BIBLICAL SEVEN CHURCHES OF REVELATION

Welcome to Turkey. Arrive in Istanbul Airport, meet our guide and transfer to our hotel. Overnight in Istanbul.

Our guide will meet us in the hotel. We will transfer to the airport to fly to Izmir. Our first visit will be The Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Evangelist.Among the seven churches of the Book of Revelation, the current Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Evangelist is the only one still in existence. Here the Christian community, founded by John the Apostle, has its home and spiritual center to this day. This church is also the most impressive and most important Catholic worship place of Asian Turkey, since it is the seat of the Metropolitan Archbishop. Smyrna ancient city will be next stop.Smyrna in ancient times was a very wealthy and powerful city, indeed it vied with Ephesus and Pergamon for influence in the region. Today, Smyrna is located within modern-day İzmir, a city that has almost continuously been inhabited for centuries. The ancient city of Smyrna was largely absorbed into the city and, as such, there are remnants of ancient life throughout. The most important historical structure is the Agora, one of the best-preserved structures of ancient Ionia. Christianity in Smyrna is thought to have developed out of the large Jewish population that used to live in the area, as people defected from Judaism and were baptized in the Christian faith. We will have free time in Izmir. We will stay in Izmir tonight.

Third day of our tour, Bergama (Pergamum) will be in our program. Pergamon (also Pergamos, Pergamum) received the third letter of the seven letters of the St. John to the Churches of Asia Minor. The impressive city has been variously described as the most illustrious city of Asia (Barclay); the most spectacular Hellenistic city of Asia Minor because of its imaginative town planning (Mellink, IDB, III: 734); and a royal city (Ramsay, Letters, p. 295). we continue our visit of the Red Church and then the Acropolis where we ask – Is this the ‘Seat of Satan’? We will conclude our look at the message to the Church of Pergamum as recorded in the Apocalypse. Next; Asklepion; was known under the name of "The Pergamum God of Health". Asklepius the deity health and medicine served the people For several hundred years; thus making Pergamum a medical centre of very great importance. Famous medical Scholars, like Hippocrates and Galenus, were born in Pergamum and worked there. We will stay in Bergama tonight.

Depart for the visit of Thyatira; was once a busy trading center and famous in dyeing of purple clothes. Thyatira is one of the Seven Churches mentioned in Revelations tolerated the false prophetess, Jezebel (Rev. 1: 11; 2: 18-29). Travel to Sardis, another of the Seven Churches of Revelation. Jesus told Sardis, "I know thy works, that thou hast a name, that thou livest, and art dead"(Rev. 3: 1-6). Coins were minted and the dyeing of wool originated in Sardis. You will be impressed by the massive scale of the Temple of Artemis, by the white marble Royal Road, by the gymnasium, and by the synagogue. Visit the site of Philadelphia also one of the Seven Churches of Revelation (Rev. 3: 7-13). Christ told those who overcame that He would write upon them "the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is New Jerusalem." (Rev.3: 12) Today, not much is left to mark the spot. You will see an ancient wall and the remains of a Byzantine basilica. Dinner and overnight in Pamukkale.

After the breakfast at the hotel, depart for the visit of Hierapolis; an ancient city of pagan cults, Hierapolis or "holy city" was evangelized by Paul and Epaphras. The Apostle Philip lived and is said to be buried here. Pamukkale, or "cotton castle" is a spa and resort center with its hot springs and cascading limestone pools. Col. 4:12-13. Hierapolis The Christians of Laodicea, one of the Seven Churches, (Rev. 3: 14-22) were chastised for being lukewarm, "You are neither cold nor hot" (Rev. 3: 15), and for being too comfortable incorporating pagan and Christian beliefs. In the famous scripture from Revelation (3: 20-21), Jesus says to the Laodicean church: "Behold, I stand at the door and knock...". Today, there are many acres of ruins to see, including the stadium and columned streets and a chance to witness the newest axcavations in Laodicea. Dinner and overnight in Kusadasi.

Full day tour of Ephesus; Ephesus is one of the Seven Churches of Revelation (Rev. 1: 11). In ancient days, Ephesus was a bustling port town of 250,000, graced with wide, colonnade bordered streets. The St. Paul's first visit to Ephesus was brief - during his second missionary tour (Acts 18:19-21). His second visit lasted about three years - during his third missionary tour (Acts 19:1 to 20:31). Luke's account of the worship of Diana appears in Acts 19:34-35. The Great Theatre (stadium) mentioned in Acts 19:29-31 could seat 25,000 people. Walk the marble-paved street with grooves made by chariot wheels. See the Fountain of Trajan, the Library of Celsus, and the Great Theatre with a capacity of 24.000 spectators. Visit the Chapel of the Virgin Mary (Double Church), where the Third Ancient Council convened. Continue to visit the Basilica of St. John; early tradition associated John, the disciple of Jesus, the author of the Gospel of John and the Book of Revelation with the city of Ephesus. As early as the 4th or 5th century a Christian church was built over a simple grave, supposedly the grave of St. John. In the 6th century Emperor Justinian had an impressive domed basilica built to replace the earlier church. The church, known as the Church of St. John the Theologian, is located on Ayasuluk Hill, which can be reached by a street leading up from the center of the town called Selcuk. We will also visit a carpet shop to see and may buy authentic Turkish carpet which are very famous in the world. Overnight in Kusadasi.

We will be transferred to the Izmir airport and fly to Istanbul. Istanbul, the only city in the world situated on two continents. Our boat tour is a traditional excursion along the waterway separating Europe and Asia. The shore is lined with old wooden villas, palaces of marble, fortresses, and small fishing villages. During the excursion you will pass the magnificent Dolmabahce Palace, and further along, the parks and imperial pavillions of Yildiz Palace. On the coastal edge of this park, is Ciragan Palace, 300 meters of is marble facade faces the shore. At Ortakoy a great variety of artists gather every Sunday to display their work along the street. Ortakoy is a symbol of tolerance with a church, a mosque and a synagogue existing side by side for centuries. Overnight in Istanbul

Transfer to the Istanbul Airport. Goodbye to Turkey until our next visit.