Biblical Asia Minor Tour
Biblical Asia Minor Tour / 12 Days
Seven Churches of Asia Minor
Day 1 / Flight Day
Flight to Turkey
Day 2 / Kusadasi
Arrival in Istanbul and connected flight to Izmir. Arrive to Izmir, meet with your guide and transfer to your hotel. Dinner and overnight at the Kismet Hotel. (B/D)
Day 3 / Ephesus / Kusadasi
Visit Ephesus and environs. Sites include the Museum, the Temple of Artemis, the Basilica of St. John, and the Church of the Virgin Mary. St. John preached and lived in Ephesus. It is believed that he brought the Virgin Mary to Ephesus after the crucifixion of Christ and that she spent her last days in the small house that was built for her on Mt. Koressos (Bulbuldagi). Dinner in town, overnight at the Kismet Hotel. (B/D)
Acts 19:1-7, 23-41 regarding Paul’s experience in this city, and Rev. 2:1-7, the message of Jesus to the church of Ephesus as written by John. The church receives commendation from God for their hard work, patience, perseverance, and rejection of evil. But they are warned, because their love for Christ is no longer as strong as it was. Also Paul’s epistle to the Ephesians to whom he ministered.
Day 4 / Smyrna – Pergamon / Bergama
Drive to Izmir, ancient Smyrna and visit the church dedicated to Polycarp who lived and martyred in Smyrna in the 1st and 2nd Cent.. Continue to Pergamon, and visit Pergamon, the site of one of the seven churches of the Bible and well-known for its throne of Satan and the work done by the great physician Galen in and visit Asclepion and the acropolis of the city. Dinner and overnight at the Berksoy Hotel in Bergama. (B/D)
Rev.2:8-11, Smyrna is the church that was poor but rich in spiritual truth and receives the most praise and commendation in the letters to the seven churches of Revelation. They were rewarded with the promise of the crown of life.
Rev. 2:12-17, Pergamon that was mentioned as the place of Satan’s throne, is the church that compromised the doctrine of the Nicolaitans. Just like the Israelites were given manna on their way to the promised land of milk and honey, the true believers are promised to receive hidden manna and a white stone on which their names are inscribed, which shows that they have eternal life.
Day 5 / Thyatira –Sardis – Philedelphia / Pamukkale
Drive to Pamukkale visiting three of the Seven Churches - Thyatira, Sardis, and Philadelphia - from the Book of Revelation. Sardis, where the first coins were minted, was the capital of the Lydian Empire and the city of King Croesos. Dinner and overnight at the Colossae Thermal Hotel in Pamukkale. (B/D)
Rev. 2:18-29, Thyatira is the church that welcomed Jezebel and the city of Lydia, a woman of faith, who met Paul when he was preaching in Philippi.( Acts 16:15 ) God tells those who are victorious and carry on what God has done till eternity this, “ to him I will give power over the nations” and “ I will give him the morning star”.
Rev. 3:1-6, Sardis, is the church that was alive but dead and city of the king Croesus, who had the saying for his name, as rich as king Croesus. The church in Sardis had lost the love it had in the beginning and got stuck in the ways of the world. Those who protect their faith, will receive the “white garment” which is the symbol of new life, from the risen God.
Rev. 3:7-13, Philadelphia is the church that had little strength but was faithful and the city of brotherly love. The columns in the houses of the believers in this city could not stand the earthquake but the columns of their faith were. Christ promised them that they would be a pillar in God’s Temple and they would not have to go out from here.
Day 6 / / Pamukkale
Visits to Pamukkale, Hierapolis, where the Martyrium of St. Philip the Apostle can be seen behind the theater. It’s hot springs have been used since Roman times for their therapeutic powers. The build-up over thousands of years of mineral deposits has created fantastic formations of white stalactite, cataracts, and basins. Collosea, mentioned by Paul in his letter, and Laodiceia, known for its "lukewarm" people, like the water of the city, and Colossae, mentioned by Paul in his letter. Dinner and overnight at the Colossae Thermal Hotel in Pamukkale. (B/D)
Rev. 3:14-22 Laodicea is the church of the lukewarm people as the water of the city was. Christ promises that those who die because of the name of Jesus will sit on the throne with Christ and reign for a thousand years.
The Epistle of Paul to the Colossians, “ to the holy and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossea: Grace and peace to you from God our Father.”
Day 7 / Pisidian Antioch / Konya
Drive to Yalvac and visit Pisidian Antioch where St. Paul addressed the congregation in a synagogue on the Sabbath, the first recorded sermon. The Synagogue was later converted into a basilica dedicated to St. Paul. Continue to Konya and visit the Mevlana Museum, which was the cloister of Mevlana, a great mystical philosopher of the 13th century, and Mevlevi, the Whirling Dervishes. Dinner & overnight Ozkaymak Park Hotel. (B/D)
From Acts 13:13-41, when Paul on his first missionary journey arrived Antioch from Perge, Pisidian Antioch is addressed the congregation in the synagogue on the Sabbath with his first recorded sermon, resulting in an overwhelming response: on the next Sabbath “ almost the whole city” came to hear more. We will visit the first and the largest church dedicated to Paul, built over an earlier synagogue.
Acts 14:1-7, Konya, Biblical Iconium, where Paul and Barnabas preached after they left Antioch of Pisidia. Acts 13:51 “But they shook off the dust from their feet against them, and came to Iconium.”
Mevlana Museum, housing the tomb of Mevlana, was the center of a mystical order in Islam which became known as the whirling Dervishes, a name derived from the circular dance which became the hallmark of this movement.
Day 8 / Ihlara / Cappadocia
Drive to Cappadocia. Visit Ihlara Valley where there were more than one hundred churches once upon a time. Then on to Sultanhan Caravanserai and to Cappadocia. Dinner and overnight Special Alfina Cave Hotel. (B/D)
Day 9 / Cappadocia
Optional hot air balloon early in the morning. Full-day tour of Cappadocia: Visits to the Goreme Open Air Museum, Zelve Valley, Avanos, and Uchisar. A land of eerie beauty, the region was a Roman province and the refuge of persecuted Christians during the early days of the Roman Empire. Cappadocia is well known for its rock churches that date to the period of the persecution and for its underground cities, amazingly intricate systems of tunnels cut into mountains of rock. Optional Whirling Dervish performance in an ancient caravanserai. Dinner at a local restaurant and overnight at Special Alfina Cave Hotel. (B/L/D)
Day 10 / Istanbul
Drive to Kayseri or Nevsehir for morning flight to Istanbul. Visit the Church of Holy Saviour (Chora), housing the best examples of mosaics and frescos in Byzantine Christian art. Free time at the Grand Bazaar. Dinner on your own, overnight at the Ottoman House Hotel in Istanbul. (B)
Day 11 / Istanbul
Visits to The Hippodrome, Hagia Sophia, Hagia Irene (If open), Underground cistern. Lunch on your own and visit The Topkapi Palace and the Blue Mosque in the afternoon. Farewell dinner at a local restaurant and overnight Ottoman House Hotel Istanbul. (B)
Day 12 / Departure Day
Transfer to airport for return flight. (B)
What’s Included:
Not Included
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