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Home , Antalya Museum, Polycarp

Sacred Heart Byzantine & St. Nicholas Institute Steve & Janet Ray invite you on pilgrimage

open to everyone Fr. Marquis

Main trip: April 17-28, 2016 y Extension: April 28-May 2, 2016

Footprints of St. Paul, St. John, Mary & St. Nicholas through —the 2nd Holy Land

Steve and Janet Ray Visit the sites of the real St. Nicholas Hagia Sophia Göreme Open Air Museum Steve Ray Turkey Pilgrimage Planned Tentative Itinerary* You will be accompanied every day by Steve & Janet Ray along with their excellent Christian local guide.

Day 1: April 17, 2016 y Depart USA Day 9: April 25, 2016 y Pamukkale | Laodicea | | Day 2: April 18, 2016 Arrive Turkey: The 2nd Holy Land | Pamukkale y Visit biblical (Pamukkale), famous for its snow-like landscape, Arrive at Istanbul Ataturk Airport, where you are met by your hosts, which has been formed by mineral deposits from the thermal springs in Steve & Janet Ray. Board your motorcoach to visit the exotic Spice the area. Visit the tomb of St. Philip. In the afternoon, visit the church of Market (time permitting). Transfer to your hotel for Welcome Dinner. Laodicea and town of Colossae to which St. Paul wrote during his ministry. Opening Mass. Overnight in Istanbul. (D) Celebrate Mass at Laodicea (pending government approval). Dinner and Day 3: April 19, 2016 y Cathedral St. Esprit | Blue Mosque | overnight in Pamukkale. (B|D) Hagia Sophia | Istanbul (Ancient Constantinople) Day 10: April 26, 2016 Pamukkale | | Arrive at the Cathedral of St. Esprit Church for morning Mass. Visit to y Check out of your hotel and drive to Myra, where Nicholas (Santa the renowned Blue Mosque, famous for the blue Iznik tiles decorating Claus) was a . Visit the Cathedral Church where he worked and is its interior. A short walk will bring you to the magnificent Hagia Sophia buried. Following the celebration of the Holy at the tomb of St. Church (now a museum) built in the 6th century — the world's largest Nicholas in Myra, pilgrims will be blessed with the Manna of St. Nicholas church for over 1,000 years. Afternoon free. Dinner at your hotel and (Manna is pure liquid that has flowed from the bones of St. Nicholas for 17 overnight in Istanbul. (B|L|D) centuries). Drive to Antalya for dinner and overnight. (B|D) Day 4: April 20, 2016 St. Anthony Padua Church | Chora y Day 11: April 27, 2016 Antalya | Perge | Antalya Museum Church| Bosporus Tour | Istanbul y After breakfast, drive to Perge where St. Paul preached after arriving Celebrate Mass at St. Anthony Padua Church. Board your private boat from Cyprus and where St. Mark abandoned him (Acts 13:13). In the on the Bosporus Strait where you will sail between two continents, afternoon, visit Antalya Museum. See the Santa Claus (St. Nicholas) exhibit. Europe and Asia, enjoying the beautiful Yali Houses. After lunch, visit Mass at your hotel. Farewell Dinner and overnight in Antalya. (B|D) ancient Chora Church with magnificent mosaics and frescoes. Dinner and overnight in Istanbul. (B|D) Day 12: April 28, 2016 y Departure | Antalya to USA Check out of your hotel and transfer to Antalya Airport for your Day 5: April 21, 2016 Istanbul | Nicea | Bursa y departure back to USA, or begin the Extension Tour. Check out of your hotel and drive to Bursa. On the way visit Nicea, home of the First and Seventh Ecumenical Councils, to see the remains of a church from the Byzantine times. It was here that Christ's divinity EXTENSION TOUR: APRIL 28 - MAY 2, 2016 | 4 NIGHTS was upheld and from where we received the we recite at Mass. Steve's talk on the Councils and the nature of Christ. Celebrate Day 1: April 28, 2016 | Antalya | Pisidian | Cappadocia Mass. Dinner and overnight in Bursa. (B|D) Celebrate Mass in Pisidian Antioch (biblical Galatia) where St. Paul visited numerous times (Acts 13-14) (pending government approval). Day 6: April 22, 2016 y Bursa | Pergamum | Izmir See remarkable ruins and a church dating from the Roman times. Lunch Check out of your hotel and drive to Bergama (biblical Pergamum), and some free time in the afternoon en route to Cappadocia. Dinner another of the Seven Churches of Revelation (Rev 2: 12-17). Take the and overnight in Cappadocia. (B|D) cable car to the top of the mountain to visit the Acropolis and see the remains of the Altar of , believed to be the throne of Satan referred Day 2: April 29, 2016 | Cappadocia | Uchisar | Cappadocia to in the Bible. Steve's talk on Pergamum. See also the steepest theater in Cappadocia, a unique land resembling a lunar landscape, is a designated the world, and the remains of the famous Temple of . Drive to Izmir UNESCO World Heritage Site - home to early Christian monks who and celebrate Mass at St. Polycarp Church, followed by Steve's talk on St. escaped from the pagan persecutions in Asia Minor. Celebrate Mass at Polycarp. Dinner and overnight in Izmir. (B|D) the First Cave Church built in the 2nd century BC. Proceed to Goreme Open Air Museum to see remarkable frescoes painted by the early Day 7: April 23, 2016 y Izmir | | Izmir Christian monks on the walls of the cave churches. Next drive to Kaymakli Izmir is the third largest city in Turkey. In ancient times, known as Underground City to see how these monks carved underground cities , it was one the Seven Churches of the (Rev to protect themselves from the Arabic raids. Visit Uchisar, a natural rock 2: 8-11) and the site of the meeting between St. citadel. Dinner and overnight in Cappadocia. (B|D) and St. Polycarp in 106 AD, and also the place Bishop St. Polycarp was martyred. In the morning, drive to Ephesus, one the Seven Churches of Day 3: April 30, 2016 | Cappadocia | | Hatay (Antioch) Revelation (Rev 2: 1-7). The Blessed Mary spent the later years of Check out of your hotel and depart Cappadocia. Visit Tarsus, birthplace her life here. Enjoy elegant lunch at Sultankoy Carpet Weaving Center, of St. Paul. Visit the foundations of the house where St. Paul lived with his with a demonstration of the famous art of Turkish carpet weaving. After parents. Visit the Church of St. Paul for Mass. Continue on to Hatay (biblical lunch, visit the House of Mother Mary. Celebrate Mass at Mother Mary’s city of Antioch; Acts 11 and 15). Dinner and overnight in Hatay. (B|D) House, followed with a visit to St. John’s Basilica to venerate the tomb of Day 4: May 01, 2016 | Hatay | St. Peter’s Church St. , ' beloved . Dinner and overnight Peter and Paul met in Hatay (Antioch) where the early “Followers in Izmir. (B|L|D) of the Way” were first called "" (Acts 11:26). Celebrate Mass Day 8: April 24, 2016 y Izmir | | | Pamukkale in the Cave of St. Peter, the very first Christian Church (Acts 13: 1-4). Check out of your hotel and drive to Pamukkale. En route, visit Sardis, Then, proceed to the Hatay Archaeological Museum. Farewell Dinner another of the Seven Churches of Revelation. Celebrate Mass at Sardis and overnight in Hatay. (B|D) (Rev 3: 1-6). Then, continue on to Philadelphia, one of the Seven Churches Day 5: May 02, 2016 | Departure mentioned in the Book of Revelation (3:7-13). Transfer to Pamukkale for Check out of your hotel and transfer to Hatay Airport for your departure check in to your hotel. Dinner and overnight in Pamukkale. (B|D) back to USA