Your pilgrimage begins as you board your international flight for Istanbul.

Upon arrival, you will be met by our airport representative. Transfer to your hotel in Istanbul for dinner and you overnight stay.

The bejeweled capital of Istanbul sits between two continents and is home to 450 mosques. You will visit the famous Blue Mosque with its six minarets and sparkling interior. Visit the underground cisterns dating to Byzantine times. Walk through Hagia Sophia, which was the largest church in Christendom for 1,000 years, built by Justinian (532 -537 AD). The church has 107 columns, fossil-embedded white marble floors, and beautiful glass mosaics. Enjoy the aroma of cinnamon, cloves, thyme, and other exotic spices as you explore the Grand Bazaar. Over 4,000 shops sell everything from herbs to gold. This afternoon, you will fly to Izmir. Have dinner and stay overnight in Izmir.

Visit Pergamum, one of the seven churches mentioned in Revelation (Rev. 2:12). It displeased the Lord because it tolerated the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, which Christ hated (Rev. 2:13-17). The fabled Acropolis towers 1,000 feet above the town and commands a spectacular panorama. As you pass through the Royal Gates, you will enter one of the great centers of classic Greek culture. You will see the foundations of the Temple of Zeus, the Temple of Athena, and the ruins of the library, which once held 200,000 parchment volumes. You will see the remains of the Temple of Trajan, the Grand Theatre, the gymnasium, and the health center (Aesclepion). Visit Thyatira, once a busy trading center, home to Lydia, the “seller of purple” (Acts 16). Today, it is famous for Persian rugs. Thyatira, one of the Seven Churches mentioned in Revelation, tolerated the false prophetess, Jezebel (Rev. 1:11; 2:18-29). Have dinner and stay overnight in Izmir.

The third largest city in modern Turkey is Izmir, which is a center for Jewish and Christian communities. In Paul’s day, the town was known as Smyrna. It was also one of the Seven Churches of Revelation (Rev. 2: 8 -11). You will see the Agora, the colonnaded commercial center where Roman statues can still be seen. We will then travel to Sardis, another of the Seven Churches of Revelation. You will be impressed by the massive scale of the Temple of Artemis, the white marble Royal Road, the gymnasium, and the synagogue. Visit the site of Philadelphia, also one of the Seven Churches of Revelation (Rev. 3: 7 -13). Christ told those who overcame that He would write upon them “the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is New Jerusalem.” (Rev. 3: 12) Today, not much is left to mark the spot. You will see an ancient wall and the remains of a Byzantine basilica. Famous as the receiver of Paul’s Letter to the Colossians, the town of Colossae has fallen into obscurity. While you can still see traces of the theatre, the Necropolis, and the Church, the ancient city is mostly indistinguishable ruins. Have dinner and stay overnight in Pamukkale.

Hierapolis is blessed by hot mineral springs and some of the best-preserved Roman ruins in Asia Minor. Paul mentions Hierapolis in his Letter to the Colossians in saluting Epaphras, a fellow laborer, for his love of the brethren there (Colossians 4:13). The ruins cover more than a mile. You will see the impressive amphitheater with seats still in perfect condition. You will see the City Gates, column-lined streets, and arches, which have stood through time and earthquakes. Today, the area is known as Pamukkale, meaning “Cotton Castle,” named for the limestone-laden hot springs which cascade from one white-edged terrace pool to the next. The Christians of Laodicea, one of the Seven Churches (Rev. 3:14-22), were chastised for being lukewarm, “You are neither cold nor hot” (Rev. 3:15), and for being too comfortable incorporating pagan and Christian beliefs. In the famous scripture from Revelation (3:20-21), Jesus says to the Laodicean church: “Behold, I stand at the door and knock...” Today, there are many acres of ruins to see, including the stadium and columned streets. Visit the excavations at Miletus, where Paul bid farewell to the elders of the church at Ephesus at the end of his Third Missionary Journey (Acts 20). Have dinner and stay overnight in Kusadasi.

Today, you will board the Celestyal Olympia and set sail for the Island of Patmos to visit the Monastery of St. John, high on the mountain overlooking the entire island. Walk down to the Grotto of the Apocalypse and the caves where it is believed that the exiled Apostle John lived and was inspired by God to write the Book of Revelation, as well as other letters to the early church.

Visit the island of Rhodes, where Paul briefly ported and where the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem lived and worked. Marvel at the stunning churches, exquisite Jewish quarter, the Inns of Knights, and the Palace of Grand Masters. Exploring Rhodes on foot will inevitably leave a lasting impression on you.

This morning, tour the city of Corinth, where the Apostle Paul met fellow tentmakers Aquila and Priscilla and received a vision from the Lord saying, “I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city”. As Paul spoke, Crispus (chief ruler of the synagogue) and many others believed and were baptized, establishing the church at Corinth to whom Paul later wrote his two epistles. Discover the archaeological museum, marketplace, and temples. As you walk among the ruins, stand on the Bema, where the Apostle Paul stood before Gallio to face charges brought against him by the Jews. Discover the rich architectural splendor of the ancient city of Athens as your guide introduces you to the world-renowned Acropolis, the Propylaea, the Parthenon, and the Erectheum. Stand on Mars Hill as the apostle Paul did when he proclaimed, “I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.” As you stroll the agora (ancient marketplace and center of Athenian public life), recall that this was where the Apostle Paul preached “Jesus and the resurrection” to the skeptical Athenians.

Return to the USA.