Pilgrimage to Greece
June 17 - 28, 2008

Join us for a pilgrimage to some of the holiest Orthodox Christian sites in Greece. We will journey to Athens, Meteora, Thessalonika and Mistra. This tour is for everyone and an excellent opportunity for a family to experience Greece!

ITINERARY

Day 1: June 17 - Tuesday
Depart USA Arrive in Athens. Our hotel will be in the Syntagma area, the center of Athens, and just a short walk away from the Acropolis, the Plaka and Monastiraki. Your first night in Athens enjoy dinner in the historic Plaka, at a restaurant just below the Acropolis.

Day 2: June 18 – Wednesday
Athens morning tour with Guide and Bus. At the summit of the Acropolis is the magnificent Parthenon, the temple dedicated to the goddess Athena, which was built under the patronage of Pericles and dedicated in 438 BC. Most visitors to the Acropolis are unaware of the Parthenon’s Christian past. Though it remained a pagan temple for 830 years, in the fifth century AD the Parthenon was consecrated an Orthodox Christian church and became the seat of the Bishop of Athens. First dedicated as the cathedral of the Holy Wisdom, in 662 AD it was rededicated in honor of the Mother of God, the Most Holy Virgin Mary. For over 1,000 years it remained a Christian house of worship until 1460 AD when the Muslim conquerors converted it into a mosque.

Day 3: June 19 - Thursday
In the morning we will depart Athens by bus and travel to the northern Greek city of Thessalonika. In 50 AD, Saint Paul founded the Christian Church in the city. His New Testament letters I and II Thessalonians were written by Saint Paul to his flock in Thessalonika. Throughout its history, Thessalonika has been a center of Orthodox Christian faith. In 304 AD Saint Demetrius was martyred there and Thessalonika was the birthplace of Saints Cyril and Methodius, the Christian missionaries who brought the Faith to the Slavic people. This beautiful city is filled with Christian shrines and ancient Churches and our tour will take us to many of the most famous.

Day 4: June 20 - Friday
We will spend the day touring Thessalonika.

Day 5: June 21 – Saturday
We will travel to Meteora. Our hotel will be in Kalambaka. Towering thousands of feet over the plain of Thessaly, the rock pinnacles of Meteora, with monasteries perched on their peaks, are one of the most beautiful and inspiring sites in Greece. The name Meteora, which means “suspended in the air,” accurately captures the awesomeness of this monastic setting seemingly suspended between heaven and earth. Of the original twenty-two monasteries, six are currently inhabited. Four are men’s and two are women’s monasteries.

Day 6: June 22 - Sunday
We will attend the Divine Liturgy in Kalambaka and then tour the monasteries of Meteora. That afternoon we will travel to Delphi for an overnight stay.

Day 7: June 23 - Monday
We will tour the ancient ruins of Delphi. Nearby we will visit the beautiful monastery of Osios Loukas. Some of the most beautiful Byzantine mosaics may be found in this monastery. In the afternoon we travel to Patras.

Day 8: June 24 – Tuesday
From Patras we will take the Ferry to Zakynthos and visit the shrine of St. Dionysios of Zakynthos. In this beautiful church, the 17th century Saint lies in state and may be venerated.

Day 9: June 25 – Wednesday
Visit the Church and Shrine of St. Andrew the First Called Apostle. The Cathedral of St. Andrew is one of the five largest churches in Europe. Following this visit we will travel to Nafplion. This is the site of the first capital of Greece after independence. Today Nafplion is a lovely seaside town. The town is dominated by three citadels: the vast Palamidi Fortress, the Akronafplia Fortress, and the Bourtzi Fortress. We will also visit Epidaurus and Mycenae, two of the most famous ancient sites in Greece. In Epidaurus we willvisit the ancient theater world renowned for its acoustics. We will then visit Mycenae which is famous for its link to Homer`s tales of the glory of war. Mycenae may have been founded as early as the 14th century BC. The highly developed Mycenaean civilization of the Bronze Age was based in the area.

Day 10: June 26 - Thursday
Travel to Sparta and the historical Byzantine city of Mistra. In 1249, Mystras became the
seat of the Latin Principality of Achaea, established in 1205 after the conquest of Constantinople during the Fourth Crusade. In 1261, the Latins ceded Mystras and other forts in the southeastern Peloponnese. Michael VIII Palaeologus made the city the seat of the new Despotate of Morea. It remained the capital of the despotate, ruled by relatives of the Byzantine emperor, although the Venetians still controlled the coast and the islands. Mystras and the rest of Morea became relatively prosperous after 1261, compared to the rest of the empire. Under the despot Theodore it became the second most important city in the empire after Constantinople, and the local palace became the second residence of the emperors. The frescos in the Peribleptos Church, dating between 1348 and 1380, are a very rare surviving late Byzantine cycle, crucial for the understanding of Byzantine art.
The last Byzantine emperor, Constantine XI, was despot at Mystras before he came to the throne.

Day 11: June 27 - Friday
We will return to Athens. The remainder of the day may be spent in visiting various sites.

Day 12: June 28 - Saturday
Tour ends. Bus to airport and group departs for USA. Those wishing to extend their stay in Greece may do so. Contact our office for further information.


PRICES

□ Double Room: $3,500
□ Single Room: $4,000

Prices include the following
Round trip airfare San Francisco-Athens
Accommodation in First Class hotels
Two meals per day - Daily breakfast and either lunch or dinner
Air-conditioned motor coach transportation throughout the tour
Tour director and tour guides

Extended Stay
You may extend your stay in Greece after the tour is over. There may be an additional fee charged by the airline, depending on the return date you choose. Contact our office for additional information and to extend your stay. We can also assist by making additional reservations and travel plans for you during your extended stay.

How to make a reservation
Contact our office by phone or e-mail to confirm the availability of the tour and date you wish to travel. Many tours fill up quickly and space is sometimes limited. We recommend that you book early.

Contact Information
Fr. Jon Magoulias
Annunciation Church
PO Box 707
Modesto, CA 95350

Phone: (209) 522-7694
Email: frjon@goannunciation.org

Michael Pappas
MAP Tours
2629 Marblehead Circle
Modesto, CA 95355

Phone: (209) 578-5412.
E-mail: info@map-tours.com
www.map-tours.com

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Annunciation Church
313 Tokay Avenue
P.O. Box 707
Modesto, CA 95353

Phone: (209) 522-7694
Fax: (209) 522-3926
Website: http://www.goannunciation.org
Email: churchinfo@goannunciation.org

Proistamenos: Rev. Fr. Jon E. Magoulias
Email: frjon@goannunciation.org