A Catholic Pilgrimage Tour to Greece & Turkey

September 18, 2023 – Monday
NEWARK / GREECE
Our journey begins as we gather at Newark Liberty International Airport for our late-night flighten routetoGreece. Meals are served on our transatlantic flight.

September 19, 2023 – Tuesday
ATHENS
This evening we arrive in Athens and are met by our Pilgrimage Tours’ tour director. We proceed to our hotel for check-in and dinner. Overnight in Athens.

September 20, 2023 – Wednesday
ATHENS
Today we will enjoy a motor coach tour of classical Athens, including time at the legendary Acropolis, where we will visit the spectacular Parthenon and the Temple of Athena and its Winged Victory statue. We also visit the Areopagus or Mars Hill where Paul was brought before the council and made his famous “Men of Athens” speech on the “Unknown God”. Following Mass at the Bema Seat of Saint Paul, we continue with a driving tour where we see such sites as Constitution Square, the House of Parliament, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the Temple of Zeus, the Old Olympic Stadium and the neoclassical buildings of Athens. Dinner and overnight in Athens.

September 21, 2023 – Thursday
ATHENS / CORINTH / CENCHREA
This morning we drive along the picturesque Corinthian Gulf to Corinth, where the Apostle Paul lived and from where he sent his first and second letters to the Corinthians. We visit the market place where Paul preached to the Corinthians. To stand in the midst of the ruins of the church of Corinth and see the pillars, steps and place of public worship where Paul preached, will enhance your understanding and love for Paul’s two letters to the Corinthians.We also visit the sixth century BC Temple of Apollo, the Museum of Corinth and the Bema Seat of Saint Paul. We continue on to Cenchrea, the ancient seaport from where Apostle Paul set sail for Ephesus across the Aegean Sea. We return to Athens and enjoy free time for shopping on the pedestrian friendly Ermou Street. This evening we enjoy dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight in Athens.

September 22, 2023 – Friday
ATHENS / AEGEAN SEA / MYKONOS
This morning we board our cruise ship. During our sailing to Mykonos, we pause for a celebration of Mass. Late afternoon we enjoy dinner aboard our ship, prior to arriving at our first stop, Mykonos. We see a hilly, rock-ribbed island of 29 square miles dotted with more than 350 tiny chapels built by 19th-century pirates to invoke the protection of their patron saints. We visit a fishing harbor with shops and boutiques selling handmade sweaters, dresses, fabrics, jewelry and more at bargain prices. Overnight at Sea.

September 23, 2023 – Saturday
KUSADASI / EPHESUS / PATMOS
Today we arrive at the port of Kusadasi to enjoy a tour of Ephesus, the best preserved of the original Seven Churches of Revelation. Ancient tradition holds that the Blessed Virgin Marylived here with Saint John. The Apostle Paul spent two years in Ephesus and wrote his First Letter to the Corinthians here. We celebrate Mass at the House of the Virgin Mary, where Mary spent the final years of her life. Following Mass, we enjoy a sightseeing tour of Ancient Ephesus where we will see among other sites, the Magnesian Gate, the Agora, the Odeon, the Library of Celsus, the Thermal Baths of Scholastica, Trajan’s Fountain, the Prytaneum, Hadrian’s Temple and the Great Theatre. Our tour concludes with a visit to the Covered Bazaar of Kusadasi with free time for shopping. In the afternoon we sail to the Island of Patmos, where St. John wrote the Book of Revelation. Following dinner on our ship, we disembark the ship for a visit to Patmos, where we will visit Saint John’s Monastery and the Grotto of the Apocalypse. We return to our ship for overnight at Sea.

September 24, 2023 – Sunday
CRETE / SANTORINI
This morning we dock in Heraklion, the capital of Crete. The Apostle Paul ended up in Crete because of severe winds (Acts 27:7). Here we will enjoy a walking tour of Heraklion, followed by a visit and celebration of Mass at the Church of St. John the Baptist. We re-board our ship and sail to Santorini, believed by many travelers to be the most breathtaking of all the Greek isles. Following dinner on board, we visit Santorini and see the beautiful whitewashed houses, narrow streets and open-air cafes that cling to steep cliffs that are accessible only by cable car or mule. An interesting fact about Santorini is that in recent Minoan excavations, evidence was discovered that have led scientists and archeologists to believe that Santorini may be the fabled lost continent of Atlantis. We depart Santorini for our overnight sailing to Athens. Overnight at Sea.

September 25, 2023 – Monday
ATHENS / DELPHI / KALAMBAKA
Our ship returns to the port of Piraeus where following breakfast onboard we drive to Delphi, the center of the ancient world, the “omphalos” (navel) of the earth – whose prestige extended far beyond the boundaries of the Hellenic world. On the slopes of Mount Parnassos, in a landscape of unparalleled natural beauty and majesty, lies the archaeological site of Delphi. We visit the Temple of Apollo, the Treasury of the Athenians and the Archaeological Museum containing such masterpieces of ancient Greek sculpture as the bronze Charioteer and the famous athlete Aghias. After the tour we continue on to Kalambaka, where we celebrate Mass at our hotel. Dinner and overnight in Kalambaka.

September 26, 2023 – Tuesday
KALAMBAKA / METEORA / VERIA / THESSALONIKI
This morning we depart Kalambaka for a visit to spectacular Meteora with its thousand-year-old Byzantine monasteries perched precariously on huge finger-like rocks, where we enjoy a wonderful view. We continue on to Veria, on the terraced foot of Mount Vernon to see the Monument where Paul preached. Following Mass, we depart for Thessaloniki where Paul also preached and sent his first and second letters to the Thessalonians. Dinner and overnight in Thessaloniki.

September 27, 2023 – Wednesday
THESSALONIKI
Today we enjoy a panoramic driving tour of Thessaloniki where we will see the White Tower, the Arch of Galerius and the Rotunda standing on the Egnatian Way. We pause at the Old City walls offering a panoramic view of Thessaloniki. In the afternoon we enjoy free time for personal exploration of Thessaloniki. This evening we gather for dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight in Thessaloniki.

September 28, 2023 – Thursday
THESSALONIKI / ISTANBUL
This morning we transfer to the airport, bid our Greek guide farewell and board our direct flight to Istanbul. Upon our arrival in Istanbul, we meet our tour guide in Turkey and board our motor coach for an orientation tour of ancient Constantinople, where we arrive at the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit for Mass. Following Mass,we visit the popular Sultan Ahmed or Blue Mosque with its six minarets and thousands of blue tiles, followed by a visit to the Basilica of Saint Sofia, (Church of the Divine Wisdom), now a museum, converted to a mosque from a Christian church after the fall of Constantinople in 1453. In the afternoon we visit the famous Topkapi Palace with its collection of Ottoman Treasures. This legendary maze of buildings was the residence of the Ottoman sultans and the heart of the Empire. From Seraglio Point we have a wonderful view overlooking the Sea of Marmara.Our afternoon concludes with a visit to Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar, a place that exudes the local culture, where numerous merchants have items for sale. Dinner and overnight in Istanbul.

September 29, 2023 – Friday
ISTANBUL
This morning we will visit and celebrate Mass at the Church of Saint Anthony of Padua. Following Mass, we will visit the Underground Basilica Cistern. Next, we will visit Istanbul’s Archaeological Museum followed by a visit to Istanbul’s Spice Market. Our day of sightseeing concludes with our Bosphorus Cruise, offering a beautiful perspective of Istanbul. This evening we gather for our “farewell dinner” at a local restaurant. Overnight in Istanbul.

September 30, 2023 – Saturday
ISTANBUL / NEWARK
Today we bid farewell to the ancient New Testament lands of Greece and Turkey and board our return flight home. Though our pilgrimage draws to a close, its blessings will last a lifetime and its graces are certain to draw us closer to the Lord.