Day 3 – Thursday, October 17: Amphipolis, Kavala, Philippi, Thessaloniki
Today was our first full day here in Greece. The weather was partly cloudy and cool (50s) in the morning but sunny and warm in the afternoon, with highs around 70. We left the hotel shortly after 7:35 a.m. following a great breakfast. We read from portions of Philippians 1 and 2 as we headed north and east for the day.
Amphipolis
Using the ring road around Thessaloniki, we drove north on one of Greece’s many great highways Amphipolis. The city was established in the 4th century BC and was visited by Paul (Acts 17). We saw the famous lion statue here from the 4th century BC.
Kavala
We re-boarded our bus and continued north to Neopolis in Paul’s day (Kavala today). Paul sailed into this port following his Macedonian vision at Troas (Acts 16). Today, only the Byzantine (and later Turkish-Ottoman) aqueduct and fortress can been seen archaeologically. Outside a Greek Orthodox Church a modern monument is erected honoring Paul’s journey here.
Philippi
After a wonderful lunch outside the archaeological site of Philippi, we visited the ruins of the city connected with Paul. We saw the theater, the Late Roman basilicas, the forum (marketplace), and the Praetorium – Bouleuteriun (judgement hall, the most likely place of Paul and Silas’ imprisonment). We read from Acts 16 about God’s miraculous intervention on behalf of Paul and Silas. The jailor placed his faith in Christ that night too. The so-called “traditional “ prison of Paul is a later 2nd century structure and used as a cistern.
Just outside the site of Philippi we visited the river outside the city. It was somewhere along the Zygaktes River where Lydia (from Thyatira) heard and received the kingdom message of Christ from Paul and Silas (Acts 16). She and her household also received Christ and were baptized. Paul also confronted a Pythia, or fortune teller. She may have been one who gave oracles at Delphi (we will visit this site in two days). We also celebrated Debra’s baptism here in the river. What a special experience!
“We had a great first full day here in Greece! We drove northeast to Kavala and Philippi today. This was first encounter with Paul’s ministry here in northern Greece. What a ministry for the kingdom he had!”
Downtown Thessaloniki
From here we drove back to Thessaloniki. Before we arrived back at the hotel, we drove to the Roman Forum (Agora, marketplace) in the heart of the city. This was the marketplace mentioned in Acts 17 where Paul was. The text mentions a man named Jason who helped Paul and Silas. The text also mentioned the “city officials” (in Greek, Politarchs, as found on an inscription discovered here from the 2nd century AD). We also remembered certain believers mentioned by name (Aristarchus and Secundus) who were from this city (Acts 20:4, Romans 16). They served as later companion travelers with Paul. About one block away we made a brief stop to the Church of St. Demetrius. This was an ancient church dedicated after Demetrius, a martyr who died in 303 AD. Today this well-used Greek Orthodox Church is a landmark in the city.
We returned to our hotel nearby at about 7:45 for a late dinner and a good night’s rest.
Day 4 – Friday, October 18: Thessaloniki, Berea, Vergina, Meteora, Kalambaka
