0902 Froude 11 Days

A PILGRIMAGE TO GREECE 2-12 September 2016 Led by the Bishop of Bristol, Mike Hill, and the Archdeacon of Malmesbury and acting Archdeacon of Bristol, Christine Froude 11 days with visits to Thessalonika, Philippi, Delphi, Corinth & Athens with two free days on the coast 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. 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 A PILGRIMAGE TO GREECE Meteora monasteries and the ancient oracle at Delphi. with Mike Hill, the Bishop of Bristol, and Christine Our destination, like Paul, is Athens. Here he preached Froude, Archdeacon of Malmesbury and acting his famous sermon introducing the Athenians to the Archdeacon of Bristol. ‘unknown God’. Visits during our two night stay in 2-12 September 2016 central Athens include the Areopagus where Paul preached and the incomparable Parthenon adorning At the beginning of the third millennium it is good to the Acropolis. Our final two nights offer opportunity look back to the first century missionary journeys of St for some rest as we relax on the coast in comfortable Paul and the expansion of the early Christian Church surroundings. We will be worshipping each day and and particularly its transition westwards from Asia to will celebrate the Eucharist together on a couple of Europe. St Paul was the first to bring Christianity to occasions. Some single rooms are available at a There will be a fair amount of walking TOUR charge of £425. Please, however, see involved. This said, we are planning our note ‘Travelling Alone’ printed this pilgrimage to be accessible to all INFORMATION overleaf. Any special requests (e.g. reasonably able-bodied parishioners. special diets) should be printed on the If you are worried about this aspect, The cost of this tour is £1,895 sharing a booking form. please speak to the tour leader. twin-bedded room with private facilities. Hotels are of a good standard A deposit is payable now with the Please note: the itinerary may be and locally graded three, four and five balance due eight weeks prior to subject to change due to local stars. Accommodation is on a half departure. Final flight and conditions and flights are based on board basis with breakfast and table accommodation details will be known schedules (as of Nov 2014). d'hôte dinner included daily. confirmed in your travel wallet two weeks prior to departure. 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 British Airways. We depart from Gatwick airport flying to Thessalonika and return from Athens flying in to Heathrow airport. All current British and Greek travel taxes are included. 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 €50 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 Canon David C Froude enclosed booking form and send it with a deposit of 1 Orchard Close £200 plus the insurance premium of £39, to the Winterbourne pilgrimage administrator. Please make cheques Bristol BS36 1BF payable to ‘McCabe Pilgrimages’. Tel: 07768 958704 email: [email protected] DAILY PROGRAMME Friday 2 September | JOURNEY TO GREECE (Eucharist). Here we will meet with the nuns although there are few remains of the former British Airways flight BA2642 departs London and learn about their life in this very outgoing glories of the 5th Century BC. We visit the Gatwick at 06:40 and arrives in Thessalonika and welcoming monastic community. We Acropolis, the foremost site of Classical at 12:00. We then make the two and a half return down the mountain for a two night Greece, with the Parthenon. We walk down hour transfer to Kavala (previously the stay at the Divani Hotel beside the Meteora to the site of St Paul's sermon on Mars Hill ancient port of Neapolis) where Paul landed monasteries in Kalambaka. (Areopagus). Paul had a very mixed reception arriving from Troas on his way to Philippi. Tuesday | METEORA MONASTERIES here in making known the ‘Unknown God' (Acts 17). We then visit the Agora, the centre Two night stay on the waterfront at the three This morning we visit the extraordinary star Galaxy Hotel. of public life in Athens at the time of St Paul Meteora Monasteries perched high on and include time for shopping in the ‘plaka’. Saturday | PHILIPPI gigantic rocks. The monastic history of Saturday | CORINTH This morning we visit Philippi, the first city in Meteora dates back to the 11th century and Europe visited by Paul and the city where he the monasteries themselves date back to the Today we drive out to Corinth, taking the and Silas were imprisoned. The church of 14th. We will visit two of the monasteries coastal road. We cross the Corinth canal Philippi was perhaps the most supportive of including either Varlaam with its superb which connects the Aegean and Ionian seas. all to Paul (Philippians 4). We also visit the frescoes of the Last Judgement, or the more Corinth is forever remembered through stream by the village of Lydia, where Lydia of easily accessible convent of Agios Stephanos. Paul's letters to a lively church in the midst of Thyatira was baptised, the first recorded Afternoon free in this spectacular setting. immorality and paganism. Here he recruited baptism in Europe. We break for lunch. The Wednesday | DELPHI two valuable assistants, Priscilla and Aquila. We celebrate the Eucharist in the ancient site rest of the day is free in Kavala to wander We drive to Delphi, clinging to the lower around its picturesque harbour. before continuing on to Cenchreae, the port of slopes of Mount Parnassos. Deeply engraved Corinth and Paul’s departure point for Ephesus Sunday | THESSALONIKA on the record of Greek history, it was a place (Acts 18). We continue to our luxury beach We drive along the coast to Thessalonika. of incalculable religious and political resort in Vouliagmeni on the Athenian Riviera Our afternoon visits include St Demetrius importance which attracted pilgrims from all with the rest of the day free to relax and Basilica, the largest church in Greece, and over the Hellenic world. Here, the Oracle was reflect on all that we have experienced on our Agia Sophia, reminiscent of Hagia Sophia in consulted by both states and individuals; it journey. Two night stay at the Divani Istanbul, with its 10th century mosaics. We highlights the religious background to Paul’s Appollon Palace Hotel, a member of Leading will also see the White Tower and drive to the preaching of the gospel. Our visit includes the Hotels of the World. excellent museum as well as the excavations highest point to view the city. We overnight Sunday | COASTAL RESORT at the Holiday Inn Hotel in Thessalonika. and ruins of the site. We overnight near Delphi at the Nafsika Palace Hotel. A full day to enjoy the Aegean and the lovely Monday | A MOUNTAIN TOP EXPERIENCE Thursday | DELPHI facilities of this beautiful resort hotel. We drive along the coast line past the site of Monday 12 September | HOME Berea, where St Paul went after his escape On the way into Athens we visit the ancient from Thessalonika, (Acts 17, vv 10-14). Berea site of Thermopylae and the medieval Further free time today. In the afternoon we was a place of encouragement (Acts 17), Christian site of Hosios Loukas. We continue drive the short distance to Athens Airport for where the people were more open to the to Athens for a two night stay at the three our direct flight to London. Flight BA633 Gospel than they had been in Thessalonika. star superior Hotel Acropolis Select. departs Athens at 19:30 and arrives into We then take a dramatic drive up a mountain Friday | ATHENS Heathrow airport at 21:15 . to visit the very modern Monastery of St A full day tour of Athens. Athens for many is John the Forerunner high above Larissa the cradle of civilization and democracy, 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.

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