Your pilgrimage begins as you board your international flight for Istanbul.

Upon arrival, you will be met by our airport representative. Transfer to your hotel in Istanbul for dinner and overnight stay.

The bejeweled capital of Istanbul, situated between two continents, is home to 450 mosques. You will visit the famous Blue Mosque with its six minarets and sparkling interior. Walk through Hagia Sophia, which was the largest church in Christendom for 1000 years, built by Justinian (532 -537 AD). The church has 107 columns, fossil-embedded white marble floors, and beautiful glass mosaics. Enjoy the aroma of cinnamon, cloves, thyme, and other exotic spices as you explore the Grand Bazaar. Over 4000 shops sell everything from herbs to gold. This afternoon you will fly to Cappadocia.

Explore Cappadocia’s amazing cone shaped rock formations which create a fairy- tale landscape. Even today, people make their homes in the cliffs and rock cones of Cappadocia. It is estimated that over 3,000 rock churches exist in the region. You will visit the Rock Chapels of Göreme, the Cave Village of Avcilar, and the Monastic Complex of Zelve. Walk through the underground city of Ozkonak.

Stop at the Sultanhan Caravansarai, an essential stop on the Silk Road from China. Arrive in Pisidian Antioch, the site of Paul’s first recorded speech. Paul delivered it in the synagogue among his fellow Jews. He spoke of the wonders that God had done throughout Israel’s history, which led to the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus (Acts 13:14-52). The Jews were outraged at this. Paul and Barnabas were expelled from the city, but not before the Gentiles in Antioch heard the Gospel and were persuaded that it is indeed the truth that leads to Life Eternal. These believers then established the first-ever entirely Gentile Christian community.

Famous as the receiver of Paul’s Letter to the Colossians, the town of Colossae has fallen into obscurity. While you can still see traces of the theater, the Necropolis, and the Church, the ancient city is indistinguishable from ruins. Hierapolis is blessed with hot mineral springs and some of the best-preserved Roman ruins in Asia Minor. Paul mentions Hierapolis in his Letter to the Colossians in saluting Epaphras, a fellow laborer, for his love of the brethren there (Colossians 4:13). The ruins cover more than a mile. You will see the impressive amphitheater with seats still in perfect condition. You will see the City Gates, column-lined streets, and arches that have stood the test of time and earthquakes. Today, the area is known as Pamukkale, meaning “Cotton Castle,” named for the limestone-laden hot springs that cascade from one white-edged terrace pool to the next. The Christians of Laodicea, one of the Seven Churches (Rev. 3:14-22), were chastised for being lukewarm, “You are neither cold nor hot” (Rev. 3:15), and for being too comfortable in incorporating pagan and Christian beliefs. In the famous scripture from Revelation (3 20 -21), Jesus says to the Laodicean church: “Behold, I stand at the door and knock . . . “Today, there are many acres of ruins to see, including the stadium and columned streets.

Visit the site of Philadelphia, which is also one of the Seven Churches of Revelation (Rev. 3:7-13). Christ told those who overcame that He would write upon them “the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is the New Jerusalem.” (Rev. 3: 12) Today, not much is left to mark the spot. You will see an ancient wall and the remains of a Byzantine basilica. Travel to Sardis, another of the Seven Churches of Revelation. You will be impressed by the massive scale of the Temple of Artemis, by the white marble Royal Road, by the gymnasium, and by the synagogue. Thyatira, one of the Seven Churches mentioned in Revelation, tolerated the false prophetess Jezebel (Rev. 2:18-29). Izmir, the third-largest city in modern Türkiye, has long been a center for Jewish and Christian communities. In Paul’s day, the town was known as Smyrna. It was also one of the Seven Churches of Revelation (Rev. 2:8-11). You will see the Agora, the colonnaded commercial center where Roman statues can still be seen.

Ephesus is one of the Seven Churches of Revelation (Rev. 1:11). In ancient days, Ephesus was a bustling port town of 250,000, graced with wide, colonnade- bordered streets. Today, you will be impressed with the spectacular excavations of the principal streets of ancient Ephesus. You will view the Library and the huge Agora. The Temple of Artemis was declared one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Today, only a single column remains to mark the site. You will visit the Ephesus Experience Museum for an up-close look at the ancient city of Ephesus. You will see the Basilica of St. John, the traditional site of his grave. You will have time to explore this powerful city on your own and recreate some of the footsteps of Paul.

Pergamum was another of the seven churches mentioned in Revelation (Rev. 2:12). It displeased the Lord because it tolerated the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which Christ hated (Rev. 2:13-17). The fabled Acropolis towers 1000 feet above the town and commands a spectacular panorama. As you pass through the Royal Gates, you will enter one of the great centers of classic Greek culture. You will see the foundations of the Temple of Zeus, the Temple of Athena, and the ruins of the Library, which once held 200,000 parchment volumes. You will see the remains of the Temple of Trajan, the Grand Theatre, the Gymnasium, and the Health Center (Aesclepion). Not far away is Troas. Here, on his second missionary journey, Paul had a vision in which he was called to Macedonia (Acts 16:8-13). Later, during his third journey, Paul spent a week in Troas preaching the gospel. On one occasion, he also resurrected Eutychus, who fell to his death from a window while sleeping (Acts 20 6 -12).

In Troy, history is buried in myth and mud. Nine layers of the fabled city have been excavated. Homer’s Iliad relates the legendary story of the Trojan War. Travel to Istanbul via the beautiful Dardanelles.

Continue with the Nicaea Extension or return to the USA.