brochure (Includes dates and prices)
Transcription
brochure (Includes dates and prices)
In the Steps of St Paul A PILGRIMAGE TO GREECE 26 September - 4 October 2016 with the Revd John Staples A nine-day pilgrimage including visits to Philippi, Thessalonika, Delphi, Athens & Corinth McCabe Pilgrimages Europe and this pilgrimage will bring to life the early churches Paul founded and corresponded with. Places so familiar from the New Testament, such as Philippi, Thessalonika, and Corinth, will be visited. A PILGRIMAGE TO GREECE with the Revd John Staples 26 September - 4 October 2016 At the beginning of the third millennium it is good to look back to the first century missionary journeys of St Paul and the expansion of the early Christian Church and particularly its transition westwards from Asia to Europe. St Paul was the first to bring Christianity to TOUR INFORMATION The cost of this tour is £1,645 sharing a twin-bedded room with private facilities. Hotels are of a good standard and locally graded three and four stars. Accommodation is on a half board basis with breakfast and table d'hôte dinner included daily. Also one included lunch (Tuesday). Our journey through Greece will be in our own air-conditioned coach with a local guide and all visits with entrance fees are incorporated in the tour price. Flights are on scheduled services of easyJet. We depart from London Gatwick Airport flying to Thessalonika and return from Athens back to Gatwick. All current British and Greek travel taxes are included. The only extra that will be added to your invoice is the insurance premium of £39, if required. You should also budget on an amount of Euros E45 for a group gratuity fund which we will collect and disburse locally to those who help us on our journey. Some single rooms are available at a Our pilgrimage is a journey covering the length of Greece. We begin in Kavala, then travel through rural Greece to Thessalonika and on to the fantastic Meteora monasteries and the ancient oracle at Delphi. Our destination, like Paul, is Athens. Here he preached his famous sermon introducing the Athenians to the “unknown God”. Visits during our three night stay in Athens include the Areopagus where Paul preached and the incomparable Parthenon adorning the Acropolis. We will be worshipping each day and will celebrate the Eucharist together on a couple of occasions. charge of £295. Please, however, see our note ‘Travelling Alone’ printed overleaf. Any special requests (e.g. special diets) should be printed on the booking form. A deposit is payable now with the balance due eight weeks prior to departure. Final flight and accommodation details will be confirmed in your travel wallet two weeks prior to departure. There will be a fair amount of walking involved. This said, we are planning this pilgrimage to be accessible to all reasonably able-bodied participants. If you are worried about this aspect, please speak to the tour leader. Notes: Before you travel we will send details of an optional hotel booking for a Gatwick hotel on the night preceding departure, due to the very early start. Note: costs not included. The itinerary may be subject to change due to local conditions. TO MAKE A RESERVATION To reserve your place on this tour please complete the enclosed booking form and send it with a deposit of £200 plus the insurance premium of £39, if required, to the pilgrimage administrator. Please make cheques payable to ‘McCabe Pilgrimages’. The Revd John Staples 6 Douglas Road Bournemouth BH6 3ER Tel: (01202) 425859 Email: [email protected] DAILY PROGRAMME Monday 26 September | JOURNEY TO GREECE easyJet flight EZY5091 departs London Gatwick at 05:55 and arrives in Thessaloniki at 11:10. We then make the two and a half hour transfer to Kavala (previously the ancient port of Neapolis) where Paul landed arriving from Troas on his way to Philippi. Two night stay on the waterfront at the three star Galaxy Hotel. Tuesday | PHILIPPI This morning we visit Philippi, the first city in Europe visited by Paul and the city where he and Silas were imprisoned. The church of Philippi was perhaps the most supportive of all to Paul (Philippians 4). We also visit the stream by the village of Lydia, where Lydia of Thyatira was baptised, the first recorded baptism in Europe. Here we celebrate the Eucharist and offer the opportunity to renew baptismal vows. We break for lunch. The rest of the day is free in Kavala to wander around its picturesque harbour. Wednesday | THESSALONIKA We drive along the coast to Thessalonika. Our afternoon visits include St Demetrius Basilica, the largest church in Greece, and Agia Sophia, reminiscent of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, with its 10th century mosaics. We will also see the White Tower and drive to the highest point to view the city. We then continue our journey to the small town of Berea (Veria). We overnight at the Macedonia Hotel in Berea. Thursday | A MOUNTAIN TOP EXPERIENCE We explore Berea, where St Paul went after his escape from Thessalonica, (Acts 17, vv 1014). Berea was a place of encouragement (Acts 17), where the people were more open to the Gospel than they had been in Thessalonika. We have an (included) lunch in a local taverna in the village of Dimitra - then take a dramatic drive up a mountain to visit the very modern Monastery of St John the Forerunner high above Larissa (Eucharist). Here we will meet with the nuns and learn about their life in this very outgoing and welcoming monastic community. We return down the mountain for a two night stay at the Divani Hotel beside the Meteora monasteries in Kalambaka. Friday | METEORA MONASTERIES This morning we visit the extraordinary Meteora Monasteries perched high on gigantic rocks. The monastic history of Meteora dates back to the 11th century and the monasteries themselves date back to the 14th. We will visit two of the monasteries including either Varlaam with its superb frescoes of the Last Judgement or the more easily accessible convent of Agios Stephanos. Afternoon free in this spectacular setting. Saturday | DELPHI We drive to Delphi, clinging to the lower slopes of Mount Parnassos. Deeply engraved on the record of Greek history, it was a place of incalculable religious and political importance which attracted pilgrims from all over the Hellenic world. Here, the Oracle was consulted by both states and individuals; it highlights the religious background to Paul’s preaching of the gospel. Our visit includes the excellent museum as well as the excavations and ruins of the site. We continue to Athens for a three night stay at the four star Metropolitan Hotel (around 15 minutes drive from the centre). Sunday | ATHENS A chance to join with local Anglicans and Canon Malcolm Bradshaw at the Church of St Paul for morning worship. An afternoon tour in Athens which is many is the cradle of civilization and democracy, although there are few remains of the former glories of the 5th Century BC. We visit the Acropolis, the foremost site of Classical Greece, with the Parthenon. We walk down to the site of St Paul's sermon on Mars Hill (Areopagus). Paul had a very mixed reception here in making known the ‘Unknown God' (Acts 17). Monday | CORINTH & MYCENAE In the morning we visit the Agora, the centre of public life in Athens at the time of St Paul and include time for shopping in the “Plaka”. The afternoon is free. Opportunity to revisit sites of special interest, to explore Athens or to relax around the hotel. Tuesday 4 October | HOMEWARD BOUND Today we drive out to Corinth, taking the coastal road. We cross the Corinth canal which connects the Aegean and Ionian seas. Corinth is forever remembered through Paul's letters to a lively church in the midst of immorality and paganism. Here he recruited two valuable assistants, Priscilla and Aquila. We celebrate the Eucharist in the ancient site before continuing on to Cenchreae, the port of Corinth and Paul’s departure point for Ephesus (Acts 18). After a break for lunch we continue to the airport for our direct return flight to London. easyJet flight EZY5088 departs Athens at 20:05 and arrives into Gatwick Airport at 21:50. OUR PILGRIMAGE Your Invitation Arrangements are being made by McCabe Pilgrimages who have been organising pilgrimages for British churches for more than thirty years. This pilgrimage is a journey from the top to the bottom of Greece with accommodation stops en route. There will be a fair amount of walking involved. This said, we are planning this pilgrimage to be accessible to all reasonably able-bodied travellers. If you are worried about the fitness element, have a word with the tour organiser or call the McCabe office. TRAVELLING ALONE Many of our passengers travel alone and object to expensive single room supplements. McCabe Pilgrimages will accept individual bookings on a 'guaranteed share' basis. We charge the basic price and accommodate you with a person of the same sex also requesting shared accommodation. If we do not find someone to share with you, you will be accommodated in a single room at only 50% of the usual single room supplement. For single travellers who do require single accommodation this should be requested when booking and, if available, the normal supplement will be payable. PASSPORTS, VISAS AND HEALTH Check that your passport is valid beyond the return date of this tour. If you need a new passport apply early as there can be considerable backlogs at the passport offices. There are minimal formalities for British passport holders entering Greece. If you are holding a non-British passport, or require further advice, please consult the McCabe office. No inoculations are required. We do, however, advise you to consult your doctor regarding your own personal requirements. TRAVEL INSURANCE Travel insurance is arranged by Global Travel Insurance Services Ltd for McCabe Travel Ltd who are an Appointed Representative of Global Travel Insurance Services Ltd, authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Our status can be checked on the FCA Register by visiting www.fca.org.uk or by contacting the FCA on 0845 606 9966. This Insurance is underwritten by ERV. ERV is authorised by the Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht (BAFIN – www.bafin.de) and the Prudential Regulation Authority and subject to limited regulation by the Financial Conduct Authority and Prudential Regulation Authority. It has been specifically designed so that it covers all McCabe holidays; protecting you in full if you have to cancel and providing you with the very best and most effective protection if you are unfortunate enough to require medical attention whilst away. A unique feature of the policy is that you will not need to call a medical help line to discuss health issues. Most pre-existing health conditions are covered as long as your doctor agrees that you are fit to travel. Standard exclusions apply and are listed on the summary document. Please check that you are not affected by the Main Health Exclusions. You will not be covered for any ongoing tests or treatment of an undiagnosed condition, or for any terminal illness, or if you claim as a result of a condition arising within the past twelve months. Note that you will pay an excess of £1,000 on any claim that results directly from a pre-existing medical condition. In our experience a very few claims result from pre-existing medical conditions. With this policy you are covered with no declaration of health required. A full policy wording will be sent to you with confirmation of your booking, or ask us and we will send you a copy now. Full details are also on our website. If you would like more information or are unsure of any details, please call Global Travel Insurance Services Ltd for further advice on 01903 229 380. This insurance is only available to persons who are permanently resident in the UK and is valid for travel up to 31/12/2016. AITO Quality Statement McCabe Pilgrimages is a member of the Association of Independent Tour Operators. The Association represents Britain’s leading independent tour operators and encourages high standards of quality and service. McCabe abides by the Association’s Code of Conduct and adheres to the AITO Quality Charter which can be viewed on www.aito.co.uk. Visit the website to find out more about the Association or call 020 8744 9280. This pilgrimage is ATOL protected by the Civil Aviation Authority. The McCabe ATOL number is 2920. 11 Hillgate Place Balham Hill London SW12 9ER Telephone 020 8675 6828 Fax 020 8673 1204 Email [email protected] McCabe Pilgrimages
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facilities. Hotels are of a good standard
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brochure (Includes dates and prices)
Greece. We begin in Kavala, then travel through rural
Greece to Thessalonika and on to the fantastic
Meteora monasteries and the ancient oracle at Delphi.
Our destination, like Paul, is Athens. Her...