Alumni joined Dean of Alumni, Dr. Lisa McNary, for a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Greece and Turkey
Over the course of the 10-day journey, University of the Incarnate Word alumni visited the sites where some of the roots of early Christianity were formed. In cities throughout Greece, St. Paul, the Apostle of Nations, shared the teachings of Jesus and the light of the world with its people. A prolific writer, St. Paul would pen letters to the Philippians, Thessalonians and Corinthians, which would become essential parts of the New Testament.
In Greece, UIW alumni followed his rout e of evangelization, stopping to reflect upon the places St. Paul preached and spoke with the people, sites that were constructed in his honor, well-worn paths that he may have walked, and ultimately, where he would be imprisoned and put on trial. For these UIW travelers, the trip was a pilgrimage to the earliest days of their faith and an opportunity to continue their pursuit of lifelong learning with their alumni community.
Holy Destinations
The alumni trip included many biblical destinations, among them were:
Thessaloniki
St. Paul’s letters to the people of Thessaloniki, considered among the first Christians, formed the Bible’s First and Second Thessalonians. Now Greece’s second largest city, Thessaloniki was founded in 315 B.C. and where Paul visited and preached.
Philippi
Alumni visited Philippi, the site where St. Paul delivered his first sermon in Europe. A guided tour led them through the Greek town visiting historic places, archaeological sites and monuments. They also saw the site where St. Paul baptized Lydia, the first person to be baptized in Europe.
Corinth
In Corinth, St. Paul wrote two epistles and preached for two years. Alumni visited the Agora, where St. Paul was put on trial, and the Bema, where St. Paul was brought before the tribunal.
