Ephesus & Sardis

Library of Celsus, Ephesus

Our pilgrimage route has brought us through a series of ancient sites with deep ties to the Church of the Apostolic Age: Smyrna, Miletus, Ephesus, Sardis, and Philadelphia.

At Smyrna, we visited the agora, in whose basilica the great martyr Polycarp was likely condemned to death, and then visited the Anglican Church of St. John the Evangelist, which has a beautiful window over the Altar of Polycarp kissing the chains of his disciple Ignatius, blessing his decision to give his own life for Christ.

Miletus, a city deeply associated with the origins of science and philosophy, had a most impressive theatre and bath complex.

Ephesus is an enormous site, with several impressively restored structures. We visited the ancient city as well as the hilltop church where St John the Evangelist's shrine was located and the humble House of the Virgin Mary.

Today brought the grand synagogue and gymnasium complex at Sardis, with a monumental unfinished temple, as well as the ruins of a Byzantine church in Philadelphia.

We have benefited greatly by thoughtful and engaging commentary on each place by Garwood Anderson, and lots of thoughtful observations and good questions from fellow pilgrims, who remain enthusiastic and resilient despite the blazing sun. Tomorrow, we are off to two of the ancient cities of the Lycus Valley, Hierapolis and Laodecia.