PROGRAM Turkey
The Early Church: St. Paul, Early Christian Communities ,
& the Roots of the Creed
Discover the origin of the Christian faith across Asia Minor — from the street of Antioch where believers were first called Christians to the Apostolic mission in Galatia and the Seven Churches of Revelation. Follow St. Paul’s footsteps through Tarsus and Pisidian Antioch, take in the monastic heritage of Cappadocia, and conclude the journey in Nicaea, where the First Ecumenical Council framed the Nicene Creed.
Thessaloniki / Istanbul – Antioch – Seleucia Pieria – Tarsus – Ayatekla – Cappadocia – Pisidian Antioch – Lake Eğirdir – Hierapolis – Pamukkale – Laodicea – Sardis – Ephesus – Nicaea – Istanbul
Day 1
Istanbul
Arrival in Turkey
Arrival at Istanbul Airport and transfer to the hotel. Time to settle in and rest after the transatlantic flight before beginning the pilgrimage. Overnight in Istanbul.
Day 2
Istanbul
Morning – The Spiritual Heart of Orthodoxy
Visit the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Church of St. George in Phanar, the historic center of Eastern Orthodoxy. Continue to the historic peninsula to visit Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque, exploring how Christian, Byzantine, and Ottoman history shaped the city.
Afternoon – Between Two Continents
Explore the historic waterfront followed by a private boat cruise along the Bosphorus Strait, observing Istanbul’s unique location spanning Europe and Asia. Overnight in Istanbul.
Day 3
Istanbul – Antioch – Seleucia Pieria
Morning – Antioch & St. Peter’s Cave
Morning flight to Hatay (Antakya). Visit the Church of St. Peter, carved into the mountainside on the outskirts of ancient Antioch — where Acts 11 notes that the disciples were first called „Christians.”
Afternoon – The Port of the First Missionary Journey
Continue to Seleucia Pieria (Samandağ), the ancient Mediterranean port city. Visit the ancient harbor remains and Titus Tunnel, where according to Acts 13, Paul and Barnabas set sail for Cyprus to begin their First Missionary Journey. Overnight in the Antioch / Samandağ area.
Day 4
Antioch – Tarsus – Ayatekla – Silifke
Morning – Tarsus: City of Paul’s Youth
Drive to Tarsus, the birthplace and home of St. Paul (Acts 22:3). Visit St. Paul’s Well and the historic St. Paul Church, reflecting on the Greco-Roman and Jewish environment that shaped the Apostle. Mass in Tarsus, subject to confirmation.
Afternoon – Ayatekla: Sanctuary of St. Thecla
Continue along the coast to Ayatekla near Silifke, an early Christian pilgrimage site centered on the cave tradition of St. Thecla, an early disciple associated with St. Paul’s ministry in apocryphal tradition. Drive to Silifke. Overnight in Silifke.
Day 5
Silifke – Central Anatolia – Cappadocia
Morning – Silifke → Cappadocia
Travel by coach from the Mediterranean coast through the Taurus Mountains and across the Anatolian plateau to Cappadocia.
Afternoon – Uçhisar Panorama & Pigeon Valley
Arrive in Cappadocia and stop at the Uçhisar viewpoint for a first panorama of the region. Continue with a short, easy walk through part of Pigeon Valley, an introduction to Cappadocia’s distinctive volcanic landscape before exploring its Christian heritage the following day. Overnight in Cappadocia.
Day 6
Cappadocia – Konya
Morning – Göreme Open-Air Museum
Visit selected rock-cut churches and chapels at the Göreme Open-Air Museum, examining 10th- to 12th-century Byzantine frescoes and monastic cells. Reflect on the legacy of the Cappadocian Fathers (Basil the Great, Gregory of Nyssa, Gregory of Nazianzus) and their contribution to Trinitarian theology.
Afternoon – Konya: Paul in Iconium
Drive west across the Anatolian plains to Konya, ancient Iconium, where St. Paul and Barnabas preached during the First Missionary Journey (Acts 14). Visit St. Paul’s Church and the Mevlana Museum, dedicated to the Sufi mystic Rumi, exploring the broader religious history of Anatolia. Overnight in Konya.
Day 7
Konya – Pisidian Antioch – Lake Eğirdir
Morning – Pisidian Antioch: St. Paul’s Mission
Drive to Pisidian Antioch near Yalvaç. Visit the Basilica of St. Paul and the remains of the ancient city, where Acts 13 records Paul preaching in the synagogue during his First Missionary Journey.
Afternoon – Lake Eğirdir
Continue to Lake Eğirdir, surrounded by the Taurus Mountains. Enjoy a quiet walk along the lake and the historic peninsula – a slower afternoon after the morning visit to Pisidian Antioch. Overnight in Eğirdir.
Day 8
Eğirdir – Hierapolis – Pamukkale
Morning – Ancient Hierapolis
Drive west toward Denizli and enter the vast archaeological site of Hierapolis. Walk through the northern Necropolis, the Roman Baths, and the ancient Theatre.
Afternoon – Martyrium of St. Philip & Pamukkale Travertines
For those who wish, ascend the sloped trail behind the theater to the Martyrium and Tomb of St. Philip, marking the traditional site of the Apostle’s martyrdom. Afterwards, take time at the white travertine terraces of Pamukkale. Overnight in Pamukkale.
Day 9
Laodicea – Sardis – Ephesus Region
Morning – Laodicea: The Lukewarm Church
Drive to nearby Laodicea (Denizli). Explore the excavated Roman city, its colonnaded streets, ancient theaters, and the restored 4th-century Laodicean Church, reflecting on the message in Revelation 3:14–22.
Afternoon – Sardis: The Church Called to Awake
Continue northwest to Sardis (Salihli), capital of ancient Lydia. Visit the monumental 3rd-century Synagogue, the adjacent Roman Gymnasium, and the Temple of Artemis, considering the Biblical warning to „wake up” (Rev 3:1–6). Drive west toward the Aegean coast. Overnight in Kuşadası or Selçuk.
Day 10
Ephesus – House of Mary
Morning – Ancient Ephesus & Great Theatre
Tour ancient Ephesus, one of the primary cities of the Roman Empire and a major center of St. Paul’s ministry. Walk along the Marble Street and Celsus Library to the Great Theatre, site of the silversmiths’ riot against Paul described in Acts 19.
Afternoon – Church of Mary & House of the Virgin Mary
Visit the Church of Mary (Double Church), site of the Council of Ephesus in AD 431, which officially affirmed Mary as Theotokos (Mother of God). Continue up to the House of the Virgin Mary (Meryemana) on Mount Koressos for prayer and Mass, subject to confirmation. Overnight in Kuşadası or Selçuk.
Day 11
Ephesus Region – Nicaea – Istanbul
Morning – Ephesus Region → Nicaea
Leave the Aegean region and travel north to Nicaea (modern İznik), the city where the First Ecumenical Council gathered in AD 325.
Afternoon – Nicaea & the Nicene Creed
Explore Nicaea, including the historic Church of Hagia Sophia, associated with the Seventh Ecumenical Council of 787, and the ancient city walls. At the shores of Lake İznik, recall the First Council of Nicaea and recite the Nicene Creed together – a fitting conclusion to the pilgrimage through the lands of the early Church.
Continue to Istanbul. Overnight in Istanbul.
Day 12
Istambul
Departure
Transfer to Istanbul Airport for the return flight home.
Make This Pilgrimage Your Own
This is a sample itinerary. Your pilgrimage can be shaped around your group’s spiritual focus, pace and available time – from deeper exploration of the Pauline sites and Early Christian heritage to Cappadocia, the Aegean coast or additional days combining this route with Greece.
Make This Pilgrimage Your Own
This is a sample itinerary. Your pilgrimage can be shaped around your group’s spiritual focus, pace and available time – from deeper exploration of the Pauline sites and Early Christian heritage to Cappadocia, the Aegean coast or additional days combining this route with Greece.