13 Day Pilgrimage Exploring Early Christian History of Italy
Day 1: Departure
Depart for your overnight flight to Italy. Meals will be served on board.
Day 2: Malta
We arrive at Rome International Airport and check in for our flight to Malta.
Upon arrival in La Valletta we will welcomed at the airport by an English speaking representative and an English speaking guide who will assist the group at the airport.
Departing from the airport, the accompanying guide will give an introduction to the history of Malta whilst the group is transferred to Vittoriosa: the best preserved fortified city in the area known as the “Three Cities”. Once at Vittoriosa, the group will walk around the roads steeped in history and tradition with the guide. Vittoriosa was the first home of the Knights of St John when they arrived in 1530. As such, it contains many important architectural riches. Apart from the historic side, this area still retains a lot a of local colour as unlike other tourist areas it has not been over developed.
Here we visit the Inquisitor’s Palace which was erected in the 1530s as the civil law courts of the Order of St John soon after the Knights arrived in Malta. Although its successive occupants changed much in the structure of the building, the Inquisitor’s Palace remains an architectural gem, representative of the chequered history and European heritage of the Islands. The Inquisitor’s Palace is now home to the museum of Ethnografy, focusing in the popular devotions and religious values latent in Maltese ethnic identity and culture up to the present day.
Dinner at hotel. Overnight in La Valletta.
Day 3: La Valletta
After breakfast, we explore the magnificence of La Valletta by visiting the highlights of this UNESCO World Heritage city. With 320monuments in an area of 55 hectares, La Valetta is considered to be one of the most concentrated historical areas in the world.
The first stop will be at the Upper Barrakka Gardens from where we admire the view of the Grand Harbour.
Then we walk through the main streets of La Valletta, full of shops, cafes and bustling people, to reach St. John’s Co. Cathedral, the Knight’s own conventual’s church. St John’s Cathedral is the most prestigious historical monument of the Islands. Its stark exterior juxtaposed with a lavish interior, described as the first complete example of the high baroque anywhere, is intricately decorated with riches including renowned paintings by Caravaggio depicting the beheading of St John and St Jerome, which are displayed in the Cathedral’s oratory.
Proceed to the Church of St Paul’s Shipwreck which traces its origins to the 1570s. St Paul in considered to be the spiritual father of the Maltese. His shipwreck is popularly considered as the greatest event in the nation’s history. For this reason, St Paul’s Collegiate Church is one of the most important in Malta. The church hosts fine artistic works, including the magnificent altarpiece by Matteo Perez d’Aleccio, the choir and dome of Lorenzo Gafa, the paintings by Attilio Palombi and Giuseppe Cali, and the titular statue of Melchiorre Gafa. One can also view the treasured relic of the right wrist-bone of St Paul and part of the column on which the saint was beheaded in Rome.
Lunch in restaurant
Visit the Grand Master’s Place state rooms, which serve as the official office of the president and the seat of the parliament. The palace has retained the splendour and grandeur of the Grand Masters which ruled Malta in times gone by. Within its grand room is a wealth of splendour. In
the council chamber one can admire the beautiful Goblin tapestries given to the Order by Grand Master Ramon Perellos in the early 18th century. (in case of visits by Foreign Delegations or sessions of the Maltese Parliament , please note that the visit will be substituted by a visit to the Palace’s Armoury or the Archeological Museum)
The tour in La Valletta will end with a visit to Casa Rocca Piccola. This beautiful Palace is the only privately owned property open to the public in La Valletta and has a fascinating variety of different things to see. Originally built in the 16th century for Don Pietro La Rocca, a Knight of Malta, it is now the family ancestral home if the 9th Marquis de Piro and his family. On your visit you will be able to walk through twelve palatial rooms including the two Dining Rooms, as well as the Four Poster Bedroom and a private Family Chapel.
Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight.
Day 4: St. Paul Island / Rabat / Mdina
Following breakfast, depart on tour accompanied by their guide. This excursion will take the clients on the footsteps of St Paul , the saint which converted the Maltese people to Christianity in around A.D.60.
First stop will be at St Paul’s Bay to board a boat which will take us around the small island where the saint is believed to have been shipwrecked. (N.B. boat ride to St Paul’s Island depends on weather conditions. In case of bad weather the clients will view the islands from distance from St Paul’s bay)
St Paul was being taken to Rome to be tried as a political rebel, but the ship carrying him and some 274 others was caught in a violent storm only to be wrecked two weeks later on the Maltese coast. All aboard swam safely to land. The site of the wreck is traditionally known as St Paul’s Island and is marked by a statue commemorating the event.
Acts 28, 1-2 Once safely on shore, we found that the island was called Malta. The islanders showed us unusual kindness. They built a fire and welcomed us all because it was raining and cold...
From St. Paul’s Bay proceed to the village of Rabat to visit St. Paul’s Grotto, where it is believed that the saint stayed during his time in Malta. The grotto has been also visited by Pope John Paul II during his visit in Malta.
A short walk from the grotto, one finds St. Paul’s Catacombs which represent the earliest and largest archeological evidence of Christianity in Malta and owes its name to the widely held myth that it was related to St Paul’s Grotto. St Paul’s Catacombs is a typical complex of interconnected, underground Roman cemeteries that were in use up until the 4th century AD. The architecture of the catacombs is the result of an indigenous development, which was barely influenced by overseas traditions. An imposing hall acts as the centre and passages lead off from it in several directions into a bewildering series of tomb galleries. The few surviving murals are of considerable interest, as they constitute the only surviving evidence on the Islands of painting from the late Roman and early medieval
Following lunch walk to Mdina, Malta’s first capital, dating back to before Roman times. Today it is known as the Silent City with its quaint winding streets and beautiful palazzos still used as homes by Malta’s oldest families. While strolling through the narrow city streets the group will visit the bastions where one can admire the view covering Malta’s north-easterly coast.
In Mdina, visit the Cathedral, also known as St. Paul’s Cathedral. A late 17th century masterpiece of Maltese architect Lorenzo Gafa, it lies on the site if a much earlier Norman church that was destroyed by the violent earthquake of 1693. According to tradition, the earlier church had been built in the site of the house of Publius, the Roman’s chief man on the Islands, who was converted to Christianity by St Paul in A.D. 60. In the Mdina cathedral you find works by the Calabrian artist and Knight Mattia Preti. The pavement ho marble-inlaid tombstones carries the coats of arms and inscriptions of the bishops of Mdina and other members of the Cathedral chapter. In the choir behind the main altar is Preti’s monumental depiction of The Conversion of St Paul. It was part of the original Norman church and survived the earthquake.
Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight.
Day 5: Sicily – Agrigento / Siracusa
Early morning transfer to the port (5.30 am) to embark for our ferry ride to Sicily. We arrive in Pozzallo, east of Sicily (8:30 am). Upon arrival, we’ll be met by our English speaking Tour Manager and escorted to our motorcoach. We continue towards west and visit the great “Valle dei Templi” in Agrigento.
The archeological are known as the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento, Sicily, is one of the most important archeological sites in the world and a Unesco world heritage site since 1998. Here, are still sited the great temples of ancient Akragas: the Temple of Hera (Juno) Lacinia, Concordia, Heracles (Hercules), Olympian Zeus (Jupiter), Castor and Pollux (Dioscuri) and Hephaistos (Vulcan). Further down, on the bank of the Akragas river, near a medical spring, stood the Temple dedicated to Asklepius (Eusculapius), the god of medicine. At the mouth of the river there was the harbor and emporion (trading-post) of the ancient city.
Ancient Akragas, in its hey-day, was a flourishing cultural centre: it gave the world Empedocles, the pre-socratic philosopher, whose concept of matter as divided into four elements – Earth, Air, Fire and Water – was the foundation of science for many centuries.
Then we drive east and arrive in Siracusa in the late afternoon. Dinner at the hotel and overnight
Day 6: Siracusa
Full day tour of city of Siracusa, site of St, Paul’s arrival in Sicily en route
Chronologies of Paul’s life are approximate and debated by scholars. At some point around the year 59 he visited Syracuse where he preached – probably in the place where the paleo-Christian Church if Saint John was built. Whatever was said was expressed in Greek, the vernacular of Roman Sicily (where Latina was a second language9. It is possible that a few Jews came to hear Paul talk, as there was a Jewish community at Syracuse. There was no subsequent “Letter of Paul to the Syracusans”. However, there is no doubt that it was Paul who brought Christianity to Sicily, even though his stay in Syracuse lasted only three days before he departed for Reggio Calabria, Pozzuoli (near Naples) and then Rome.
Acts 28, 11-12 After three months we put out to sea in a ship that had wintered on the Island. It was on Alexandrian ship the figurehead of the twin gods, Castor and Pollux. We put in at Syracuse and stayed there for three days...
After breakfast, transfer to the port and embark a boat to sail towards the coast of the city as Paul did.
We continue our full day of sightseeing with a visit to the sites commemorating Paul’s visit to the Island. We view the ruins of the Church dedicated to San John, see Catacombs of San John and some Mikvah.
Dinner and overnight in Syracusa.
Day 7: Taormina / Mount Etna / Catania / Ferry
We begin our day with an early morning departure towards the north of Sicily with a drive long the beautiful coast passing throughout the cities of Naxos and Taormina- founded by the Chalcidian in 734 BC, and known to be the most ancient Greek cities in Italy. We arrive in Catania and have time for lunch on your own before we visit the oriental fish market and bazaars (weather permitting!). It would be possible to ascend the slopes of Mount Etna – the largest active volcano in Europe. Afterwards we travel to the pier in Messina and board the ferry to Salerno.
Dinner at local restaurant in Catania. Overnight on-board ferry
Acts 28, 13 From there we set sail and arrived at Rhegium.
Day 8: Salerno / Amalfi / Pozzuoli
Early morning arrive in Salerno. Upon arrival, we’ll start our day with a delicious breakfast tasting local caffè and fresh pastry before we drive along the Amalfi Coast and stop in Amalfi for a guided tour.
The history of Amalfi is bound with the sea. Thanks to its sailors, Amalfi was known in the Mediterranean Sea. The name of Amalfi still appeared on an official letter of the Pope Gregorio Magno in 596 when he spoke about the Amalfi’s trades. Amalfi, at the end of VIII century, had already colonies, the first was Antiochia, while the first colonies in Egypt are dated since the X
century. In fact, in 954, in the town of “Al-Cairo” lived about 200 Amalfithain merchants.
Nowadays, Amalfi, with its wonderful views, is the main town of the Amalfi Coast. White houses cling onto the rocks opposite the Saint Andrew Cathedral and the main square which is also the town centre.
Afterwards, we continue our journey north to arrive in Pozzuoli. Dinner and overnight at hotel
Day 9: Pozzuoli / Pompei
We are in exactly the same location where Paul landed.
Acts 28, 13 and after one day the south wind blew, and we came the next day to Puteoli.
After breakfast, we visit the area of the seaport and the Roman Amphitheatre in order to get a sense of what Paul experienced once he arrived on the mainland of the “Roman Empire”. After lunch we will depart to reach Pompei in less than an hour, where we will joined by local guide to have an archeological journey through the ancient city. Buried under a layer of ashes and pyroclastic flow by a sudden eruption if Vesuvius in 79 BC, after 1700 years the excavations have brought to light Pompei, a town whose daily life of the Imperial Age has been petrified, as if under a spell, in its gestures, secrets and in the panic felt by its inhabitants during their last moments. Visiting the “frozen city” would create a feeling similar to that experienced by Apostle Paul when he walked through similar streets from his time period. We will visit houses, shops, temples, squares, streets and also the “Lupanare” ( house of prostitutes with its frescos showing erotic scenes ) and the “ Suburbane Thermae “ ( with erotic frescos, among which is the only ‘saffico’ picture of the Roman world) .
Images from the city will help us to recognize the widely accepted but sternly opposed moral corruption of the Romans that Paul addressed:
Romans 1, 26 For this reason God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature
Return to Pozzuoli for dinner and overnight
Day 10: Minturno / Foro Appio / Rome
After breakfast we make our way north, we will rejoin the ancient roadway traveled by Paul stopping at the partially restored ruins of the Roman village of Minturno.
Though less impressive than Pompei, the open plan of the site, together with the lack of other crowds will allaow us to both see the town and talk about the implications of understanding the setting and people of these suburban areas to ministry of Paul and the Apostles.
Acts 28, 15 When Paul saw them, he thanked God and took courage Regain our bus and proceed north.
Acts 28,14-15 And so we came to Rome. The brothers there had heard that we were coming and they traveled as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns to meet us.
This might be the place where the Sacred Writings remind us of the meeting of Apostle Paul with the ‘Christians Communities’
After lunch, we will depart Foro Appio and make our way to the Eternal City. We will be reminded of the early companions if Paul, travelling to the Church of Santa Prisca dedicated to Santa Prisca on the Aventino Hill. Prisca came from a rich Roman family and Aquila, her husband was probably Greek. Paul spent a couple of years with them in Corinth and this is very often mentioned in his Letters and the Book of Acts
Rom 16, 1-23 …..Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, who for my life, laid down their own necks; to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the assemblies of the Gentiles. Greet the assembly that is in their house.
The House on the Aventino Hill where Paul lived is named in a legal document of the 5th century, as “Titulus Priscae.” We continue following the steps of St Paul recalling both is first and second visits to the city. We will begin our visit to the Insula Di San Paolo alla Regola. According to tradition, S. Paolo Alla Regola is the most accredited hypothesis of the first home of Paul in Rome. Here he lived between 61 and 63 AD, for eighteen months as required by law, pending trial. In this first Roman period, in his state of semi-freedom, Paul may have met the community of Rome, "domus ecclesiae" where they gathered to share the Word and the Eucharist and may have visited the house of Aquila and Priscilla. Paul lived in one of the places inhabited by the Jews, near the River Tiber, the Trastevere area, beyond the port of Ripa Grande, the 14th and final quarter of the city, according to the division of Augustus. Recent archaeological excavations in this zone showed the presence of stores of grain (horreum) and a second-century apocryphal ancient states, in fact, that "Paul took a rented horreum. A large barn where you think you could preach, teach, comfort the Christians. As the majority of the people living there, Paul worked as a leather tanner. This area became known by the name of “Contrada Pauli” ( Paul’s district) In a legal document of the year 1245, we find the words “ In loco qui dicitur Pauli” ( In that place called “ of Paul”) . In 366 AC, Pope Damaso wanted to build a church over the ruins and dedicated it to Paul. Visiting the church, you will see the oratory which has been created using the room where Paul lived and on the main beam you can read the following: “This is the place where the Apostle Paul lived and taught.”
Dinner and overnight at hotel in Rome
Day 11: Rome
All day in Rome.
This morning we will begin our visit with the centre of the Roman Empire.
This tour will show the great “power” of Rome and Emperors who demanded divinity for themselves. This was mainly what Apostle Paul preached against in Roman 1-25:
Romans 1, 25 …. And worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed forever.
From the Trajan's Column, jewel of architecture and sculpture made by Apollodorus of Damascus, our guide will show you along the Via dei Fori Imperiali (street of the Imperial Fora), the ruins of the fori that the great emperors built as lasting memory of their power. We see the Forum of Trajan, the biggest and most splendid of all, whose markets, true forerunners of the modern commercial centers, offered to the Roman citizen any goods to be found at that time. On foot you will reach the Capitoline Hill, once political and religious center of the town, which today is the seat of the Municipality. The stairway will lead you to the Piazza del Campidoglio, the magnificent result of a single project by Michelangelo, with a copy of the most famous equestrian statue in the world, the statue of Marcus Aurelius, in the middle. Behind Piazza del Campidoglio you will find a natural terrace providing the best panoramic point over the valley of the Roman Forum and the Palatine Hill. Walking through the valley of the Roman Forum the great Rome with its important buildings will revive before your eyes; the Curia, seat of the Roman Senate, the State Archive, the basilicas, palaces of justice, the temple of Vesta, and the House of the Vestals, the virgins in charge of keeping the sacred fire always alive, and all around temples and columns and arches of triumph erected to commemorate gods of Roman history
Romans 1, 23 ... and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man…..
From the Forum the guide will show you to the place linked to the fabulous origins of Rome: the Palatine. Here Romolus founded the town in the year 753 B.C. and starting with Augustus the great emperors settled here. From the valley of the Roman Forum you will admire the Domus Tiberiana only partially explored and the ruins of the Imperial Palaces. Leaving the Roman Forum you will find the Arch of Constantine, erected to commemorate the victory of the emperor over Maxentius in the 4th century A.D. (tradition says that before the battle the Emperor saw a brilliant cross in the sky and said the famous words “in hoc signo vinces”). The tour ends at the Colosseum, everlasting symbol of the greatness of Rome and the stage for the historical fights of the gladiators.
Continue on the Ancient Appian Way, to visit the Catacombs of Santa Domitilla. The Christian catacombs are extremely important for the art history of early Christians. At first they were used both for burial and the memorial services and celebrations of the anniversaries of Christian martyrs (following similar Roman customs). They probably were not used for regular worship. Many modern depictions of the catacombs show them as hiding places for Christian populations during times of persecution.
Regain our bus and continue the tour visiting Abbey of the Three Fountains, the place of Paul’s martyrdom, where tradition has it that three different springs gushed out at each spot touched when Paul’s head fell down. Legend claims that when St Paul was decapitated, his head bounced three times and fountains miraculously sprang out when it touched the ground. The legend is nice, but the springs were known in pre-Christian times as the Aquae Salviae, and the excavations revealed ancient mosaic pavements. Still, even if it is not true it helps identify the site of St Paul's martyrdom. It is also said that there was a stone-pine tree at the site of his death, and the identification of this place was strengthened when ancient stone-pine cones were found here during excavations in 1857.
To conclude this day in Rome we will visit the place where the bones of Paul have recently been found, Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls. It is a Benedictine Abbey which shares its name, origins and centuries of history, both joyful and sorrowful, with the adjoining basilica.
Return to the hotel, for dinner and overnight
Day 12: Rome
Paul was not the only Apostle if the early church associated with Rome. Peter was martyred on the Vatican Hill and the memory of the impact of the Apostle John0s lasting ministry before and after his apparent arrest and exile to Patmos by Emperor Domitian also has its place.
This morning we board our bus and continue our Roman visit at Basilica of St John in Lateran which became among the most important Christians Churches of Rome. When Constantine opened the Roman world to Christianity, his apparent conversion was symbolized by the donation of a significant family property for the Basilica. The important Lateran Baptistery reminds us of the many early converts to the faith and the process of moving it from a rouge influence to a sponsored and ordered faith.
Then continue with Holy Stairs.
Balance of they at leisure to explore the city on your own (optional visit to Vatican Museum)
Dinner and overnight at the hotel
Day 13: Departure
Transfer to airport