Pilgrimage to the "Other" Holy Land

(Note: this was my "Pastor's Message" for the Good Shepherd Parish Bulletin, January 10, 2010.)

What is a pilgrimage? It has been described as a journey to a far place in order to live more fully in one's own near place. The "far place" is called holy or sacred, usually because of a person or event of the past in which the action of God is perceived in a special way. The Irish speak of "thin places" where the boundaries between the divine and the human become more transparent, and one experiences the nearness of God in an extraordinary way.

Except for a few tours, usually labeled "Footsteps of St. Paul," Turkey, a modern secular democratic republic that is 99% Muslim, is rarely thought of as a Christian pilgrimage destination. Yet even a quick look at the map and at history will reveal a greater concentration of places and events that have formed and shaped our Christian faith than any other country in the world, including Italy and Israel. Since 2006 I have led an annual "Early Christian World" Pilgrimage, which gives participants the opportunity to experience why Turkey earns the title, "the Other Holy Land."

The itinerary crosses paths with St. Paul in significant places, such as Tarsus, Ephesus, Antioch, and Galatia. It also touches something of the world of St. John and other Apostles, and includes a visit to Mary's house. It's fascinating to explore the archaeological remains of the early Christian communities here, since the New Testament gives so few details about their daily lives.

This land, even more than Rome, is where our Catholic faith grew and matured over the first eight centuries. Martyrs shed their blood here, communities of the faithful met for Eucharist in homes and later built churches. The early ecumenical councils, which served to define how we can understand the content of our Biblical faith in Jesus, and formulated the Nicene Creed which we profess every Sunday at Mass, took place in and around Constantinople (now Istanbul), Ephesus, and Nicea (present-day Iznik). Cappadocia, a fantastic volcanic landscape with weird rock formations, churches and dwellings carved into hillsides, and extensive and elaborate ancient underground cities, was home to some of the greatest monks and theologians of the early church.

Standing in many of these places, the ruins of which have been carefully excavated and exquisitely preserved or restored, one feels a part of the great panorama of history behind them, a history that speaks eloquently and clearly of the Spirit-led interaction between God and his people that is our heritage as Christians today. Understanding our past is essential to understanding and living our present.

Celebrating Mass together in many of these holy places, as well as daily prayer, is of course at the heart of our reasons for making this journey.

I often compare this Early Christian World experience to a child exploring his grandparents' attic, discovering treasures long hidden and filled with meaning, and coming out with a new appreciation of his own family life and origins. About seventy people have already made this Pilgrimage over the past few years, and many have found it truly life-changing.

This year's Early Christian World Pilgrimage to Turkey will be a three-week journey, April 7-28. There are still opportunities to join us. The cost is quite reasonable for what you get, $2,950 per person, double occupancy, not including airfare to Istanbul. (I've found that many people prefer to make their own flight arrangements.) Round-trip airfare will be around $1,000 to $1,200, and, including incidental expenses, you can safely budget around $5,000 for the whole cost. If you are interested, please contact me without delay. Email me at thomas.welbers@gmail.com. There are many other dimensions and facets of this unique pilgrimage experience. You can explore them at http://ecwpilgrimage.org.