Your pilgrimage begins as you depart the USA on your international overnight flight.

At Sea

Dock in Santorini today, one of the most beautiful of the Greek islands, where picturesque, whitewashed villages topped with brilliant blue domes stand in stark contrast to the sheer-drop cliffs overlooking the Aegean Sea. The island itself perches on the edges of a volcano whose eruption 3,500 years ago is thought to have led to the collapse of the Minoan civilization. Explore the island on your own or join one of the optional excursions available for purchase on board.

Shore excursions today will be booked directly through Celebrity and are not included.

Ephesus was one of the Seven Churches of Revelation and was once a bustling port town with wide, colonnade-bordered streets and a population of 250,000.
Even though much of Ephesus has either been lost or has yet to be uncovered,
spectacular excavations in the last 110 years have revealed much of the glory of
ancient Ephesus, including the huge agora, streets made of marble, sidewalks
designed with beautiful mosaics and the impressive library. Explore the ancient
site virtually at the Ephesus Experience Museum where you will see life in Paul’s
time. We will view the terrace houses, also known as “the houses of the rich,”
which give a true impression of the ancient lifestyle. The ancient world once
declared the Temple of Artemis to be one of the Seven Wonders of the World,
but today, only a single column remains to mark its site. After enjoying Ephesus,
you will embark on another Turkish experience at the carpet factory for a local
lunch and a presentation.

Discover Thessaloniki, the “Queen of the North,” where Paul was accused of
turning the world upside down with his preaching of Christ (Acts 17: 3-6). Built
by King Cassandros and named after the sister of Alexander the Great, the city
flourished under the Byzantine Empire. Stroll through the beautiful basilica of
St. Demetrios, dedicated to a distinguished Roman proconsul martyred for his Christian faith. Look upon the Roman agora, the center of political and
public life, constructed in the 1st century AD. Along the Via Egnatia stands
the Galerius Arch, where you can look out over the second-largest city in
Greece from the Old City Ramparts, some dating back to Roman times. The
tour continues to the Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki. The museum
houses exhibits of Archaic, Classical, Hellenistic, and Roman sculptures.

Visit Philippi, where Paul, intending to find a place to pray by the riverside,
spoke to women who had gathered there, among whom was Lydia, the seller
of purple, and whose heart the Lord opened to hear the words that he spoke.
Lydia was the first Christian to be baptized on European soil. Visit the place
where this event is remembered and see a crypt dating from the Roman
period, which is thought to have served as a prison for the Apostle Paul. See
the famous agora, the basilica, and the theater.

Tour the city of Corinth, where the apostle Paul met fellow tentmakers Aquila
and Priscilla and received a vision from the Lord saying, “I am with thee,
and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this
city.” As Paul spoke, Crispus (chief ruler of the synagogue) and many others
believed and were baptized, establishing the church at Corinth to whom
Paul later wrote his two epistles. Discover the Archaeological Museum,
marketplace and temples. As you walk among the ruins, stand on the Bema,
where the apostle Paul stood before Gallio to face charges brought against
him by the Jews. This afternoon, discover the rich architectural splendor
of the ancient city of Athens as your guide introduces you to the world-
renowned Acropolis, the Propylaea, the Parthenon and the Erechtheum.
Stand on Mars Hill as the apostle Paul did when he proclaimed, “I found an
altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye
ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.” Your overnight stay and dinner
are in Athens.