Logos Bible Study Presents

In The Footsteps of PaulGreece (including Istanbul)

With Dr. Bill CreasyJuly 3-13, 2015

Acropolis

July 3 • Friday • Depart USA

We begin our journey at Los Angeles International Airport, as we board our flight to Athens, Greece.

July 4 • Saturday • Arrive Athens

Arriving in Athens, we transfer to our hotel at the foot of the Acropolis. Here we have an opportunity to relax and rest up for the BIG day that follows! Dinner tonight will be at our hotel. (D)

July 5 • Sunday • Athens: Acropolis, Corinth and Cenchrea

We begin our day by visiting the Acropolis, where we explore the Parthenon, the 5th-century B.C. Greek temple of the goddess Athena. One of the world’s greatest cultural monuments, the Parthenon is the pinnacle of Doric architecture and an enduring symbol of ancient Greece and Athenian democracy. We then descend from the Parthenon to Mars Hill, where Paul spoke at the Areopagus, the “faculty club” of Athens. Here Dr. Creasy will teach the story on site where it occurred (Acts 7: 16-34)!

We then make our way to the ancient site of Corinth. Stopping at the Corinth canal, cut through the isthmus that links the Peloponnesian peninsula to the mainland of Greece, we will have lunch and consider the technical challenge involved in digging the canal. Several ancient rulers attempted digging a canal here, including the 7th century B.C. tyrant, Periander; Diadoch Demetrius (336-283 B.C.); Julius Caesar; and Nero, who personally broke ground with a pickaxe and removed the first basket-load of soil. The canal finally became a reality when it was finished by modern-day workmen in 1893. Cut through heavily faulted sedimentary rock in an active seismic zone, the canal is only 21 meters wide and too narrow for today’s ocean freighters, so only tourists ships pass through, going over a series of submersible bridges. If we watch carefully we may see fish flopping about on the road as a bridge lifts out of the water after a ship passes!

In Paul’s day, Corinth was a double seaport town and the home of the Temple of Aphrodite, the goddess of erotic love. The church at Corinth was no end of trouble for Paul! Standing in the agoura (or market place) of Corinth is a great teaching opportunity, and Dr. Creasy will take full advantage of it!

Next, we visit the remains of the small port of Cenchrea, where Paul ended his Nazarite vow by having his hair cut. From here he set sail for his home church of Antioch, ending his second missionary journey.

We will arrive back in Athens in time to attend Mass at St. Dionysius Catholic Cathedral. After Mass, we will have a free evening to explore the Plaka, the old section of Athens that is filled with wonderful restaurants featuring delicious Greek cuisine. (B)

July 6 • Monday • Athens/Delphi

After breakfast we leave Athens and head northwest to Delphi, a stunning archaeological site on the southwestern spur of Mount Parnassus in the valley of Phocis. Delphi was the site of the Delphic oracle, the most important oracle in the classical Greek world, and was the major site for the worship of the god Apollo. The sacred precinct in Delphi was a Panhellenic

sanctuary, where every four years athletes from all over the Greek world competed in the Pythian Games, the precursor to the Olympic Games. At Delphi we will visit the Temple of Apollo, the Athenian treasury, the theater, and the Archaeological Museum.

We will have dinner tonight in Delphi, and we will overnight here. (B,D)

July 7 • Tuesday • Delphi/ Kalambaka

After breakfast we depart our hotel and take the scenic drive to Kalambaka in central Greece, where the Pinios

River emerges from the deep canyons of the Pindus range and surges into the Thessalian plain. Here we find the Meteora monasteries, perched high atop gigantic gray, weathered rocks, precariously hanging over plunging abysses, with the Pindus range at their back and the vast plain, woods, gorges and picturesque villages below. These unworldly hermitages compose one of the most breathtaking sites on earth.

During the 9th century hermits settled in the caves and crevices of the rocks, and monastic communities began to form during the 11th century. During the Middle Ages and Byzantine periods, twenty-four monasteries developed, and they became a center of Byzantine art. Today only five of the monasteries are active.

We will explore several of these monasteries, examining their mosaics, frescoes and architecture.

Tonight we stay in the charming modern village of Kalambaka. (B,D)

Corinth

Kalambaka

July 8 • Wednesday • Kalambaka/ Vergina/ Thessaloniki

After breakfast we leave Kalambaka and make our way to Berea. A small modern town today, Berea was rebuilt after catastrophic damage during WWII. Here Paul noted that “the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message [of the Gospel] with great eagerness and examined the Scripture every day to see if what Paul said was true” (Acts 17: 11). We will sit in the town square beneath a mosaic of Paul and tell the story of his arriving here after severe persecution in Thessalonica.

Moving on a few miles to Vergina, we will visit the tomb of Philip II, father of Alexander the Great. This is a terrific site, and Dr. Creasy will tell the story of how Alexander the Great became king at 20 years old, following the assassination of his father in 336 B.C., and of how he led his campaign to defeat the Persians and establish the Greek empire.

From Vergina we drive an hour east to Thessaloniki, the second largest city in Greece. This evening we can stroll along the waterfront promenade, take in the breathtaking views of the city’s historical White Tower and the Thermalkos Gulf, and enjoy the nightlife! (B)

July 9 • Thursday • Thessaloniki/Philippi/Kavala

After breakfast we leave Thessaloniki for Philippi, as we follow the ancient Via Ignatia. In Philippi we go “down by the river” where Paul, Timothy, Silas and Dr. Luke meet Lydia and her friends. Here, as we sit by the riverside, Dr. Creasy will tell the story of Paul and Lydia.

We then move from the river to the archaeological site of ancient Philippi, a Roman garrison town. At the agoura, Dr. Creasy will tell the story of Paul and Silas being arrested and imprisoned. Crossing the road from the agoura, we visit the site of the prison, where an earthquake leads to the conversion of a tough old Philippian jailer!

Moving on, we continue on the Via Ignatia to Kavala, site of ancient Neopolis, where Paul and company set foot on the continent of Europe for the first time. We will overnight here in charming bungalows, go for a swim in the Aegean, and have a delicious fish dinner in Dr. Creasy’s favorite local restaurant on the harbor. (B,D)

July 10 • Friday • Kavala/Istanbul

Today we say goodbye to Greece and make our way to the Turkish border. After clearing customs we enter Turkey and journey to Istanbul. We will have dinner here and overnight. (B,D)

July 11 • Saturday • Istanbul

This morning we board a private ferry for a Bosphorus cruise, enjoying a panoramic view of both the European and Asian sides of Istanbul. On the cruise you will see fortresses, palaces and a collage of modern-day Turkish life. Then we visit the 16th century Spice Market and enjoy its sights and smells. This is a great place to buy exotic (and not so exotic) spices to take home.

Lunch is on our own. This afternoon we visit Topkapi Palace the seat of the Ottoman sultans for 500 years! We will see the Ottoman crown jewels and the royal treasury.

After Mass at a St Anthony’s Church we will have dinner and overnight. (B,D)

July 12 • Sunday • Istanbul

After breakfast we make our way to the Hippodrome, where chariot races and athletic events took place during the Roman period. From here we visit the architectural beauty; Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque; famous for its six minarets and magnificent interior with blue tiles. After lunch we will visit St. Savior in Chora to see its breathtaking mosaics and frescoes. We will finish the day at the stunning mosque and palace complex of Suleyman the Magnificent.

Tonight we will enjoy a farewell dinner and we will then head back to the hotel to pack our bags for our flight home in the morning. (B,D)

July 13 • Monday • Istanbul/Return USA

As we fly back to Los Angeles we will have lots of time to reminisce about our fabulous teaching tour of Greece and Istanbul, having seen incredible sights, made new friendships and renewed old ones. (B)

Note: The sequences in which sights are visited and Masses may be adjusted and are subject to change by Dr. Creasy and the guides.

Philippi

Thessaloniki

Hagia Sophia

Topkapi Palace

GREECE (including Istanbul) 2015 Trip Price —$5,495.00Trip price includes: roundtrip group coach air from Los Angeles; US and Intl. departure taxes; group transfers from group flights to group lodgings; accommodation and sightseeing per itinerary; breakfasts and dinners per itinerary (listed as “B” or “D” in the daily itinerary); entrance fees to sights visited as noted in the itinerary; destination group ground transportation; local guide(s) and all standard taxes and gratuities.

Trip prices are per person based on double occupancy. A deposit of $750.00 per passenger is due with your registration, $1000.00 for single travelers. Full payment must be received by Mar. 20, 2015. All offers are subject to availability, are capacity controlled and may be withdrawn at any time without prior notice. Trip price does not include airline baggage charges, travel insurance cost, individual transfers, optional items or personal expenses, or other items not listed as included in the itinerary. Lunches, meals/dinners not listed on the itinerary as included, and beverages at all meals are not included.

Post-booking changes in fees, fuel surcharges, and taxes may result in surcharges to each passenger. By taking this Trip, each Trip participant agrees that Executours may pass along such increases to the Trip member to offset increased taxes, fees, and fuel surcharges and agrees to pay the additional charges to offset them.

Executours and/or Dr. Creasy reserve the right to cancel this trip for any reason in their sole judgment, including insufficient minimum number of participants. Dr. Creasy and Executours may adjust, omit or limit itineraries, scheduled stops or activities and/or substitute hotels or flight arrangements as circumstances warrant in their sole judgment.

Information and pricing is subject to change without notice. Additional restrictions, terms and conditions apply. We cannot be responsible for incomplete or inaccurate representations, which may not be under our control. In the event of a pricing error, misrepresentation or omission, we reserve the right to adjust pricing or make other corrections.

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From registration until Jan 22, 2015, fee is $350.00.

Jan. 23, 2015 – Mar. 19, 2015 fee is 100% of deposit.

Final payment due: Mar. 20, 2015.

Mar. 20, 2015 – Apr. 20, 2015 – cancellation fee is 50% of Trip price.

Apr. 21, 2015 – Jun. 1, 2015 – cancellation fee is 75% of Trip price.

On/after Jun. 2, 2015 – 100% cancellation fee (no refund).

If final payment is not received by Mar. 20, 2015, we may cancel your registration and refund your payment, less applicable cancellation fee.

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