JOUR NEYS Beyond the or dinar y CIVILIZATIONS AND FAITHS IN TRANSITION Paganism, Judaism and the Origins of Christianity in the Greco-Roman World Library of Celcus, Ephesus September 29 – October 12, 2020 t the height of the Pax Romana, between the reigns of Augustus and Trajan, the Roman Empire stood at the pinnacle of its glory, Adominating almost two million square miles, from Hadrian’s Wall in northern England to the Caspian Sea in Asia. Roman law and Roman culture to a great extent based on the culture of ancient Greece, knew no rival, and during this tranquil period, Christianity was born. Eventually, Rome declined and its empire disappeared. But much of Rome’s legacy – its language, law, literature, and architecture, was preserved for eternity, in no small way thanks to Christianity. And Christianity might have remained obscure had not a Jew named Paul carried the new faith to the greatest cities of the Empire. Paul of Tarsus incorporated tenets of Greek classical tradition and Judaism into the The ancient theater of Ephesus new faith. Our journey is designed to explore sites that are richly associated with some of the most dramatic moments in the history of the rise of Christianity set in the context of the Greco-Roman culture of Paul’s life and times. In Greece, we will explore cosmopolitan Thessaloniki, the biblical Thessalonica, where Paul founded a Christian community in mid-first century A.D.; ancient Philippi, an important stop in Paul’s apostolic mission; and Veria (the biblical Berea), where Paul spent time. We will also visit Athens, where in A.D. 51 Paul preached on “the Unknown God,” and Corinth, where Paul spent 18 months. In Ephesus, Turkey, one of the world’s greatest ancient cities, we will walk the same street Paul walked and sit in the vast theater where the Ephesians rioted against Paul. Kavala Join us on this fascinating journey that traces the path of St. Paul and explores the emergence of Christianity around the fabled Aegean Sea. Corinth Canal The Acropolis of Athens Patmos’s Monastery of St. John, with the town spread below Day 7 ~ SAMOS Philippi Kavala One of the wealthiest and most powerful Thessaloniki city-states of ancient Greece, Samos achieved the pinnacle of its brilliance in the 6th century BC, when its energetic merchants had pioneered trade routes stretching from Egypt to Spain, and when magnificent public works were Aegean TURKEY undertaken. Samos was also an intellectual Sea powerhouse. Pythagoras, philosopher, GREECE mathematician and discoverer of the geometric Ionian theorem that bears his name was a native son, Sea Aesop wrote his fables here, and many artists, writers and philosophers from thr Athens Ephesus oughout Samos Greece were drawn to the island. Tour in the Corinth morning Samos’s most important monuments, Mot or r out e including the remains of the Heraion, the Ship r out e Patmos enormous shrine dedicated to t Air r out e he Mother Goddess; the Tunnel of Eupalinos, one of the greatest engineering feats of antiquity; the monastery of Panaghia Spyliani; and the ITINERARY the Great. It is believed that here St. Paul Archaeological Museum in Vathy. Spend the delivered his first sermon on European soil and afternoon at leisure. Day 1 ~ DEPART THE USA baptized his first convert, St. Lydia (AD 49). He Meals: B Fly from the U.S. to Thessaloniki, Greece. addressed one of his epistles to the people of Philippi. After exploring the ancient city, including Day 8 ~ SAMOS/PATMOS/SAMOS Day 2 ~ THESSALONIKI, Greece the remains of several early basilicas, drive to Sail for the day to Patmos, the island where Arrive in Thessaloniki, the second largest city nearby Kavala, the ancient port town of Neapolis, St. John the Divine (“Theologos” in Greek) was in Greece and the capital of the region of where St. Paul landed in AD 49. Enjoy lunch and exiled to from Ephesus in AD 95 by the Roman Macedonia. Upon arrival, transfer to the Hotel time at leisure in picturesque Kavala, which is Emperor Dominian, and the place where he Macedonia Palace. In the evening, enjoy a built on two hills facing the harbor. received the vision of the Apocalypse welcome dinner. Meals: B, L (Revelation), which is now the last book of the Meals: D New Testament. According to tradition, St. John Day 5 ~ THESSALONIKI/SAMOS received the vision in a cave, which we will visit Day 3 ~ THESSALONIKI Fly from Thessaloniki to Samos, the lush Greek after we land on this holy island. A little further Founded in 316 BC and named after the half- island located near the coast of Turkey. One of the up the road is the imposing fortress-like sister of Alexander the Great, Thessaloniki, the wealthiest islands of antiquity, Samos was also a Monastery of St. John, built in 1088 on top of biblical Thessalonica, commands a beautiful renowned center of learning. Spend the next four a ridge. The monastery consists of several cha position at the head of a spacious bay. St. Paul nights at the lovely Hotel Doryssa Seaside Resort . pels, in addition to the church of St. John, that are rich in ecclesiastical founded a Christian community here in AD Meals: B, L, D treasures. Outstanding is the Library. Below th 49-50 and directed two of his epistles to the e monastery Thessalonians. Thessaloniki was also an Day 6 ~ SAMOS/EPHESUS/SAMOS important center of Jewish learning. The city is Sail in the morning the short channel across to renowned for its monuments dating from late Turkey’s port of Kusadasi, and from there antiquity, and for its early Christian churches. We continue to nearby Ephesus, one of the most will visit in the morning the Vlatadon Monastery, prominent cities of antiquity, now a magnificent where St. Paul preached; the church of Aghios archaeological site. Founded by Greeks around Georgios, built on a Roman rotunda; the church 1100 BC, Ephesus flourished between 600 BC of Aghia Sophia, believed to be older than its and AD 500, becoming one of the largest and namesake in Istanbul; the Cathedral of Aghios wealthiest cities in the Roman Empire, and an Demetrios, the guardian of the city; and the early center of Christianity from the AD 50s. church of Holy Apostles, with its striking St. Paul lived here from AD 52-54. Our 14th-century mosaics. In the afternoon, visit exploration of the site will include the Street of the splendid Museum of Byzantine Culture, and Kuretes, the same street St. Paul walked during spend time at leisure to explore this vibrant city his stay, the theater, which held 24,000 people on your own. and the site where the famous riot against him Meals: B took place, the many monuments that line the street, the Church of the Councils and the Day 4 ~ THESSALONIKI/PHILIPPI/KAVALA/ house of the Virgin Mary. Return to Samos in THESSALONIKI the afternoon. Drive in the morning to Philippi, founded in the Meals: B, L, D 4th century BC by Phillip II, the father Alexander White Tower, Thessaloniki spreads charming Chora, Patmos’s main town, with its characteristic architecture. Enjoy lunch in Patmos before returning to Samos and the PROGRAM INCLUSIONS hotel. Meals: B, L, D. ■ Three nights in Thessaloniki at the Hotel Macedonia Palace ; four nights in Samos at the Hotel Doryssa Seaside Resort ; three nights in Athens at the A thens Plaza Hotel . Day 9 ~ SAMOS/ATHENS Transfer to the airport for the flight to Athens. Upon ■ American breakfast each morning at the hotels. arrival, transfer to the Athens Plaza Hotel , located ■ Five lunches and five dinners as indicated in the itinerary. on Constitution Square, the center of the city, and ■ Airport/hotel/airport transfers in Greece and handling of luggage. within walking distance from many of its ■ Complete program of tours and excursions as described in the itinerary by private motor attractions. Meals: B coach and professional English speaking guide. ■ All entrance fees to the sites described in the itinerary. Day 10 ~ ATHENS ■ Program of lectures by the accompanying expert Guest Lecturer. One of the world’s most venerable cities, Athens ■ All local taxes and service charges. is the capital of Greece and Europe’s oldest city. Its monuments and the treasures in its museums ■ Gratuities to porters, drivers and guides. are reminders of the city’s glorious past. Start in ■ The services of an experienced Thalassa Journeys trip director. the morning by visiting the hill of the Areopagus, ■ Complete package of pre-departure materials. the place where the Assembly of the Athenians met, and the place where St. Paul preached his celebrated sermon “on the Unknown God.” NOT INCLUDED: Airfare; travel insurance; expenses of a personal nature; any items not men - Continue to the Acropolis to visit its monuments, tioned in the itinerary and Program Inclusions; expenses caused by factors beyond our control including the incomparable Parthenon, built in such as plane delays, etc. the 5th century BC. In the afternoon, tour the Agora, the heart of public life of ancient Athens. Here, Socrates conversed with his fellow citizens questioning their assumptions, and St. Paul preached Christianity to Athenians. FOR INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT Meals: B Margaret Devlin 917-583-2331 • [email protected] Day 11 ~ ATHENS/CORINTH/ATHENS or Leave Athens in the morning for Old Corinth, Lacey Marx 646-678-9993 • [email protected] one of the most prominent and powerful cities of ancient Greece. During the Roman period, Corinth achieved the point of its greatest prosperity and wealth. It is estimated that the JOUR NEYS city had a population of 300,000.