GREECE
IN
ST PAUL’S STEPS
6-15 June 2016
with the Revd Phillip Johnson & Mr Ian Whitley
A ten-day pilgrimage including visits to
Thessalonika, Philippi, Delphi, Corinth & Athens
McCabe Pilgrimages
Europe and this pilgrimage will bring to life the early
churches Paul founded and corresponded with. Places
so familiar from the New Testament, such as
Thessalonika, Philippi and Corinth, will be visited.
A PILGRIMAGE TO GREECE
with the Revd Phillip Johnson & Mr Ian Whitley
6-15 June 2016
At the beginning of the third millennium it is good to
look back to the first century missionary journeys of St
Paul and the expansion of the early Christian Church
and particularly its transition westwards from Asia to
Europe. St Paul was the first to bring Christianity to
TOUR
INFORMATION
The cost of this tour is £1,695 sharing a
twin-bedded room with private
facilities. Hotels are of a good standard
and locally graded three and four
stars. Accommodation is on a half
board basis with breakfast and table
d'hôte dinner included daily.
Our journey through Greece will be in
our own air-conditioned coach with a
local guide and all visits with entrance
fees are incorporated in the tour
price. Flights are on scheduled services
of easyJet. We depart from and return
to Gatwick airport flying to
Thessalonika and returning from
Athens. All current British and Greek
travel taxes are included.
Our pilgrimage is a journey covering the length of
Greece. We begin in Kavala, then travel through rural
Greece to Thessalonika and on to the fantastic
Meteora monasteries and the ancient oracle at Delphi.
Our destination, like Paul, is Athens. Here he preached
his famous sermon introducing the Athenians to the
“unknown God”. Visits during our three night stay in
Athens include the Areopagus where Paul preached
and the incomparable Parthenon adorning the
Acropolis. We will be worshipping each day and will
celebrate the Eucharist together on a couple of
occasions.
Some single rooms are available at a
charge of £315. Please, however, see
our note ‘Travelling Alone’ printed
overleaf. Any special requests (e.g.
special diets) should be printed on the
booking form.
There will be a fair amount of walking
involved. This said, we are planning
this pilgrimage to be accessible to all
reasonably able-bodied travellers. If
you are worried about this aspect,
please speak to the tour leader.
A deposit is payable now with the
balance due eight weeks prior to
departure.
Final
flight
and
accommodation details will be
confirmed in your travel wallet two
weeks prior to departure.
Please note: the itinerary may be
subject to change due to local
conditions.
The only extra that will be added to
your invoice is the insurance premium
of £39, if required. You should also
budget on an amount of Euros €45 for
a group gratuity fund which we will
collect and disburse locally to those
who help us on our journey.
TO MAKE A RESERVATION
To reserve your place on this tour please complete the
enclosed booking form and send it with a deposit of
£200 plus the insurance premium of £39, to the tour
leader. Please make cheques payable to ‘McCabe
Pilgrimages’.
The Revd Phillip Johnson
All Saints Vicarage
1 Chestnut Avenue
Esher Surrey KT10 8JL
Tel: (020) 8398 9685
E-mail: [email protected]
DAILY PROGRAMME
Monday 6 June |JOURNEY TO GREECE
easyJet flight EZY5091 departs London
Gatwick at 05:55 and arrives in Thessalonika
at 11:10. We then make the two and a half
hour transfer to Kavala (previously the
ancient port of Neapolis) where Paul landed
arriving from Troas on his way to Philippi.
Two night stay on the waterfront at the three
star Galaxy Hotel.
Tuesday | PHILIPPI
This morning we visit Philippi, the first city in
Europe visited by Paul and the city where he
and Silas were imprisoned. The church of
Philippi was perhaps the most supportive of
all to Paul (Philippians 4). We also visit the
stream by the village of Lydia, where Lydia of
Thyatira was baptised, the first recorded
baptism in Europe. We break for lunch. The
rest of the day is free in Kavala to wander
around its picturesque harbour.
Wednesday | THESSALONIKA & BEREA
We drive along the coast to Thessalonika.
Our visits include St Demetrius Basilica, the
largest church in Greece, and Agia Sophia,
reminiscent of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, with
its 10th century mosaics. We will also see the
White Tower and drive to the highest point
to view the city. We continue to Veria (Berea)
where Paul went after his escape from
Thessalonica, (Acts 17, vv 10-14). Berea was a
place of encouragement (Acts 17), where the
people were more open to the Gospel than
they had been in Thessalonika. We then
overnight at the Makedonia Hotel in Veria
(Berea).
Thursday | A MOUNTAIN TOP EXPERIENCE
We visit the site of Vergina. Here we spend
time in the museum and see the tombs
(including that of Philip II, Alexander the
Great’s father). We then drive to the area of
Larissa, here we lunch break in a small village
taverna. We then take a dramatic drive up a
mountain to visit the very modern Monastery
of St John the Forerunner high above Larissa
(Eucharist). Here we will meet with the nuns
and learn about their life in this very outgoing
and welcoming monastic community. We
return down the mountain for a two night
stay at the Divani Hotel beside the Meteora
monasteries in Kalambaka.
Friday | METEORA MONASTERIES
This morning we visit the extraordinary
Meteora Monasteries perched high on
gigantic rocks. The monastic history of
Meteora dates back to the 11th century and
the monasteries themselves date back to the
14th. We will visit two of the monasteries
including either Varlaam with its superb
frescoes of the Last Judgement or the more
easily accessible convent of Agios Stephanos.
Afternoon free in this spectacular setting (we
also offer the opportunity to visit an icon
shop and factory, to learn something of the
significance on this art in the Orthodox
religion).
Saturday | DELPHI
We drive to Delphi, clinging to the lower
slopes of Mount Parnassos. Deeply engraved
on the record of Greek history, it was a place
of incalculable religious and political
importance which attracted pilgrims from all
over the Hellenic world. Here, the Oracle was
consulted by both states and individuals; it
highlights the religious background to Paul’s
preaching of the gospel. Our visit includes the
excellent museum as well as the excavations
and ruins of the site. We overnight near
Delphi at the Nafsika Palace Hotel.
Sunday | TO ATHENS
On the way into Athens we visit the ancient
site of Thermopylae and the medieval
Christian site of Hosios Loukas. We continue
to Athens for a three night stay at the four
star Metropolitan Hotel in the suburbs of the
city.
Monday | ATHENS
A full day tour of Athens. Athens for many is
the cradle of civilization and democracy,
although there are few remains of the former
glories of the 5th Century BC. We visit the
Acropolis, the foremost site of Classical
Greece, with the Parthenon. We walk down
to the site of St Paul's sermon on Mars Hill
(Areopagus). Paul had a very mixed reception
here in making known the ‘Unknown God'
(Acts 17). We then visit the Agora, the centre
of public life in Athens at the time of St Paul
and include time for shopping in the “plaka”.
Tuesday | ATHENS
A free day in Athens offering the option to
relax at the hotel, join local Christians at the
Anglican St Paul’s church or to do some
shopping in the ‘Plaka’ area of the city.
An alternative is the full day ‘Three Island
Cruise’, visiting Poros, Hydra and Aegina and including lunch on board. (Note this
excursion is NOT included in the tour price,
the current price for 2015 is around Euros 80
- 2016 prices to be confirmed).
Wednesday 15 June | CORINTH
Today we drive out to Corinth, taking the
coastal road. We cross the Corinth canal
which connects the Aegean and Ionian seas.
Corinth is forever remembered through
Paul's letters to a lively church in the midst of
immorality and paganism. Here he recruited
two valuable assistants, Priscilla and Aquila.
We celebrate the Eucharist in the ancient site
before continuing on to Cenchreae, the port of
Corinth and Paul’s departure point for Ephesus
(Acts 18). We then drive to Athens Airport for
our direct flight to London. easyJet flight
EZY5088 departs Athens at 21:00 and arrives
into Gatwick Airport at 22:50.
OUR PILGRIMAGE
Your Invitation
Arrangements are being made by McCabe Pilgrimages who have
been organising pilgrimages for British churches for more than
thirty years. This pilgrimage is a journey from the top to the
bottom of Greece with accommodation stops en route. There will
be a fair amount of walking involved. This said, we are planning this
pilgrimage to be accessible to all reasonably able-bodied travellers.
If you are worried about the fitness element, have a word with the
tour organiser or call the McCabe office.
TRAVELLING ALONE
Many of our passengers travel alone and object to expensive single
room supplements. McCabe Pilgrimages will accept individual
bookings on a 'guaranteed share' basis. We charge the basic price
and accommodate you with a person of the same sex also
requesting shared accommodation. If we do not find someone to
share with you, you will be accommodated in a single room at only
50% of the usual single room supplement. For single travellers who
do require single accommodation this should be requested when
booking and, if available, the normal supplement will be payable.
PASSPORTS, VISAS AND HEALTH
Check that your passport is valid beyond the return date of this tour. If you need a new passport apply early as there can be
considerable backlogs at the passport offices. There are minimal formalities for British passport holders entering Greece. If you are
holding a non-British passport, or require further advice, please consult the McCabe office. No inoculations are required. We do,
however, advise you to consult your doctor regarding your own personal requirements.
TRAVEL INSURANCE
Travel insurance is arranged by Global Travel Insurance Services Ltd for McCabe Travel Ltd who are an Appointed Representative
of Global Travel Insurance Services Ltd, authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Our status can be checked on
the FCA Register by visiting www.fca.org.uk or by contacting the FCA on 0845 606 9966. This Insurance is underwritten by ERV.
ERV is authorised by the Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht (BAFIN – www.bafin.de) and the Prudential Regulation
Authority and subject to limited regulation by the Financial Conduct Authority and Prudential Regulation Authority.
It has been specifically designed so that it covers all McCabe holidays; protecting you in full if you have to cancel and providing you
with the very best and most effective protection if you are unfortunate enough to require medical attention whilst away.
A unique feature of the policy is that you will not need to call a medical help line to discuss health issues. Most pre-existing health
conditions are covered as long as your doctor agrees that you are fit to travel.
Standard exclusions apply and are listed on the summary document. Please check that you are not affected by the Main Health
Exclusions. You will not be covered for any ongoing tests or treatment of an undiagnosed condition, or for any terminal illness, or if
you claim as a result of a condition arising within the past twelve months.
Note that you will pay an excess of £1,000 on any claim that results directly from a pre-existing medical condition. In our experience
a very few claims result from pre-existing medical conditions. With this policy you are covered with no declaration of health
required.
A full policy wording will be sent to you with confirmation of your booking, or ask us and we will send you a copy now. Full details
are also on our website. If you would like more information or are unsure of any details, please call Global Travel Insurance Services
Ltd for further advice on 01903 229 380.
This insurance is only available to persons who are permanently resident in the UK and is valid for travel up to 31/12/2016.
AITO Quality Statement
McCabe Pilgrimages is a member of the Association of Independent Tour Operators. The Association represents Britain’s leading
independent tour operators and encourages high standards of quality and service. McCabe abides by the Association’s Code of
Conduct and adheres to the AITO Quality Charter which can be viewed on www.aito.co.uk. Visit the
website to find out more about the Association or call 020 8744 9280.
This pilgrimage is ATOL protected by the Civil Aviation Authority.
11 Hillgate Place Balham Hill London SW12 9ER
Telephone 020 8675 6828 Fax 020 8673 1204
Email [email protected]
McCabe Pilgrimages