brilliant
acoustics of the Amphitheatre, before visiting
the region’s longest building, the Red Basilica
dedicated to St John the Apostle.
Continue on to Alexander Troas where
the apostle spent seven days as he returned
from Macedonia. Troas is also mentioned in
2 Timothy 4:13 as the place where St Paul
left his cloak. Paul had so much to say to his
friends that they stayed up all night preaching
here, although one listener (Eutychus)
survived despite falling three stories from
a window. The incident was only a brief
interruption however in Paul’s preaching that
continued to daybreak! (Acts 20:7-12)
After Mass at Troas we finally come to Homer’s
Troy, famous for its legendary wooden horse.
We will explore this extraordinary site before
returning to Canakkale.
Canakkale overnight (BD)
DAY 14 ANZAC COVE & GALLIPOLI
TO ISTANBUL
This morning we board a private charter
vessel for an inspired journey along the
Gallipoli Peninsula where 7,594 Australian
and 2,431 New Zealand soldiers lost their
lives in battle during World War I. We aim
to celebrate a spectacular Mass on board our
boat (local conditions permitting) as the
Anzac Cove coastline emerges before our very
eyes, giving a rare perspective of the troops
landing on 25th April 1915. Disembark
nearby and visit Anzac Cove, Courtney’s
and Steele’s Post, Quinn’s post, The Nek,
Chunuk Bair, New Zealand Monuments
and Lone Pine Cemetery. We come in faith
to pay tribute and pray for the souls of the
heroes of those tragic months of 1915.
Our journey continues east this afternoon to
Istanbul – a glorious city uniquely located on
two continents.
Istanbul overnight (BD)
DAY 15 ISTANBUL DAY
We begin our day with a special city cruise
along the Bosphorus where we will sail past
the Ottoman Palaces, Byzantine fortresses,
Beylerbeyi Palace and Suleimans Mosque.
This afternoon our touring will include a visit
to the early Church of St Peter and St Paul,
where we will celebrate Mass, under the gaze
Hagia Sophia
T H E
S T
PAU L
E X P E D I T I O N
OPTIONAL EXTENSION
Cappadocia
Malta
of the beautiful and ancient icon of the Blessed
Virgin Mary. Visit the 6th century Basilica
Cistern, the largest of several hundred ancient
cisterns that lie beneath the city. Continue
to the Byzantine Hipprodrome; Topkapi
Palace and archaeological museum.
Onwards then to the Grand Bazaar, with
over 4000 exotic tiny shops.
Istanbul overnight (BD)
DAY 16 ISTANBUL TO CAPPADOCIA
This morning we will visit the Blue Mosque
and nearby Hagia Sophia (meaning ‘Holy
Wisdom’). Built in 548 AD, Hagia Sophia
was the greatest Church in Christendom
until 1453 when Constantinople fell to the
Ottoman Empire.
This afternoon we travel to Istanbul airport for
our domestic flight to Kayseri Airport and then
a short coach trip to amazing Cappadocia.
A visit to the Cappadocia region is like stepping
into a fairy tale setting. The rocks of Cappadocia
near Göreme eroded into hundreds of spectacular
pillars and minaret-like forms. The volcanic
deposits from ancient volcanoes millions of years
ago are soft rocks that the people of the villages
at the heart of the Cappadocia Region carved
out to form houses, churches and monasteries.
Göreme became a monastic centre between
300—1200 AD.
Cappadocia overnight (BD)
DAY 17 CAPPADOCIA
It is said that St. Paul was looking for a secure
place after he was expelled from Jerusalem.
He came to this region and established its first
Christian colony with his followers. Furthermore
St Gregory of Nyssa, one of the Cappadocian
Fathers who lived in the area said, on his return
from Palestine in 380 AD, that the Holy Spirit
was not confined to Jerusalem, arguing ‘One
might more justly consider that He dwelt in the
Cappadocian nation more than anywhere else; for
how many altars there are there – one could hardly
count so many in all the rest of the world’.
This morning we will see the extraordinary
mushroom-shaped “Fairy Chimneys” in
the Devrent Valley that are pieces of volcanic
rocks that have been beaten and spectacularly
shaped by the wind and rain. Continue on
to view pottery production using the ancient
technique in Avanos.
Visit Goreme, an “open-air” museum holding
the earliest churches and carved chapels
presenting the finest examples of Byzantine
frescos. Highlights here will be the Dark
Church, Apple Church, Buckle Church
and the Nunnery. Afterwards, visit the old
Christian village of Cavusin.
This afternoon travel to the marvellous
construction of the Kaymakli Underground
City which hid Christians from Arab invaders
and the Ortahisar Natural Rock Castle.
Cappadocia overnight (BD)
DAY 18 DEPART TURKEY
This morning we are transferred to Kayseri
airport for our flight to Istanbul and
homebound flight connections or ongoing
pilgrimage extension to Malta.
DAY 20 ARRIVE AUSTRALIA/NZ
2011 DEPARTURE DATEs
3 Nights
DAY 1 ARRIVE MALTA: Upon arrival
we will meet our guide to visit St John’s
Co-Cathedral, St Anthony’s Church,
Fortification and Auberges built by the
Knights of St John. Visit the impressive
miraculous Crucifix at Ta’Giezu Church –
the head is reputed to have been made by
Angels. Continue to the ancient Icon of
Our lady of Damascus and then to the St
Paul Shipwreck Church (view two relics of
St Paul).
Malta overnight (D)
DAY 2 GOZO DAY: This morning we
meet our guide for a full day sightseeing to
St. Paul’s Bay (where Paul first landed) and
venture across to St Paul’s Bonfire Church
on the outer island where he came aground.
We continue to Gozo visiting: Church of St.
John (in Xewkija village), Gozo Cathedral
and Museum (entrance to the Rotondo), St.
George’s Basilica, Ggantija Temples (the
Giant’s Tower is one of the most important
archaeological sites in Malta), Ta’ Pinu
Shrine and Calypso’s Cave.
Malta overnight (BD)
DAY 3 HAGAR QIM AND MEDINA:
Today we have another full day sightseeing
visiting: Blue grotto, Hagar Qim Temples,
Mnajdra Temple, Bastions of Medina,
Chapel of St Agatha and St Paul’s
Cathedral, where St Paul converted Malta to
Christianity, St Paul’s Grotto and St Paul’s
Catacombs.
Malta overnight (BD)
DAY 4 DEPART MALTA
Depart Malta on your return or ongoing flight
connections.
COSTS AUD*
COSTS NZD*
TOUR CODE
WEDNESDAY 18TH MAY
$7895
$10695 NZD
1PE01
WEDNESDAY 21ST SEPTEMBER
$7895
$10695 NZD
1PE02
Single Room Supplement
$950
$1250 NZD
Prepaid Tipping Fund
$280
$370 NZD
Cost includes all airline taxes & levies* Visit www.harvestpilgrims.com for Full price inclusions, Booking Conditions & Booking Procedures
2011 Pilgrimage Chaplains: Contact Harvest or visit www.harvestpilgrims.com/chaplains
* Costs have been based on prices as at 30 November 2010 and must remain subject to change without notice based on currency
exchange rates, departure city and minimum group size contingency. Prices are based on twin share or double rooming.
2011 MALTA EXTENSION# (post Turkey)
AUD
NZD
Share Twin (plus best applicable airfare of the day)
$980
$1290
Single Supplement
$150
$200
$40
$50
Prepaid Tipping
#
COSTS – Land only • Includes local guide in Malta