Following the highly successful pilgrimages to France in
2002, Thessaly (Greece) in 2004,
Moldavia in 2005, and Finland/Russia in 2006, the Friends of Mount Athos
are now organizing a fifth excursion/pilgrimage, this time to Turkey (October
2007).
Our itinerary will provide opportunities for participants to visit the
major Byzantine sites and places of religious significance in Constantinople
and its districts. Space for shopping at the famous bazaars will inevitably be
included in the programme.
It is hoped that we shall spend a half-day on the island of Halki (Heybeliada) in order to spend some time both
at the Holy Trinity Monastery and at the celebrated Theological School. A
lecture to be delivered in the beautiful auditorium at Halki has been suggested
as an intellectual interlude.
We shall
also travel by air to Kayseri (Caesarea) in order to proceed to the cave and
other churches and monasteries of Cappadocia and to some of the villages that
were evacuated during the population exchange of 1923. Destinations will
include the Devrent Valley, the Zelve Open-air Museum, Monks Valley (Pasabagi) with its renowned fairy chimneys, Avanos, the Greme Open-air
Museum, the Rose Valley with its churches, Cavusin, Uchisar, etc.
His All-Holiness, the
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew is waiting to receive the group in the City on
two occasions: once at a private afternoon audience at the Patriarchate in the Phanar
(Saturday 27 October), to be followed by Vespers at the Cathedral of Saint
George, and again at the parish Church of Saint Dimitrios (Kurueşme Aya Dimitri Rum Ortodoks
Kilisesi) on Sunday morning for the Divine Liturgy. The Patriarch will celebrate
the services on both occasions.
Team leader will be Bishop Kallistos. The
maximum number of participants will be twenty-five and the cost for the flight
from London, accommodation, some meals, guide, and domestic transportation will
be very roughly 800 ($1450).
If you feel that you would like to be a part of
the event, please indicate this in a letter or email (without obligation) to
Dimitri Conomos at 5 Moreton Road, Oxford OX2 7AX (dimitri.ec@btinternet.com).
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