Day Three - Via Egnatia to Philippi

Leaving Thessaloniki, we made our way into the country, seeing lots of olive trees, sheep, and Cyprus trees (symbols of eternity). Sue read the Pentecost story from Acts as we drove, which was especially poignant because the Greek Orthodox Church celebrated Pentecost yesterday and today was another holiday to commemorate the Holy Spirit.

Along the way, we saw the Via Egnatia, which was a road built along the north of Macedonia (northeast Greece). This was a major trade route between Italy and Asia Minor and it also played a major role in the spreading of the gospel message throughout Europe, which is why it is also called the “Christian Road”.

In Philippi, there is a church and memorial for Lydia and her household, who were the first Christian converts to be baptized on European soil. At “Lydia’s River” Melanie read the passage from Acts 16:11 - 15:
11We set sail from Troas and took a straight course to Samothrace, the following day to Neapolis, 12and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We remained in this city for some days. 13On the sabbath day we went outside the gate by the river, where we supposed there was a place of prayer; and we sat down and spoke to the women who had gathered there. 14A certain woman named Lydia, a worshiper of God, was listening to us; she was from the city of Thyatira and a dealer in purple cloth. The Lord opened her heart to listen eagerly to what was said by Paul. 15When she and her household were baptized, she urged us, saying, "If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come and stay at my home." And she prevailed upon us.

The basilica at the site was beautiful, full of mosaics and paintings, telling the story of Paul’s calling to Macedonia, Lydia and her household conversion, Paul healing the girl who prophesied, his subsequent arrest and then freedom from jail after the apparent earthquake. A gorgeous church and still relatively new at 60 years old.Read more