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The Roman harbor at Antalya. |
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IN THE LONELY TRAIL OF ST. PAUL (16 days/15 nights, by Orion Tour)
Istanbul, Tarsus, Adana, Antakya (Antioch), Cappadocia, Konya, Antalya, Pamukkale, Kusadasi, Izmir, Ephesus, Bursa, Iznik
(Group departures are infrequent, but Orion Tour will be happy to make arrangements for you to follow this itinerary as a private tour.)
With his vigor to spread the Gospel, St. Paul spent most of his Christian life travelling over thousands of miles by land and sea, encountering endless difficulties. Most of these journeys were done in the lands of present day Turkey.
Day 1 - Istanbul
Arrival at Istanbul airport, you will be met
and transferred to your hotel.
Day 2 – Istanbul
Following breakfast, we drive to the 'Old City'
where we will visit the Hippodrome, the Blue
Mosque, famous
for its delicate blue ceramic tiles and Saint Sophia.
Next is spectacular Topkapi Palace, the seat of government
for the Ottoman Empire for many centuries (1453-1852)
where we'll visit the extravagant Treasury and
priceless Chinese porcelain collection. We will
finish up the day
in the bustling
Grand Bazaar. (BL)
Day 3 - Antakya
We will take the early flight to Adana, ancient
Cilicia, and drive straight to Tarsus, the birth
place of
St. Paul. During St. Paul's time Tarsus was a university
city surpassing Athens and Alexandria. Cicero was a
governor here in 51-50 BC and the romantic meeting
between Cleopatra and Mark Anthonius took place in
Tarsus. Highlights here will be St. Paul's well, the
recently excavated ancient main street and Cleopatra’s
Gate. Continue to Antakya for dinner and overnight.
(BD)
Day 4 - Adana
Today we journey south east to Antioch-on-the-Orontes,
Daphne and Seleucia ad Pieria. Antioch is thought
to have
been founded in 300 BC among all the cities in the
world of the first century AD. First to preach here
was St. Peter followed by St. Paul and Barnabas
whose extensive efforts proved
to be very fruitful for Christianity. Incidentally,
the word “Christian” was first coined in
Antioch. Highlights include the museum which houses
a superb collection of mosaics from Antioch, Daphne
and Seleucia Pieria, St. Peter's Grotto, the cave church
came to be known as the meeting place of the early
Christians. The
next site we will visit today is Seleucia ad Pieria
which was the port city of Antioch in ancient days.
The most
interesting monument here is the Tunnel of Titus which
is a tremendous water canal dug for the purpose of
diverting the waters of Orontes river. Another highlight
here will be the rock tombs with their impressive facades
pertaining to the Hellenistic period. Return to Adana
for dinner and overnight. (BD)
Day 5 - Cappadocia
After an early breakfast, we drive north to Cappadocia
and first stop at Derinkuyu or Kaymakli. This is an
underground city, carved into soft rocks resembling
a huge labyrinth of tunnels, rooms, kitchens, wine
cellars and passageways. A huge chimney ventilates
this 8-levelled dwelling which was used by Christians
to hide from their Roman and Byzantine persecutors.
Further on we come to Cappadocia. What Turks commonly
call "Fairy Chimneys" are jutting pieces
of volcanic rocks that have been beaten and shaped
by the wind and rain. Highlights will be The Apple
Church, The Serpent and Sandal Churches and the Church
with a Buckle in Goreme. Their colorful frescoes remain
as vibrant as when they were first made. Fascinating
place...Dinner and overnight. (BD)
Day 6 - Konya
Right after breakfast, we begin our drive to
Konya or ancient Iconium which became an important
Christian
city following St. Paul's preaching. A Phyrigian
legend says that Konya was the first city to
be founded after
the flood. St. Paul and Barnabas came here in 47
AD and their preaching was accompanied by many
miracles.
St. Paul made two more stops here on his second and
third journeys. Today's Konya is quite new but the
center of the city is very old. We may arrange a
visit to the existing Catholic church in town
center. Dinner
and overnight. (BD)
Day 7 - Antalya
Early morning we will drive to Psidian Antioch
(Yalvac) where St. Paul opened Christianity
to the world.
Yalvac's history goes back to 280 BC. During St.
Paul's time,
the population was a mixture of Jews, Romans and
Greeks. There are a propylaea of the acropolis
with a number
of carved stones, a small theater, a prehistoric
altar to Cybele in the Agustus Forum, aqueducts
and the remains
of a beautiful Byzantine church. We pass by Egirdir
Lake and arrive in Antalya for dinner and overnight.
(B, D)
Day 8 - Antalya (Perge- Aspendus)
Ruins of Perge are 18 kms to the east of Antalya.
This is where St. Paul began preaching after arriving
from Cyprus. Highlights are the Theater, the Gymnasium,
the Bath, the Agora, the Stadium and the beautiful
Hellenistic Gate. Another one of the Pamphilian cities
is Aspendus. The Theater is the best preserved in
the world with its incredible acoustics. Dinner and
overnight in Antalya. (BD)
Day 9 - Pamukkale (Laodicea-
Hierapolis)
We leave our hotel early in the morning and drive
to Hierapolis but before we get here we stop at Laodicea.
We find here two Theaters, a large Stadium, a Water
Tower and an Odeon. The city is supposed to have
been named by Antiochus II in honor of his wife,
Laodicea. St. Paul wrote a letter to the church here
(Acts: 4:16). We arrive in Hierapolis that was founded
by Pergamon king Telephos and named after his wife
Hiera. Most likely, the very large Jewish element
in this city was an important factor in the rapid
expansion of Christianity. During the Byzantine period
the city became the seat of diocese with a large
Christian Church dedicated to St. Philip who was
martyred here in 80 AD. Highlights include the Roman
Baths, the Temple of Apollo and the Theater and the
calcified terraces. Dinner and overnight in Pamukkale.
(BD)
Day 10 - Kusadasi
We start early as we will see two sights today.
Our first stop is Didyma that served as a religious
sanctuary
to god Apollo. Oracular inscriptions in Didyma indicate
dates as far back as 6th.BC. Legend tells us that
with the arrival of Alexander the Great, the sacred
spring of the Temple that had dried up began to flow
again. Highlights will be the Temple of Apollo. Further
north we arrive in Miletus whose history dates back
to 800 BC. Famous Philosopher Thales comes from Miletus
and he is credited with the theory that all things
come from water. Highlights here are the Lion Harbor
that St. Paul sailed in, the Main Colonnaded Street,
the Theatre, Baths of Faustina and the Council Chamber.
Dinner and overnight in Kusadasi. (BD)
Day 11 -
Izmir (Ephesus)
On our way to Izmir this morning we will stop
by the famous city of Ephesus. Our tour will
begin with
the Basilica of St. John "the Evangelist" who
came here with the Virgin Mary and wrote his Gospel
in Ephesus. The Temple of Artemis, considered as
one of the Seven
Wonders of the Ancient World, was
located here. Ephesus, as you will see, is in very
good state
of preservation and the overall existing view of
this ancient city will make it evident that she was
a wealthy, cultural and commercial center in the
past. St. Paul's preaching in the area resulted with
the uproar of the Guild of Silversmiths and eventually
the whole population of Ephesus. Highlights include
the Library of Celsus, the Temple of Hadrian, the
Fountain of Trajan, the Brothel and the Theater.
We will also stop by the House of Virgin Mary close
by where she is reputed to have spent her last years.
You will be able to collect some holy water from
the Sacred Spring. Dinner and overnight in Izmir.
(BD)
Day 12 - Izmir (Sardis)
We drive to Sardis whose history dates back to
12th cent. BC. Sardis felt the influence of Christianity
very early and was included in the Seven Churches
of the Apocalypse. During the Byzantine times, it
was the seat of a bishopric. Highlights will be the
Synagogue, the Gymnasium, the Byzantine Church and
the Temple of Artemis. We will then proceed to Thyatira
(Akhisar) that was another one of the towns where
Christianity spread quickly. It was the site for
one of the Churches of Revelation. We have yet one
more to see, the church of St. Polycarp, in Izmir.
Dinner and overnight. (BD)
Day 13 – Ayvalik
On our way to Ayvalik this morning we will stop
by the hauntingly beautiful Pergamon. Among the
impressive
structures of this city, dating from 399 BC, we will
see the Trajaneum, Altar of Zeus, Temple of Dionysus,
Theater and the 200,000 volume library which was
surpassed only by that found in Alexandria at the
time. The Asclepion of Pergamon was a famous health
center where methods of treatment included blood
transfusions, music therapy and meditation. Dinner
and overnight in Ayvalik. (BD)
Day 14 - Assos - Alexandria Troas
- Bursa
Today is a long and challenging day for every
body! We leave our hotel and proceed to Assos
and Alexandria Troas
before heading towards Bursa. Assos perches high
on a cliff overlooking the Aegean and the Island
of Lesbos is breathtaking. Its Acropolis carries
the impressive Temple of Athena. Arriving in Assos
on foot from Alexandria Troas, St. Paul preached
here and went down to the little port on the shore
to board the
boat on his return journey to Jerusalem. Recent
excavations revealed a dozen different cities covering
3000 years of human occupation. Continue to Bursa
for dinner and overnight. (BD)
Day 15 - Nicaea (Iznik) - Istanbul
After breakfast, we will visit the Yesil Cami
(Green Mosque) and the Yesil Turbe (Green Tomb).
The Ulu
Camii (Grand Mosque) is completely Seljukied in
style, a big rectangular building with immense
portals and
a forest of supporting columns inside. We leave
Bursa behind us and drive to Nicea. The city
was founded
around 1000 BC. In 325, the First Ecumenical Council
was held here for the purpose of condemning the
heresy of Arianism. The Seventh Ecumenical
Council was also
held here in the St. Sophia Church, which we will
visit first. The church was built in the 4th century
and has a mosaic floor which dates to the 6th century.
All gates and walls date from the Byzantine times.
We proceed to Istanbul and check into our hotel.
(BD)
Day 16 - Transfer
We escort you to the airport for your flight home.
(B)
(Tour code: ORNHASP5)
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