After waking up in Istanbul, bright and early at 6am, I had to get ready and pack my bag to put outside our room before breakfast. We were spoiled with having bellhops that brought our bags from our door and down to our bus. I felt equally as spoiled by the hotel breakfast that included an omelet station, a full continental breakfast, and most importantly, cappuccino machines. By 7:30am we were on our tour bus and heading toward the Turkey/Greece border. We made it just in time to the Turkey border for the morning call to prayer, where we had to exit the bus to have our passports marked with a Turkey exit stamp. We got back on a new bus that took us across the border. Upon arriving in Greece, we got onto yet another new bus that would be our tour bus for the next six days. All 41 travelers’ passports were collected by our driver and marked with a Greece entry stamp. We then had a couple hours drive to our first stop, Philippi.
For one of my assignments for this travel course, I prepared a presentation on this site. I enjoyed sitting at the front of our tour bus and sharing what I had learned about the ancient city of Philippi and the letter to the Philippians that Paul wrote to them while in prison.
The city of Philippi was founded in 360 BC as a colony of Thassos called Krenides. It was strategically located in an area rich in agricultural goods, timber, and precious metals. In 356 BC, Philip II conquered the city, fortified it, and renamed it Philippi. It became one of the most important cities in Macedon.
After the Roman conquest of Macedon in 148 BC, Philippi became part of the first administrative district of Macedonia, with Amphipolis as its capital. The construction of the Via Egnatia, which was built as a Roman military road, through Philippi helped the city develop and regain its importance. This is the road that the Apostle Paul used to travel between Philippi and Thesselkaniki and greatly impacted the spread of the gospel. It was an incredible experience to be able to walk on a part of the Via Egnatia that was excavated in the Philippi ruins.
In 42 BC, a significant battle took place in the plain of Philippi, marking the end of the Roman Republic. The victorious Octavian and Mark Anthony turned the city into a Roman colony, settled by Roman veterans.
In 49-50 AD, Paul the Apostle established the first Christian church on European soil in Philippi.
During the 2nd century AD, Philippi experienced prosperity and saw the construction of impressive buildings, including the renovated theatre that we were able to see.
In the Early Christian period, Philippi grew into a major urban center with a Greek character and became a sacred site for Christian pilgrimage.
We were able to see the ruins of the city’s town square, two basilicas from around the 5th century, and the octagon. The Octagon was a complex that housed the episcopal church. Within this complex was an octagonal church that underwent three phases of construction, spanning from the late 4th to mid-6th century AD. The church was built on the location of a house of prayer dedicated to the Apostle Paul, which was originally constructed in the early 4th century AD. This house of prayer was itself built on the site of a Late Hellenistic tomb or hero monument. In addition to the church, the complex also included a phiale, baptistery, baths, a two-storey Bishopric, and a grand pillar facing the Via Egnatia. I was most impressed with the mosaic tiled floor that was still partially intact.
Due to an earthquake in the 7th century AD and barbarian invasions, the city began to shrink. Its inhabitants relocated to the acropolis from the 8th to the 15th century AD. After the Ottoman conquest, the city was eventually abandoned.
We then visited the Baptistery of St. Lydia. The baptistery located 15 km from the city of Kavala (where we would stay for the night), next to the archaeological site of Philippi, holds historical significance. It is said to be the spot where the Apostle Paul baptized Lydia, the first Christian in Europe, in the river Zygakti (Acts 16: 13-15). Today, the baptistery is open and hosts weddings and baptisms.
Additionally, every year on May 20, in celebration of St. Lydia of Philippisias, Christians are baptized at the same location. I was so sad that we missed this celebration by four days but getting to soak my tired feet in the cool water of the river made up for it. I must admit that I felt quite emotional sitting at the rivers edge with my feet in the same flowing river as the saints that have come before me have been baptized and felt connected to enough to make it a pilgrimage spot. I thank God for this opportunity and the reminder of my baptism and new life I receive through Christ our Lord.
We ended our day with a wonderful Greek buffet at the hotel and going for a swim in the Aegean Sea.
-Kylee
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