Istanbul & Nicaea

The Blue Mosque, Istanbul

It's been a great joy to share the wonders of ancient Constantinople and modern Istanbul with 36 fellow pilgrims from across North America, on The Living Church’s pilgrimage over the last few days.

A few special delights for me have been joining the welcoming congregation at the Crimean Memorial Church for Sunday Mass, sharing the wonders of the Chora Church with our group (so many thoughtful questions), and glimpsing the grand palaces along the Bosphorus on a sunny afternoon cruise.

Yesterday, we left the imperial city for points southwest, and visited the site of the First Ecumenical Council along the Lakeshore at Nicaea, with robust hymn-singing and a reading from Athanasius. We continued to the city center to Nicaea's Church of the Hagia Sophia, site of the final Ecumenical Council, a grand building with a few surviving frescoes and a grand pavement in opus sectile.

Then we were off to the Acropolis of Ancient Pergamum, magnificently positioned above the surrounding valleys. The scale and splendor of the ancient city were evident in the marble remnants of the Temple of Trajan and the Hellenistic theatre that plunges down the steep bank.

Though the responsibilities of guiding and caring for our group have left less time for regular updates, it has been such a delight to see these places though the eyes and the thoughtful observations of others. Allison provided wonderful commentary on the Councils and Garwood Anderson has just begun his talks on Asia Minor in the New Testament.

Our boys, though several decades younger than the others, are fully engaged. Philip enjoys the challenge of translating inscriptions and Peter finds friendly stray dogs and cats (and a Pergamene turtle) at every stop.