Visiting the Archaeological Site of Philippi - An UNESCO Site in Greece

On our trip to Greece, one of the most important things for us to do was visiting the cities and towns on Saint Paul's second missionary journey. Therefore, Philippi was one of these must see cities on this trip.

 

After visiting the Lydia church and witnessing a baby baptism, we visited the Archaeological Site of Philippi, a remarkably rich historical landmark in northeastern Greece. We called a taxi which picked us up from our hotel and after a few minutes' taxi ride, we were there!

The first thing we saw was a restaurant with a good size patio serving visitors food and drinks.

 

 

 

 

 

  Visitors could choose to dine on the spacious patio or inside the dining area.

 

 

 

 

 

  We chose outdoor dining and enjoyed a fine local lunch there providing us some relaxation and energy to explore the site.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The site's immense significance spans three major eras: Hellenistic, Roman, and Christian: earning it a spot as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2016.

  There are a numbers reasons why this site holds such a vital place in world history.

As Christians, we were interested to learn that Philippi is most famous for its profound religious milestone.

  Around 49-50 CE, Saint Paul visited this city and preached his very first sermon on European soil, converting Lydia who became the first documented Christian convert in Europe.

As recorded in the Book of Acts - Paul and Silas were famously flogged and imprisoned in Philippi. The prison site became a major early Christian pilgromage destination.

  Paul's profound relationship with the local community inspired his biblical letter to the Philippians.

However, besides being the cradle of European Christianity, Philippi became a 'Small Rome' as Octavian (later Emperor Augustus) established Philippi as a Roman colony following the Battle of Philippi. He deliberately modeled the city's layout, public spaces, and administration to mirror Rome itself, making it an exceptional exapmle of a Roman provincial capital.

  Ancient Philippi thrived economically because it sat directly on the Via Egnatia.

 

  It was the primary Roman military and commercial highway connecting Europe and Asia.

 

We were surprised to find the imposing Theatre of Philippi! It was huge!

It was orginally constructed during Philip II's ( the father of Alexander the Great) regin. It remains one of the site's most striking architectural remnants and is till used for cultural festivals today.

Unfortunately, around (c. 619 or 620 CE), a violent earthquake leveled the city of Philippe's grand public spaces, fortified walls, and early Christian basilicas.

 

The city never truly recovered from this architectural blow; it was never fully rebuilt, and the urban core effectively ceased to function.

The inhabitants of this city retreated to the fortified Acropolis for safety agaianst invaders and also as time went on, people migrated to the booming coastal city of Kavala.

 

 

 

  By the 15th and 16th century, this great city was entirely abandoned. The city of Philippe has never been revived and it has been preserved as an archaelogical site and designated as an UNESCO site in 2016. It was a beautiful hike as we wandered through the ruins in a peaceful and quiet setting.

  We have heard so much of this famous city since we were young and became Christians. We were grateful of having the opportunity to visit the ruins of this once great city!

  RT, Ancient Philippi, Greece 042026

Witnessing a Baby Baptism at the Church of Saint Lydia of Philippi, Greece

After a visit at the Kriendis River, we went to the church nearby, the Church of Saint Lydia of Philippi, commemorating Lydia of Thyatira, considered the first Christian convert in Europe. Her story is recorded in the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 16). This is the spot where Paul the Apostle is believed to have baptized her in a nearby river.

When we stepped inside the church, we saw beautiful Orthodox frescoes and a small baptistery pool (symbolizing Lydia’s baptism).

  Because Greece is a deeply traditional country where the vast majority of the population identifies as Greek Orthodox, infant baptism is considered a social norm and is highly expected.

  The ideal and most traditional window for an infant baptism is between three and nine months of age, and it almost always happens before the child turns one year old.

Culturally and religiously, the baptism (Vaptisi) is a major milestone because it is when the baby officially receives his/her name. Prior to the baptism, the baby is often affectionately referred to simply as "baba" (baby) rather than by his/her given name.

  Lucky for us, there was a baptism ceremony going on for a baby girl who was about eight months old.

 

  We saw a nicely dressed woman holding the baby ( the God mother ) with the parents standing close by while the priest was putting some sort of oil on the different parts of the baby. The oil symbolized spiritual armor to fight off evil. The baby was calm, quiet, never made a fuss throughout the entire ceremony.

There were lots of relatives and family members dressed in their formal attires attending and witnessing this ceremony.

  One thing I found surprising was that the baby initially was wearing a diaper when the priest was performing the pre baptism ceremony, but came the moment when the baby was baptised, she was completly naked and was immersed into the baptism basin! I never expected this to happen.The first naked baptism I have ever witnessed in my life!

 

After doing some research, I learned that in Greece, the Three-Fold Immersion is practised - Unlike Western Christian baptisms where water is simply sprinkled on the forehead, a Greek Orthodox baptism involves naked, full immersion. The priest dips the baby completely underwater three times in a large silver font (kolymbithra). This represents the three days Christ spent in the tomb and the baby's spiritual rebirth.

After the baptism, the priest handed the baby to the father who wrapped her in a pristine white cloth and the priest cut off some locks of hair from her head. This is supposed to be the baby's very first offering or sacrifice to God as hair is the only thing a baby truly owns and can give away.

 

Then baby was taken to the back and dressed by the parents in a brand-new outfit.

 

  The baptism outfit is purchased by the Godparent ( Nounos or Nouna) who holds immense prestige in Greek culture. They pay for almost the entire ceremony—including the child's clothing, the church fees, the oil, and the candles. They also traditionally choose the baby's name, which is officially revealed to the community for the first time during the ceremony.

Then the fully clothed newly baptised baby came back and was blessed by the priest. I caught the mother wiped away a few tears of joy at the ceremony.

  It was an incredibly joyous, formal and beautiful celebration of life shared with family, relatives and friends in the community!

  We were so privileaged to have witnessed this joyous infant baptism at the Church of Saint Lydia of Philippi, in Greece! RT, Near Ancient Philippe, Greece, 042026 Philippi Greece 042026

At the Krenides River Where the Very First Christian Convert was Baptized in Europe !

After chatting with the nice lady whose business was creating and preparing welcome tables for the baby baptisms, we followed her directions and headed over to the Gangites River ( also referred to as the Krenides River in historical contexts).

  This river located in a close distance to the ancient city of Philippi, is not any ordinary river as it has religious significance for Christians.

Because ancient Philippi had a very small Jewish population and lacked a formal synagogue, the Apostle Paul went to the nearby Gangites River on the Sabbath to find a place of prayer. There, he met and baptized Lydia of Thyatira, a wealthy merchant of purple cloth, who became the first documented Christian convert on European soil. The encounter between the Apostle Paul and Lydia is recorded in the book of Acts 16:11–15:  

  13 "On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there."  

  14 "One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message."  

  15 "When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. 'If you consider me a believer in the Lord,' she said, 'come and stay at my house.' And she persuaded us.

The river - only a few minutes' walk from the church ground.

  There we were! Right in front of our eyes, with matures trees lining on both sides, a small calm river with crystal clear water that has been running through this part of the land since St. Paul's time! We stood there imagining what life was like then. In our minds' eyes we could see local women washing their clothes, gathering around at this spot on Sabbath day to sing and praise God as well as seeing Paul there preaching to them the gospel and telling the people about the salvation of Jesus.

  My husband commented that the place here seemed to look not too much different from when Saint Paul met Lydia hundreds of years ago.

This place was rural and quiet with no evidences of any housing or commercial building activities anywhere in the area. We saw a small shrine in remembrance of Lydia, a sitting area and a concrete patch where a minister could conduct his/ her service.

  In fact, no sooner had we arrived there, we witnessed a short service taking place by the river.

  We felt privileged to be standing right where St. Paul had preached, converted and baptized the first Christian in Europe! Thank you, God, for the wonderful opportunity standing where St. Paul once did!

  RT, Standing Where Lydia Met St. Paul

  Gangites River ( the Krenides River ), in the Ancient Philippe Area, Greece

 042026

What Were the Pink and Blue Tables for in Front of a Greek Church in Greece?

After breakfast at our hotel near the ancient site of Philippe, we went to explore the church and the area close by.

After visiting the souvenir shop at the entrance, we walked through a park like setting green space where we met a lady busy setting up a booth filled with display items and gifts in pink colour.

Not far from this pink table, I noticed there was another table decorated entirely in blue.

  Curious, I stopped, took a look and started chatting with this lady busy working on her tasks but was kind enough to stop and talk with me.

I asked her what these tables were for and learned that in Greece, a baby’s baptism (Vaptisi) is one of the most significant, deeply rooted cultural and religious milestones in a person's life.

It is simultaneously a sacred Orthodox sacrament and a massive social celebration.

 

That day there were two baptisms happening at the church. One for a baby boy and another one for a baby girl. Hence there were two different tables. The pink one for the girl and the blue one set up for the baby boy.

  I had a good lenthy conversation with this lady, the owner of the business. Being kind and patient, this lady owner answered and explained to me many of the questions I asked her.

 

  The pink and blue tables I saw at the church courtyard - a vibrant part of this tradition! In Greece, the reception begins right at the entrance or courtyard of the church. These tables decorated intensely one in pink and the other one in blue are the Welcome Table / Candy Bar and The Favor Stations.

 

These tables serve a few highly specific purposes:

  The Candy Bar & Refreshments (Glyka): Guests are treated to custom cookies and traditional sweets right after the ceremony. Because a traditional Greek baptism takes place entirely in Greek, it is also common to find refreshing tables featuring lemonade, water, or cocktails to reward guests for standing through the long service.  

 

The Martyrika (Witness Pins): There may also be small trays of tiny lapel pins with a small ribbon in pink on the pink table and blue on the blue table with a protective "evil eye" (mati), sometimes with a metal cross, attached. Before entering the church, guests pick one up and pin it to their clothes. This signifies that they are a "witness" to the child entering the Christian faith.  

 

The Bonbonieres (Baptism Favors): This is an absolute must at any Greek baptism. Guests receive a beautifully wrapped favor, traditionally made of tulle, lace, or custom boxes matching the pink/blue theme.

Inside are always an odd number of koufeta (white candy-coated Jordan almonds).

  The bitterness of the almond combined with the sweetness of the sugar coating symbolizes the highs and lows of life, while the odd number represents that the new union between the child and the church cannot be divided.

 

 

  I found this Greek traditions and customs fascinating! Thanks to this lovely Greek business lady who taught me a lot about these customs right here at the Lydia Batistery where many of the baptisms have happened!

  RT, the Lydia Batistery, Krinides, Greece, 042026

The Most Memorable Moment of Our Trip in Greece!

Desiring to visit the sites of Saint Paul's second missionary journey, we took the bus from Thessaloniki to Kavala. From Kavala, we took a taxi to our hotel located in the area of the archaeological site of Philippi. We arrived in the evening; with not much to do in the area, we went to bed early and had a good night rest.

The next morning, I pushed the balcony door open from our bedroom, stepped outside and saw a good size church not too far from our hotel. The air was fresh; the birds were chirping. It was a tranquil setting with spring foliage, wild grass and trees budding with green leaves. There was a small table with a couple of patio chairs inviting us to sit and enjoy this quiet and relaxing scenery.

  I lingered on the balcony for a while taking in the relaxed and slow pace of a Greek rural village. This was why we were here! Quiet and unhurried living!

  We headed down for breakfast which was served in the hotel’s dining room. This village hotel looked rustic. It was early spring, not the busy tourist season yet. There was no big crowds, no bus loads of curious tourists.

It was quiet with us being the only guests in the dining room. We enjoyed a simple breakfast prepared and served by an elderly lady, a member of the small business family.

  After breakfast, I opened the bible to the book of Philippians, my husband and I took turn reading the scriptures together trying to understand what messages Paul was conveying to the congregation in Philippi.

  Again, as last time when we read the book of Thessalonian in Thessaloniki and we gained a better and deeper insight into Paul’s messages, the same amazing experience happened to me again this time!

  As my husband was reading the text, we had a good discussion about what we had read delving into the real meaning of the bible texts. I had a good time and enjoyed studying and sharing the bible words with my hubby.

This was one of the most memorable moments of our trip in Greece!

  One of St. Paul’s messages to the church of Philippi was be joyful in all circumstances even though he was writing this letter in a prison cell. I was deeply touched and moved by his words and had an excellent sharing with S.

  As a Christian couple, this is something I have always wanted in our married life - studying and sharing God's words regularly and making it a part of life. Life has its many challenges, but with God's word and His presence in our life, we will be able to cope with and rise above the challenges and become victorious in the end!

  I will strive to make this bible reading and sharing happening more often in our everyday life!

  RT, Near the Archaeological site of Philippi, Greece 042026

A Hotel Review for Downtown Suite, Thessaloniki, Greece

We stayed at the Downtown Suite Hotel for two nights while we visited Thessaloniki recently. The hotel's location was excellent for us as it was not too far from the places where we wanted to visit. It was only about a ten minutes' walk from the Metro subway station, very convenient indeed!

  Our room was modern and clean, but not very big.

Breakfast was served buffet style in the hotel’s lobby. It was a good spread with a few choices of breakfast sandwiches such as ham and cheese crescent sandwich, egg salad sandwiches plus hot food items including omellets and sausages and an assortment of pastries and fruits. By the way, the varieties and choices of pastries being sold in the bakeries everywhere in Greece were amazing!

There was a front desk staff member looking after hotel guests. However, after 11 p.m. there was no front desk service and guests must enter from the side door and use their own hotel room card to gain entry into the hotel. I believed there was a guest who forgot his/ her card and couldn't get into the hotel. So be aware of this and don't forget your card if you are booking at this hotel.

  I would give it a score of 8 / 10

 

RT, Thessaloniki, Greece

A Bus Ride from Thessaloniki to Kavala, Greece - An Enjoyable Trip Indeed!

After visiting Thessaloniki, our next destination was Kavala. This was our first time travelling in Greece and we found that travelling by public bus was convenient and affordable.

We used to travel to small towns in Canada by bus if we didn't feel like driving. Unfortunately, Grey Hound, Canada's major long distance public bus company went out of business during COVID. With the loss of the long distance buses, the bus terminals started to be demolished as well.

  In contrast, Greece's public bus system seemed to be doing well. The bus terminals were filled with passengers going to places.

 

 

 

  Every bus trip we took in Greece was on time; the bus companies appeared to offer many routes to their passengers taking them to various locations in different cities and villages.

 

 

 

  We were impressed when we saw how big and well equipped the public bus terminals were in different Greek cities, big and small, during our travel there.

 

 

  We liked the bus terminals in Greece as they offered much convenience to passengers.

For example, we could always buy food and beverages in the terminals' shops and restaurants. And the food offered in the terminal restaurants were not junk food or only cold sandwiches but delicious hot local dishes. We loved eating at these terminal restaurants.!

The seating in the Thessaloniki bus terminal restaurant was spacious and comfortable too, making dining on the go so much more enjoyable than in North American bus terminals! Inside the restaurant, there were ample seating as well as work stations where passengers could charge up their cell phones or work on their computers while waitig for their buses.

  The cost of a one way bus ticket from Thessaloniki to Kavala was 25 Euros and it took about two and half hours on the bus. We enjoyed the bus ride as it was comfortable and every passenger onboard was very quiet. There was no loud music playing nor was there anyone talking loudly on the phone.

The scenery on the way was spectacular! We learned that the official count by the Greek National Tourism organization gave a a figure of 6000 islands and islets in Greece with 227 of them inhabited. But we didn't realize Greece is a country with many majestic mountains as well.

After a little more than two hours, we arrived to Kavala. We found that many shops and restaurants were closed for the Orthodox Easter holiday. Noramally there would be a bus going to the village every hour, but not on Easter Sunday. ( We must make a note that buses reduce their hours during holidays next time when we travel in Greece and other parts of Europe.)

After a quick sharama sandwich at one of the few opened restaurants, we called a taxi taking us to our hotel which cost 25 Euro. But at least we could sleep in our booked hotel room instead of trying to find another hotel.

  It was well after 8pm by the time we arrived to the hotel and the front desk was closed. Only a lady in her late 60’s – 70 was there. She gave us our key plus the information on the wifi, off we went into our room.

  After getting some help with the TV, we finally got to watch the English news so we thought. However, we couldn't find any English channel. Without much English TV to watch, we went to bed early and looked forward to exploring Kavala the next day!. RT, Kavala, Greece, 042026