John 15:8 By this is My Father glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples. Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love.
THEME: “It’s All About Relationships!”
In the 4th century, Roman Emperor Constantine declared Christianity the state religion. And the world was changed forever. In 325 AD, he called together all of the bishops of the church for what would later be called the First Ecumenical Council. Dan Brown (The Da Vinci Code) was wrong; this was not a conspiracy. Rather, it was an attempt to unify the formerly persecuted and beleaguered Christian church with a single statement of faith. The result was the Nicene Creed.
Martin Luther wrote that all true Christian doctrine flows from the Word of God, that any other approach is mere speculation and dangerous for the Christian soul. On this tour we’ll explore the Scriptures, studying the meaning of the Nicene Creed, how this is about a relationship among the 3-persons of the Holy Trinity for the sake of our relationship with God through Jesus Christ. We’ll learn about how this is a relationship concerning eternal redemption, but it is also about a believer’s daily renewal of spirit and mind.
The tour will begin with an historic introduction in Istanbul, formerly Constantinople. This city was Constantine’s “new Rome,” the capital of the eastern half of his empire, what would later be called the Byzantine Empire. Here the foundation of modern Christendom was planted through the doctrines written, churches built, and lives transformed. A tradition was born. We’ll continue to Nicaea (Iznik today), where that first council took place. Here we’ll study the Creed and its biblical foundation and what this means for us today.
For over 1,100 years Christianity was the dominant religion in the region until the fall of Constantinople in 1453. However, even as early as the 8th century Christians living in areas outside of Constantinople experienced persecution at the hands of armies from the east. Our tour will continue with an exploration of Cappadocia, central Turkey. We’ll see the underground cities where early Christians escaped raids, ancient churches built into caves, frescos and mosaics crafted by monks, and other sites demonstrating the power of centuries of Christian devotion.
We’ll continue our tour with a flight to the western coast of Turkey where we’ll bus north, visiting Ephesus, Pergamum, Troy, and other places, finishing our exploration of the Byzantine Empire and Early Christendom back where we started, Istanbul/Constantinople.
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ITINERARY
DAY 1 Welcome to Turkey! We’ll meet at our hotel in Istanbul around 5 p.m. for a “Welcome to Turkey” meeting. We’ll enjoy our first meal together at an eatery on the famous Istiklal Caddesi pedestrian way in the Beyoglu district. We’ll be in Istanbul for 3-nights.
DAY 2 An Immersion Into a Way of Life: We’ll begin each day with devotion, prayer, and song. After breakfast, we’ll hit the ground running with an introduction to Byzantine Christianity and Constantinople (Istanbul today). The power of an immersion in Eastern Orthodox art forms cannot be overestimated, for here are not only colors and form, but a culture, a way of life with a centeredness in the faith of the Apostles. We’ll tour the Mosaics Museum, which houses the mosaic floors and murals from the now vanished Byzantine Great Palace; Hagia Sophia, the great cathedral (now museum) built by Byzantine Emperor Justinian in the 6th century; the monuments of the Hippodrome; the cavernous, 6th century Basilica Cistern; and the Archaeological Museum. Afterwards, we’ll enjoy dinner together in the old part of the city, the Sultanamet district.
DAY 3 A Glimpse Into the Heart of Byzantine Christianity: We’ll visit several churches, some active, but most now museums. We’ll visit Chora Church, with its vivid mosaics of Christ and the Virgin Mary; Pammakaristos Church, with its famous mosaic of Christ Pantocrator or “Christ Omnipotent One”; St. Mary of Mongols Church, one of the few ancient churches never converted into a mosque in Istanbul; and the Church of St. George, today the seat of the Greek Orthodox Church and the spiritual leader of Eastern Orthodox Christians throughout the world. Here you’ll notice the prominent Byzantine eagle, an eagle with two heads, one pointing toward the west and the other, east, representing the two seats of power of the ancient empire, Rome and the “new Rome,” Constantinople. After touring we’ll set you loose for dinner on your own.
DAY 4 The Creeds Are About Relationships, Part I: After breakfast we’ll drive to ancient Nicaea (Iznik today), beginning a 2-day retreat. This was the location of the 1st and 7th Ecumenical Councils, where the Nicene Creed of the Christian church was written. Our hotel overlooks Iznik Lake, the same body of water which the 4th century bishops looked out over as they meditated on the nature of their relationship to God in Christ. We’ll consider this relationship by examining the Nicene Creed, its Biblical foundation, and the work of the early church fathers. We’ll have plenty of time in the afternoon for reflection and prayer on what we’ve learned. In the evening, we’ll have dinner together.
DAY 5 The Creeds Are About Relationships, Part II: It’s Sunday, the Lord’s Day. Joining together in worship, we’ll celebrate the grace God’s given us through His Son Jesus. After breakfast we’ll continue our study and reflection, focusing on the joy and confidence the Lord has given us for our day-to-day walk with Him. In the afternoon, we’ll explore various sites in and around Iznik, including the Iznik Museum and the Basilica (site of the 7th Ecumenical Council, 787 AD). Afterwards, everyone will be free to shop and have dinner on their own in the city.
DAY 6 Fairyland! We’ll fly to Cappadocia, the center of Turkey, that magical land of fairy chimneys, underground cities, and cave dwellings. We’ll split our group between a couple of B&Bs built into the fairy chimneys in the town of Goreme (gore-E-may). These places are too much fun for words; you’ve got to experience them for yourself! We’ll be here for 3-nights. We’ll eat together in the evening.
DAY 7 Open Air Museums: We’ll begin our day with an exploration of the rock-cut churches found in the Goreme Open Air Museum. Domes, crosses & frescos fill these little chapels dotting the landscape. We’ll also tour the Zelve Open Air Museum. It hosts cave dwellings which were the center of the Christian monastic life in the 9th-13th centuries. Everyone will dine on their own tonight. An option for those who’d like an aweseome, bird’s eye view of the Cappadocian landscape is a hotair balloon ride. You have to be able to climb in and out of a hotair balloon basket, have no fear of heights, and be out in front of the inn ready to catch the bus to the launch site by 5 a.m. We’ll be back to the hotel by 9 a.m. for breakfast. The cost is about $200/person.
DAY 8 They Lived In the Belly of the Earth: Today we’ll begin with a descent into Kaymakli Underground City, one of the underground cities Christians dwelt in during times of persecution, complete with stables, wineries, chapels, kitchens, and living quarters many stories underground. Afterwards, you’ll be ready for some fresh air! We’ll hike through the Ihlara Valley, where we’ll explore the fresco-decorated Byzantine churches cut into the cliffs by monks a 1,000 years ago. Tonight, we’ll set everyone free to dine on their own.
DAY 9 Ephesus: After a short flight to Izmir in southwestern Turkey, we’ll be ready to begin our 3-day journey back to Constantinople/Istanbul. First stop, Ephesus, one of the most important and best preserved cities of antiquity in the world.. We’ll spend one night in Seljuk, the sister city of Ephesus. Ephesus was a vital port city in the Roman Empire, but it was also important in the early church, for the work of Sts. Paul and John and those who would follow. We’ll spend the day in Ephesus, taking in all of the sites, from the ancient library to the agora, from the theaters and fountains to St. Mary’s Church (the location of the 3rd Ecumenical Council, 431 AD). We’ll also visit the now very dilapidated Temple of Artemis (worth seeing for it was one of the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World) and the Basilica of St. John (the site of St. John’s grave). In the evening, we’ll eat together.
DAY 10 Pergamum: Continuing our journey north, we’ll spend time in Pergamum, one of the 7 Cities of the Revelation of St. John, visiting its Acropolis, with its breathtaking view some 1,300 feet above the city below, and the Asclepion. Only ruins today, but this site was the hub of leadership in the field medicine for over a 1,000 years. As you hear the running water under the streets today, you might reflect on how the physicians of antiquity used these waters as “living waters” in which they bathed their patients, hoping for healing. We’ll spend one night in the city of Assos and let everyone enjoy dinner on their own.
DAY 11 Alexandria Troas & Troy: After devotions and breakfast we’ll head back to Istanbul. On the way we’ll stop in Alexandria Troas, built by Alexander the Great (4th century BC); visited by St. Paul during his missionary journeys; and a capital of the Byzantine Empire. We’ll also tour Troy. Shrouded in mythology for 1,000s of years, historians were not sure it actually existed except in the imagination of Homer until its ruins were discovered in the late 19th century. Now you may walk the dig, viewing the 9-layers of civilization which have been unearthed, dating back 5,000 years. Tonight, we’ll unpack in the same hotel we started out from in Istanbul. We’ll be here for two nights.
DAY 12 Freelancing It: Using public transit everyone will be able to pick-up whatever sites and experiences they missed at the beginning of the tour. Maybe a body massage in a hamam, a public bathhouse? Perhaps a hookah at a sidewalk cafe in Sultanamet? Maybe a visit to a mosque or a palace not included in the original itinerary? Why not a visit to the Grand Bazaar to buy a carpet or the Spice Market for some Turkish Delight or tea?! Whatever you decide to do make sure you’re back in time for our last dinner together, a dinner cruise on the Bosphorus Straits! This is always a choice experience for our travelers.
DAY 13 Blessed Travels! A transfer to the Istanbul’s International Airport is easy. We’ll make sure everyone finds their way there stress-free!
Itinerary details subject to change.
WHAT YOU’RE GETTING! Educon Travel wants to give you a unique opportunity for a Bible-based journey with a whole bunch of great features:
- A focused, theme-based itinerary
- First-rate teaching by Christian pastors and instructors
- A significant time to learn and reflect during our educational retreat
- A small, flexible group; only 20-24 people
- Daily devotions and Bible study
- Great guides who care about you
- Excellent hospitality at family-run establishments
- Delicious, authentic, local meals
- Upfront pricing—No surprises!
Open the PDF file below for the itinerary, Terms & Conditions and application for this tour.
Our mission is to grow in spirit, mind & body as we immerse ourselves in God’s Word in the places where it was first revealed. 
Call me with your questions. I will personally help you with all of your travel needs and make sure you enjoy a great tour. Call me toll free at 866-277-2383. -Richard