Earlier this year I participated in the Pilgrimage “Greece and Türkiye in the Footsteps of St Paul and other early Christian Leaders” led by Rev John and Dr Jenny Hornblow. The experience was so much more than a tourist visit.

We walked to places of past significance, learning the context in which St Paul lived and worked, walked and sailed, was imprisoned, spoke to Jewish and City elders and leaders, and made and visited friends. These we encounter in his letters to the Churches he established in the City States now united as Greece and Türkiye.

It was fascinating to gain a better understanding of the distances Paul travelled, his scholarship, and his knowledge of the different cultures, world views, and faith beliefs he encountered on his Missionary Journeys. Wise in dealing with people from all walks of life, he used imagery, events and history to tell the good news of Jesus, in ways meaningful to his audiences, without devaluing their beliefs. Rather, he built on their understandings, lifestyles and worldviews to present the truth of the new way in Christ.

A Rich Journey

We visited many archaeological sites, including the Acropolis and the Areopagus, both in Athens. We reflected on Paul’s defence of Christ where things could have gone terribly wrong if he had not been culturally aware of Greek philosophy and theology. Having the text explained in the context of his time while standing on the site of the encounter made his words come alive in new and rich ways. We had many similar experiences as we journeyed.

We visited places of great significance to the growth and spread of Christianity to the Western world. We saw seven of the Byzantine Monasteries of Meteora perched precariously atop sheer soaring rocks. The Monks had left their wealth on the plains for an ascetic life closer to God. How they reached the summits was incredible; even more amazing was how they got building materials up and secured to the rocks, and food and water for the community. With the World Wars women were gifted St Stephen’s Convent, and allowed to join and help with the work of daily living. We were able to visit, an access road having been engineered!

We entered a Greek Orthodox Church as the evening service began. I enjoyed the pageantry and rich robes, the grace of the Priest and his associates chanting and swinging the incense around the congregation. I also enjoyed the rich stories depicted in iconography on the walls and dome of the Church, typical of many churches and mosques we visited.

Visiting an iconography workshop and having the process demonstrated and explained by the family was an inspiration. The father, an Orthodox Priest, had studied traditional Byzantine iconography and produced icons of Jesus and all the Saints and prophets, each distinctive in size, shape and character. Iconography in churches and mosques depicts scenes from the lives of particular Saints and of the Apostles with Christ. This was poignant at Philippi where Paul baptised Lydia, the woman of Thyatira who dealt in purple linen, as there was an exquisite depiction of Scripture in the Baptistry. It was awe-inspiring to be by the river that Lydia was immersed in for baptism and there renew our baptismal vows.

Into Turkiye

We crossed the border into Türkiye and visited Istanbul, its history explained during visits to beautiful buildings adapted from ancient temples into churches, synagogues and mosques, sometimes with areas still obvious of each use, such as the great basilica built by Constantine the Great, now the Hagia Sophia Mosque.

We travelled down the Dardanelles Peninsula to the Gallipoli Reserve, visiting Anzac Cove, Lone Pine and Chunuk Bair. I shared holding the New Zealand flag during a moving memorial service at Anzac Cove, a keen wind blowing across the Dardanelles Strait. It was emotionally stirring and challenging to be in the steep rocky land where so many soldiers on both sides of the battles lost their lives. It’s remarkable how the Turks honour and care for the graves and memorials of those who fought against them.

My knowledge of ancient Greek mythology was enhanced by the stories our tour guides told, and by the stone and marble sculptures in the many archaeological sites and museums we visited. The scale of the excavations is incredible; archaeologists are continually uncovering more buildings with friezes and paintings and mosaics along with coins and articles used in daily life, thus learning more about life in earlier times.

The Pamukkale World Heritage area is an incredible site, with geothermal pools and white limestone terraces on a grander scale than the pink and white terraces of Tarawera. At Hierapolis we had a memorable service at the Tomb of Phillip, recently authenticated, a poignant experience to be able to venerate one of the disciples of Jesus at his tomb, nearly 2,000 years after his burial.

And then to Greece

The pilgrimage took us through Athens, Corinth, Delphi, Thessalonica and Philippi in Greece. We went to the sites of the Seven Churches John wrote to in Asia Minor, Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamon, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea, pondering the words of Revelation to each. We explored the excavations to find significant early Christian sites along with the temples, theatres, gymnasiums, bathhouses, latrines and dwellings, some simple and others beautifully appointed and decorated with mosaics and paintings.

We farewelled Paul at the ancient port of Miletus, where he had called the Church leaders of Ephesus to meet him on his return from his third missionary journey for his poignant farewell to them, recorded in Acts 20:17. We ended the day with a reflective communion service.

Visiting cities and ancient archaeological sites linked with Paul has given me clearer insight into ‘a man on a mission’. Paul valued his friends, yet sometimes chose to walk over difficult terrain to have time to think. Paul imitated Jesus in taking time for reflection. He urgently requested his scrolls and parchments to be delivered to him to verify his facts whenever he met with converts to Christianity, the Jews, Greeks, Romans, and people of other nationalities with their questions and concerns; some eager for the good news, but more who felt threatened by what he was teaching. While I find it challenging to continue reading Scripture and cope with the many commentaries written through the 2000 years since Jesus died and rose again, this Pilgrimage builds on what I know, stretching my understanding and bringing me into a closer relationship with the writer of so many letters in the New Testament. Through Paul, I am encountering the Triune God more deeply and intimately.

Our last day of Pilgrimage was a ferry trip to Patmos where we visited the Cave of the Apocalypse and the Monastery of Saint-John the Theologian, where the aged John sheltered and dictated letters to the Churches and was astounded by an incredible vision and revelation of Christ from which the Book of Revelation was written. It was incredible to be in the austere rock cave where part of the New Testament was written, a holy place.

The pilgrimage closed with a service exploring the story of the Lord’s Banquet. Afterwards, each pilgrim shared one meaningful experience from the Pilgrimage, reviving special memories of our time together. The journey was enhanced by the participation of Archbishop David Moxon - our Shepherd, with his scholarship, ecumenism and inclusiveness - and congenial companions from all over the world who shared their knowledge and experiences.

I appreciate the support of the Methodist Church Professional Development Fund, enabling me to participate in a sacred Pilgrimage with wonderful pilgrims. I am greatly blessed.