Join Father Joseph Warnakulasooriya in his exciting pilgrimage to the steps of St. Paul in Greece with a cruise in the Greek Islands A 11 days 9 nights Pilgrimage (September 21-October 1,2025)
START TIME
09/21/2025
END TIME
10/01/2025
PRICE
$4,690 Double Room $5540 Single Room
INCLUDED
- Airline Ticket- Round trip Flights
- Accommodation at 4-star hotels
- Two Meals per day (Breakfast and Dinner)
- Transportation in Deluxe Motorcoaches with Air Condition
- Professional Tour Guide all through
- Handling of luggage at the Hotels.
- Daily Mass at all Holy sites
NOT INCLUDED
- Transpiration to and from airport in USA
- Travel Insurance (Optional)
- Tips
- Alcoholic Drinks
ITINERARY
1
Sept. 21: USA – Thessaloniki -Depart from LAX at 5:30 pm
2
Sept. 22: Thessaloniki
Arrival, reception, and transfer to the hotel. Dinner and accommodation.
3
Sept. 23: Thessaloniki - Philippi - Amphipolis - Kavala
Buffet breakfast at the hotel. Departure for an excursion to the locations that witnessed the presence of the Apostle,
as well as the creation of the first Christian communities on the European continent, all within a superb
archaeological framework that will introduce us to the most pivotal history of ancient Greece. AMPHIPOLIS. A
town where a majestic Hellenistic lion stands. When Paul and his companions had to leave Philippi, they crossed
Amphipolis via the splendid Roman road called Via Egnatia, and after crossing the Strymon River, they viewed the
famous statue of the sitting lion. We will visit the archaeological site of the ancient Greek city. KAVALA. Facing
the island of Thasos and now occupying the site of ancient NEAPOLIS, the port of PHILIPPI. It was the first city
visited by Saint Paul during his journey in 49 AD. Kavala has the everlasting glory of being the Beautiful Gate
through which Christ triumphantly entered Europe. In the afternoon, visit PHILIPPI. Formerly called CRENIDES.
To the inhabitants of Philippi, the Apostle Paul wrote the well-known “Epistle to the Philippians,” and from there he
wrote his second “Epistle to the Corinthians.” We will visit the archaeological complex: OCTAGONAL TEMPLE;
AMPHITHEATER; ROMAN AGORA; BATHS; BASILICAS; PAUL’S PRISON; FORUM. Mass in Philippi and
return to Thessalonica. Dinner at the hotel.
4
Sept. 24: Thessalonika - Veria - Vergina - Kalambaka
Buffet breakfast at the hotel. Departure for PELLA. Birthplace and residence of Alexander the Great and
the capital of Macedonia until the 5th century BC. Significant excavations were carried out in the city in
1915, which we will visit. VERGINA. In this city, the tomb of Philip II, father of Alexander the Great,
was discovered. VERIA (BEREA). Saint Luke writes: “Immediately, the brothers sent Paul and Silas off
to Berea by night, and when they arrived, they went to the Jewish synagogue.” Passing through this city,
we will recall the Apostle’s traces in his inexhaustible teaching of the Scriptures on his way to Athens. We
will stroll through its old town’s narrow streets and visit the CHURCH OF PALEA MITROPOLI and
AGII ANARGYROI. Departure for Kalambaka. Arrival at the hotel, dinner and accommodation.
5
Sept. 25: Kalambaka - Athens
Buffet breakfast at the hotel. Tour begins with a visit to the METEORA monasteries. An austere monastic
center since the 11th century, it not only serves as an ideal place for prayer but also attracts visitors to
admire this unique “forest of rocks,” inviting peace and tranquility. This place called many to withdraw
from the world, giving rise to the METEORA MONASTERIES. We will make a complete visit to this
site with its monasteries suspended from the sky. Built on the most whimsical and steep peaks, of the 21
existing monasteries, only six are inhabited. Inside, we can see beautiful frescoes, original icons
painstakingly worked by the monks themselves, and art everywhere. We will have the opportunity to visit
three of these monasteries: the MONASTERY OF TRANSFIGURATION, the MONASTERY OF
SAINT STEPHEN, and the MONASTERY OF HOLY TRINITY, which can be substituted depending on
closure days. Departure for Athens. Arrival at the hotel, dinner, and accommodation.
6
Sept.26: Cruise of the Greek Islands in the Aegean Sea
Breakfast and transfer to the port of Lavrio to start the cruise of the Greek Islands with Full Board on the
famous ship CELSTYAL OLYMPIA (to be confirmed). Departure at 01:00 pm to the island of Mykonos.
Arrival at 06:00 pm and free time for those who wish to disembark and explore part of this beautiful
island. Sailing at 11:00 pm towards Kusadasi (Turkey).
7
Sept. 27: Kusadasi – Patmos
Full Board. Arrival in Kusadasi at 07:00 am. Disembarkation and included guided visit to the
ancient city of Ephesus, a place of Paul’s apostolate and to whose inhabitants he directed an
important letter. Visit the traditional House of the Virgin with the possibility of celebrating Mass.
Return to the ship and sail to Patmos, the famous island where Saint John the Evangelist was
imprisoned and wrote the Book of Revelation. Included guided visit to the Monastery containing
the Cave where Saint John lived. Return to the ship and departure at 09:30 pm to Crete
8
Sept. 28: Heraklion (Crete) – Santorini
Full Board. Included guided visit, touring part of this island on foot. Visit to the Church of Saint Titus,
disciple of Saint Paul and first Bishop of Crete. Continue to visit the famous and ancient Venetian port,
the Basilica of Saint Mark with the medieval Monastery of Saint Catherine, and the Cathedral of Saint
Minas. Return to the ship and sail to Santorini. Arrival at 04:30 pm and free time to enjoy this beautiful
island. Return to the ship and departure at 09:30 pm for the Island of Rhodes.
9
Sept. 29: Port of Lavrio – Ancient Corinth
Arrival at 06:00 hours. Breakfast and disembarkation. Departure to Corinth: On the third day of arduous
and long walking, Paul reached the isthmus of Corinth, now crossed by a 6-kilometer canal. Coinciding
with the Apostle’s death, Emperor Nero, fifteen years later, gave the first blows with a golden mattock.
Paul must have been greatly impressed, not only by its artistic beauty but also because the date of its
construction coincided with the destruction of Solomon’s Temple in Jerusalem by the King of Babylon.
Paul spent two years with the Corinthians, leaving among them one of the most flourishing Christian
communities he founded. Continue to the famous Corinth Canal, a Roman work of the first century to
connect the Ionian Sea with the Aegean Sea. Return to the hotel in Athens, dinner, and accommodation.
10
Sept.30: Athens
Buffet breakfast at the hotel. Then visit ATHENS. The cradle of European culture, the source of arts and
ideas, pride of the Ancient Age. Founded in the 15th century BC, when the Apostle entered its streets
around 50 AD, it had been under Roman rule for two centuries. Overwhelmed and astonished by the
luxurious buildings, Paul mingled with the people and ascended to the Acropolis, where he finally
discovered the wonder of the Temple to the Patron of Athens. It is presumed that he did not enter the
Temple and left the sacred site head down and thoughtful, sure that “his spirit was consumed seeing the
city full of idols” (Acts 17:16). We will visit the ACROPOLIS. This hill, fortified during the Minoan
period, was transformed into a sanctuary around the 5th century BC, becoming the heart of all Greek
culture based on the worship of the gods. We will admire the majesty of the PARTHENON and the
elegance of the ERECHTHEION. We will end with the AREOPAGUS, a hill existing below the
Acropolis, where Paul addressed the Athenians, speaking to them and presenting the new doctrine of
which he was a bearer and minister. Then we will pass by the PANATHENAIC STADIUM, the
TEMPLE OF ZEUS, SYNTAGMA SQUARE with the ROYAL PALACE. In the afternoon we will have
a free time to stroll through the typical and picturesque Plaka Neighborhood. Return to the hotel. Dinner
and accommodation.
11
Oct. 1:
Breakfast and Transfer to Athens airport to board your flight back to the USA.