Pilgrimage to Greece and Turkey to showcase "Footsteps of St. Paul"

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PROVIDENCE — An upcoming spiritual pilgrimage will give travelers “a once in a lifetime opportunity,” as two dioceses are planning a journey to Greece and Turkey to literally follow in the “Footsteps of Saint Paul.”

The 10-day trip, which includes a three-day cruise on the Aegean Sea, unites the Diocese of Providence and the Diocese of Pittsburgh. Father Joseph Santos, pastor of Providence’s Church of the Holy Name of Jesus, will join Bishop David A. Zubik of Pittsburgh to serve as a spiritual leader for the faith journey.

“There are so many great exploits of this Apostle, as he is called the Apostle to the Gentiles, that just to follow a small fraction of them is a great blessing,” said Father Santos, noting that the expedition will also include tours of lands inhabited by the Blessed Mother and Saint John the Evangelist. “There is that connection that you make when you touch the same ground that has been touched by our forefathers in the faith.”

The voyage will begin in Athens, with visits to the Acropolis, Parthenon, Propylea, Erechteum and Areopagus, or “Mars Hill,” where Saint Paul made his well-known, “Men of Athens” speech. An expedition to the Greek isles of Patmos, Santorini and Mykonos, plus a drive along the coast to the Corinth Canal, will also be offered. It will continue with a visit to the Temple of Apollo and the Bema Seat, where it was believed Saint Paul evangelized.

“Greece and Turkey have always been intimately connected with the spread of the Christian faith, especially when we think about the emphasis that John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and Pope Francis are giving to the New Evangelization,” said Father Santos. “It is very important that we go back to our roots, too. We find, of course, the places that gave us Saint Paul and the first missionaries that helped to spread the faith.”

Additional stops include Rhodes and Lindos, where Saint Paul visited, as well as Patmos, the place Saint John wrote the Book of Revelation, and the Monastery of Saint John. Pilgrims will celebrate Mass at the Chapel of Panaya Kapulu in the ruins of Ephesus, which is said to be the home of the Virgin Mary.

“For us to actually put our feet on the earth where we know Saint Paul walked and preached, and where Saint John the Evangelist and the Blessed Mother lived for a while – all of these things make more concrete for us the presence of the Lord in our lives,” said Father Santos. “That’s what we’re looking for. We are body and soul, so we need the concrete along with the spiritual in order for things to be complete.”

Other sites the trip will highlight are Metéora, Thessaly, Veria, Kusadasi and Philippi. In Philippi, Saint Paul established the first church in Europe.

“It will be a wonderful experience to be able to see these first places that accepted the Gospel message,” Father Santos said.

This will be Father Santos’ first trip to the region. Not only is he looking forward to visiting Turkey, as Saint Paul was born in Tarsus, Anatolia, now Turkey, he’s “excited” about going to Greece.

“I’ve always wanted to see some of the ancient monasteries like the ones at Metéora, which are very beautiful,” he said.

He went on to say that since it’s a spiritual journey, it has a lot to offer people of faith. However, he said, it’s also an opportunity for individuals who are not religious.

“It might lead them to the faith,” said Father Santos. “Otherwise, they might simply enjoy the historical, archeological and cultural aspects. If you’ve ever read “The Canterbury Tales,” not everybody who went on the pilgrimage was a perfect Christian. On the contrary, they all had their own reasons for going, and that’s what really makes a pilgrimage. It’s not only our seeking of perfection, but also our own imperfections that we bring along with us.”

As a spiritual leader, he expects the trip will be a mutual learning and growing experience for him and his fellow travel companions. He hopes to give them “the support they need to look into the different things that we will be touching as spiritual sites and sites of renewal of evangelical fervor to follow Saint Paul, not only in his physical footsteps, but also in his spiritual footsteps of proclaiming the Gospel better in their own lives.”

The trip will take place from April 21 through April 30, 2015, and includes an optional extension to Istanbul, Turkey. There, participants will visit the Saint Sophia Museum, the Blue Mosque – which Pope Francis is scheduled to visit during a visit he is scheduled to make to Turkey in November, and more.

To learn more about making reservations, which costs $4,999 per person, contact Marianna Pisano at Unitours Inc. at 800-777-7432 or click here to visit the website.

The cost includes airfare, taxes and fuel surcharges, four-star hotels, touring, outside cabins during the cruise, private shore excursions, and all breakfasts and dinners, as well as wine. The extension is an additional $599. Payment plans are available.

“During this time of the New Evangelization, let us follow one of the greatest evangelizers of all,” said Father Santos.

The pilgrimage is sponsored by the Rhode Island Catholic and the Pittsburgh Catholic diocesan newspapers.