In the FOOT STEPS of St. PAUL

St Paul of Tarsus (C.1-67 AD)


Also called Saul in Hebrew and leader their early Christian movement, was instrumental in the spreading of Christianity throughout the Greco-Roman world. He was born a Jew in Tarsus of Cilicia in Anatolia.

 

13 New Testament letters have been attributed to him, many of which show him adjusting newish ideas and traditions to new circumstances and measuring Old Testament laws by their relevance to Jesus Christ.

 

The New Testament records how he actively tried to suppressed the early Christian movement through persecution until he was converted to Christianity by a visionary encou8nter with the risen Jesus while on the road to Damascus in about 36 AD.

 

Several years later, Barnabas brought Paul to Antioch, where they ministered together for a year.

 

Paul spent the following 10 years on 3 lengthy missionary journeys top Anatolia and Greece:

 

1st Journey from Antioch (Acts 13:4 – 14:28) 47-49 AD

2nd Journey from Antioch (Acts15:36 – 18:22) 50- 53 AD

3rd Journey from Antioch (Acts18:23 – 21:17) 53- 57 AD

4th Journey from Caesarea to Rome (Act 27:1 – 28:15 59) 60 AD



DAY 1 -  HATAY - ANTAKYA (ANTIOCH)

 

Upon arrival in Istanbul Ataturk Airport, you will be connecting to your Turkish Airlines Domestic Flight to Hatay (Antiocia). Upon arrival, you will be transferred to your hotel.

 

Welcome Dinner & overnight at the hotel.

 

DAY 2 -  ANTAKYA

 

Following breakfast, you will depart from the hotel for the sightseeing tour in Antiocia.

*Paul's first missionary journey (46-48 A.D.) was the shortest, in time and distance, of the first three, but it was nevertheless a very significant development in the history of the new Christian church. It established Paul as a leader in the spreading of The Word of God. He went on to write a large portion of the New Testament that we have today.

Traveled 13,000 miles over the course of 29 years (35 – 64 A. D.)


 

Antioch on the Orontes

The third largest city of the Roman Empire after Rome and Alexandria.

After Jerusalem, Antioch was the second great center of Christianity in New Testament times and where the disciples of Christ were first called Christians

(Acts 11:19-30; 13:1-3; 14:26-28; 15:1-41; 18:22-23; Gal. 2).

Today’s visits:

  • Cave Church of St Peter: this is where the followers of Jesus were first called Christians. After the stoning of Stephen for blasphemy in Jerusalem (Acts 7) in about 33 or 34 AD. 
  • Roman Mosaic Museum : One of the world’s best mosaic museum
  • Tunnel of Titus
  • Antiochia Church.     


Overnight at the hotel

 

 

DAY 3  -   ANTAKYA - ADANA 

Following breakfast, you will depart from the hotel for Tarsus in Cilicia, the native home of the Apostle Paul. Located near the Mediterranean about 30 miles below the Cilician Gates, Tarsus in Cilicia served as one of the great crossroads of history. Paul described it as ‘no insignificant city’s. (Acts 1:39; 9:11; 22:3).

 Cleopatra once came up the River Cydnus to Tarsus to meet Mark Antony.

Today’s visits:

* The Saint Paul's Church in Tarsus is on the UN    World Heritage Tentative List

* The St Paul’s Well

* The Cleopatra Gate

* Seleucia Pieria The ancient port town of Antioch from which Paul and Barnabas set out on their first journey and where Paul returned afterwards (Acts 13:2-4).


Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Adana.


  

DAY 4  - ADANA - CAPPADOCIA

 Following breakfast, you will depart for Cappadocia. Drive through lash valleys of Mediterranean region to Taurus Mountains then to Cappadocia.

St. Peter’s letters were addressed to Christians living in Cappadocia  (1 Peter 1:1).

The Apostle Paul was from Tarsus in Cilicia, which is the adjacent region just south of Cappadocia. Paul is believed to have traveled widely though Cappadocia during his missionary journeys.

Early Christians in the third century flocked to Cappadocia to escape Roman persecution. The soft stone was carved into chapels and churches, and the natural caves and tunnels could be made into underground cities and safe hiding places.

Cappadocia, which lies in the heart of Asia Minor, became an important center of Christian theology in the fourth century ad. Already at the time of St Paul there was a small Christian community in Cappadocia where Christianity spread so rapidly as to produce a number of martyrs and confessors in the second century, and to contribute seven bishops to the Council of Nicaea in ad 325. But it was mainly in the second half of the fourth century that Cappadocia became famous for its theological thought due to three leading figures. The Cappadocian Fathers or Cappadocian Philosophers are Basil the Great (St Basil of Caesarea or Cappadocia or present-day Kayseri, who lived from 330-379), Basil's brother Gregory of Nyssa (c.330-395), who was bishop of Nyssa; and a close friend, Gregory Nazianzus (329-389), who became Patriarch of Constantinople. They advanced early Christian theology, including the doctrine of the trinity - God as three in one, Father, Son and Holy Spirit - and established the basis for the Nicene Creed. The three Cappadocians were characterized by saying that St Basil was the arm which acted, St Gregory the mouth which spoke and St Gregory of Nyssa the head which did the thinking.

Basil the Great is remembered as the founder of Eastern monasticism. All Eastern Orthodox monks are Basilian monks and follow a variation of the monastic rule that he outlined.

The day’s experience will start with panoramic view point stops to enjoy thye breath-taking sceneries of the region. Avcilar (Hunters Valley), Uchisar (Tip fortress) and Pasabaglar Valley (Monks Vallley).

  

Before your transfer to the hotel you will visit one of the largest Underground City where early Christians have sheltered from Roman persecution. The Christians had a built in communication system of pipes to each of its levels, each carved out room had ventilation provided by holes when the city was closed against enemies.

 

The day will end at the hotel with dinner and overnight.

 

  

DAY 5 -  CAPPADOCIA 

  

Following breakfast The day’s tour will continue with an unforgettable visit to the Valley of GÖREME (the largest con monastery of the region) that houses the “OPEN AIR MUSEUM OF ROCK CARVED CHURCHES”, built by the early Christians there, hiding from the persecution of the Roman soldiers. Due to the incredibly beautiful frescoes, adorning the walls of these early churches of Christianity carved into vulcanic rocks, CAPPADOCIA’s famous Open Air Museum has been included in UNESCO’s WORLD Heritage List, as one of the cultural Wonders of the World.

Another cultural experience, unique to this region, is a visit to the group of young village girls from all over Cappadocia, at their “Art School”, where they happily learn to become masters of the national art of weaving Turkish carpets and kilims to be able to contribute to their traditional dowry, before they get married.

The ancestors of the Hittites were the first settlers of the area in the second millennium B.C. ZELVE OPEN AIR MUSEUM is honeycombed with caves and there are some ancient cave churches from 9th Century A.D.


The day will end at the hotel with dinner and overnight

 

DAY 6 -  CAPPADOCIA – KONYA

Following breakfast, you will depart for Konya.

Én route, you will visit Lystra & Derbe.

Because of the miracles performed, the people attempted to worship the missionaries, thinking they were gods. The missionaries, however, refused worship and convinced the people that they were only human.

Unbelieving Jews from Antioch and Iconium instigated a riot in which Paul was stoned, dragged out of the city, and left for dead. He revived and returned to Derbe the next day, where he and Barnabas saw many people converted as a result of their teaching.

** Tell of Derbe (Kerti Huyuk; Acts 14:20-21; 16:1; 20:4)

** Mound of Lystra (Zordula) near the village of Hatunsaray.

At Lystra the priest of Zeus wanted to offer a sacrifice to Paul and Barnabas (Acts 14:6-20). This was the home of Lois, Eunice, and young Timothy (Acts 16:1-4). These cities were in the province of Galatia (Gal. 1:2) in New Testament times.

The day will end at the hotel with dinner and overnight in Konya.

 

DAY 7   - KONYA - ANTALYA


Following breakfast, you will start the sightseeing tour of Konya- Iconium:

   

* Many converts, both Jews and Greeks,

* Numerous miracles.

* A plan to instigate a riot and stone the missionaries is discovered, causing Paul and his companions to escape from the city.

Én route you will visit Yalvac – Pisidian Antioch :

*Paul’s First Sermon of Record

On the west side of the city are the foundations of the synagogue where Paul gave his first recorded sermon. In the 4th century AD the Church of St. Paul was built on the remains. At the time it was one of the largest churches in the world, it is still one of the largest ever discovered in Asia Minor. It is significant that this is the only church in ancient Anatolia built on the site of a synagogue.

The day will end at the hotel with dinner and overnight in Antalya.


DAY 8 - ANTALYA


Following breakfast, you will start the sightseeing tour of Antalya.

 

First, you will drive to Perge which is the largest ancient settling of both Hellenistic and Roman Age, and the presence of a Jewish community there made it an ideal base for Paul’s first missionary journey through Anatolia. Perge was also the city where John Mark left Barnabas and Paul. The Ancient site possesses a Roman Bath, Colonnaded Street, Agora, Stadium, and Water Aqueduct. These structures are in good order and well protected after the excavation.

 

Then, continue to Aspendos, the best preserved Roman Theatre in the World which is still in use. This 15.000 seated theatre hosts many concerts and competitions, during the Song Festival.

 

You will then visit the Antalya Archaeological Museum which is one of the most important museums for Anatolian Civilizations. The museum has 13 exhibition halls and an open air gallery covering an area of 7,000 m2 (75,000 sq ft). As a museum exhibiting examples of works, which illuminate the history of the Mediterranean and Pamphylia regions in Anatolia, Antalya Museum is one of the most important of Turkey's museums. The Museum won the “European Council Special Prize” in 1988.

 

The day will end at the hotel with dinner and overnight.



DAY 9 - ANTALYA - PAMUKKALE


Following breakfast, you will depart from the hotel for Pamukkale. Én route you will visit Colossae and Laodicea.

Laodicea is the last of the seven churches mentioned in Revelation and the only church about which John had nothing good to say. He called them "wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked."

Laodicea, like Rome, was built upon seven hills. It was one of Asia Minor's most flourishing cities. It prospered primarily due to its trade route location, which made it a hub for large money transactions. Laodicea's sheep were also known for their fine black wool. Laodicea was famous for the production of a special eye salve (collyrium),  referred to as ‘Phrygian powder’ made from a local stone.  ‘All three industries, finance, wool, and the production of eye salve, come into play in this letter to the Laodicean church.

Laodicea was one of three biblical cities in the valley of the Lycus River, a tributary of the Meander. The water to the city was carried partly by an aqueduct, partly through stone pipes. By the time it arrived in the city it was tepid, neither refreshing, like the cold running water at nearby Colossae, nor piping hot, like the famous mineral hot springs of neighboring Hierapolis.

Christianity came early to the city. St. Paul implies a close relationship between the churches in Laodicea and Colossae. The church in Laodicea was probably founded by Epaphras from Colossae and the faithful of Laodicea met in the home of Nympha (Colossians 4:15). Additionally Paul sent greetings to Archippus, who may have been from Laodicea (Colossians 4:17).

The day will be ending at the hotel for dinner and overnight in Pamukkale.

 

DAY 10 - PAMUKKALE - KUSADASI

Following breakfast, you will be driven to Kusadasi. En route you will visit Hierapolis and Miletus.

Today’s private sightseeing tour will start with the Hierapolis. It was founded as a thermal SPA early in the 2nd century BC within this sphere of the sluiced empire. Antiochus the great send 2000 Jewish families to Lydia & Phrygia from Babylon and Mesopotamia. The Jewish congregation grew in Hierapolis and has been estimated as high as 50,000 in 62 BC. It became a healing center where doctors used the thermal springs as a treatment for their patients.

 

After becoming a part of Roman province of Asia, the city continued to develop prosperously under rule of Tiberius and Nero.

 

Through the influence of the Christian apostle Paul, a church was founded here while he was at Ephesus. The Christian apostle Philip spent the last years of his life here.  The town's Martyrium was alleged to have been built upon the spot where Philip was crucified in AD 80. His daughters were also said to have acted as prophetesses in the region. 

 

You will next cross the broad flood-plain of the River Maeander (Turkish Buyuk Menderes) to Miletus. This was once a major port but silt brought down by the River Maeander blocked its harbour centuries ago, and it is now several miles from the sea. The city is laid

To book this tour, please contact UTS – Turkey Team

Best Season: 12 Months
Along: 14 Days