Turkey – The Seven Churches of Revelation

Fly from London Gatwick direct to Izmir Airport. Upon arrival your guide and driver will be waiting to take you to your hotel in Kusadasi. Check-in followed by evening dinner at the hotel.

Breakfast in the hotel. Morning Mass. Today we travel by coach to the ancient city of Miletus, where St Paul bid farewell to the Elders of the Church in 57AD at the end of his 3rd missionary journey. Return to our hotel for dinner.

After breakfast, we visit one of the Seven Churches, Smyrna, now known as Izmir (Revelation 2: 8-11). This city is the only living church of the ‘Book of Revelation.’ Izmir is the third largest city in Turkey with a population exceeding 3 million. The original city was established in the 3rd millennium BC and is home to several Roman Catholic Churches. Mass at St Polycarp Church, which was built in 1625 and is the oldest Church in Izmir. The church is dedicated to St Polycarp, who was a Bishop of Smyrna from 115 AD, until his martyrdom in 156 AD, at the age of 86. St Polycarp is regarded as one of the Apostolic Fathers’ and a disciple of St John the Evangelist. Afterwards, ferry boat for a 30 minute crossing of the Gulf of Izmir. Return to our hotel for dinner.

Breakfast in the hotel. Today we visit another of the Seven Churches at Laodicea: (Revelation 3: 14-22; Colossians 2:1; 4:13-16). Pamukkale, meaning ‘Cotton Castle’ in Turkish, is a wonderful and unique natural site on a hill in the south west of the country and is famous for its 17 hot thermal springs. Pamukkale’s landscape is made of travertine, sedimentary rock deposited by the flowing mineral water from the hot springs. Visit Hierapolis, the ancient Greek city, which was built on top of the travertine formation. View the magnificent calcified travertines in this ancient city, which has attracted many visitors each year since the time of classical antiquity. Pamukkale was declared a UNESCO World Hertitage Site in 1988 along with Hierapolis. Mass in the afternoon. Check in to our local hotel. We will have the chance to swim in the thermal pool before our evening dinner.

Breakfast in the hotel. Today we visit Sardis, another one of the Seven Churches, and once the capital of the ancient kingdom of Lydia. Here a church was built on the foundations of the Temple of Artemis. We visit the restored gymnasium and a 3rd century AD synagogue, which all testify to the cities’ past splendour and wealth. Mass after the guided tour and then return to our hotel for evening dinner.

Breakfast in the hotel followed by check-out. Today will be the highlight of your pilgrimage as we visit Ephesus, another one of the Seven Churches (Revelation 1:11; 2:1-7; Acts 18:19-28; 19:1-14). Ephesus is situated in the Turkish town of Selcuk and is an ancient Greek city, the headquarters of St John, and was famous in its day for the nearby Temple of Artemis (completed around 550 BC). St Paul preached here between 54AD to 57AD. The city was conquered by the Lydians under King Croesus in 560 BC but came under Roman rule in the 2nd century BC. Prior to the invasion by the Seljuk Turks it was known as “Ayasoluk” meaning “Divine Theologian” in honour of St John. Although there is still much to be excavated, this ancient Greco-Roman Port was once the most important commercial cities in Asia during the Roman Period. We visit the famous library of Celsus and the amphitheatre which seats 25,000. We also visit the Double Church of St Mary where the 3rd Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church was held in 431 AD; it was convened as a result of the Nestorian Heresy to formalise the doctrine known as “Theotokos” Greek for “Mother of God”. After lunch, we visit the ruins of St John’s Basilica, built on the tomb of the Apostle by the emperor Justinian in the 6th century. Mass at “Mary’s House”, situated on Nightingale Mountain, overlooking Ephesus. It is here that “Mary” is believed to have spent the last years of her life along with other holy women. St John brought “Our Lady ” here after the crucifixion. This Marian Shrine was discovered in 1891 as a result of the revelations of a German nun Venerable Anna-Katharina Emmerich (1774 - 1824). This Sanctuary has been visited by Pope Paul VI, Pope John-Paul II, and Pope Benedict XV1. Travel by ferry to Patmos - the island of St John and evening dinner and overnight on the boat.

In the morning, we arrive at Patmos. Patmos is a Greek island in the Aegean Sea and is the island of St John. Disembark the ferry and today we visit places associated with St John. Mass and lunch with the group in Patmos. Check-in to our hotel for evening dinner and overnight.

Free morning to enjoy the beautiful Island of Patmos at your leisure. Ferry back to Ephesus. Check-into our hotel for our last evening dinner and overnight.

Transfer to Izmir Airport for our return flight to London. Depending on the time of departure we may have a chance to have Mass at Our Lady’s house.