by Mark Holyoake Phillipi Journeyed along the ancient route of the Apostle Paul (Acts 17:1) and on to nearby Philippi, named after Philip II in 356 BC, father of Alexander the Great. Saint Paul arrived in Macedonia around 50 C.E. He reached Neapolis (now Kavala), a small beautiful fishing village at the time (Acts 16:11). Philippi was a major city of the Macedonians, and played an important role in the life and ministry of the Apostle Paul. It was here that Saint Paul won his first European convert, a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira (Acts 16:13-15) and she was baptised on the banks of the River Zygaktis. Visited 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. Thessaloniki Visited the city of Thessaloniki - according to the New Testament, in AD 49 or 50, the city was visited by the apostle Paul (Acts 16:9-10). Thessaloniki is 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. From the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 16:12) and the letter to the Philippians (Philippians 1:1), early Christians concluded that Paul had founded their community. Accompanied by Silas, Timothy and possibly Luke, the author of the Acts of the Apostles, he is believed to have preached for the first time on European soil in Philippi (Acts 16:12-40). The ruins of Philippi are located about 15 km away from the town of Kavala.
Philippi was excavated by French archaeologists from 1914 to 1938 and still being excavated today.
It was one of the leading cities of Macedonia, founded in the 350 b.c.e. by Alexander the Great's father, Philip of Macedonia, and surrounded by walls. In 42 b.c.e., the army of Mark Antony and Octavian (later Caesar Augustus--Luke 2:1) defeated the army of Brutus and Cassius, the assassins of Julius Caesar, on the Plain of Philippi.
In honor of his victory Octavian made Philippi a Roman colony and settled the veterans of the battle there. The impressive ruins of Philippi cover many acres and include the remains of a Roman theater, a sixth century Christian Basilica, and a Roman latrine.
On his way from Philippi to Thessalonica, Paul passed through Amphipolis and Appollonia (Acts 17:1) It was here that St Paul won his first European convert, a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira (Acts 16:13-15) She became St Paul's first convert at Philippi. She was baptized with her household. Saint Lydia’s feast date is August 3. In this breathtaking oasis on the banks of the River Zygaktis, Lydia the first European convert was baptised by Paul the Apostle
Mass at the River Zygaktis Fr Chris DeSouza and Fr John Escarlan
by Mark Holyoake The Saint Polycarp Church is the oldest church in Izmir and represents ancient Smyrna's role as one of the Seven Churches of Revelation.
Saint Polycarp was converted by the John the Apostle and became Bishop of Smyrna which is an ancient city in zmir, Turkey
He was martyred by the Romans at the age of 86 in 155 AD at Kadifkale, which was atop the hill near modern-day Izmir.
According to tradition, when they tried to burn Polycarp at the stake, the flames wouldn't touch him. They finally stabbed him to death.
The Church of Saint Polycarp in Izmir was reconstructed in 1620. Church of St Polycarp is the oldest Church in Izmir, the ancient city of Smyrna and one of the Seven Churches in St John's Revelation.
Named after St Polycarp, one of the martyrs in mid 2nd century.