Day 4 - Kavala, Greece - Historic Philippi

Although we docked at the port city of Kavala with Philippi nearby, our first stop was inland at the site where the Apostle Paul sought solace from Philippi.  

He found a place to pray by a riverside.  He spoke to women who had gathered there, among whom was Lydia, the seller of purple and whose heart the Lord opened to hear the words that he spoke. Lydia was the first Christian to be baptized on European soil. We visited the place where this event is remembered and where we were re-baptized. 

Chapel beside the site of Lydia's baptism

We overlooked the famous Acropolis, marketplace, and basilica

Philippi was a major Greek city northwest of the nearby island, Thasos. Its original name was Crenides (Greek: "Fountains") after its establishment by Thasian colonists in 360/359 BC. The city was renamed by Philip II of Macedon in 356 BC and abandoned in the 14th century after the Ottoman conquest. The present village of Filippoi is located near the ruins of the ancient city and is part of the region of East Macedonia and Thrace in Kavala, Greece. The archaeological site was classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2016 because of its exceptional Roman architecture, its urban layout as a smaller reflection of Rome itself, and its importance in early Christianity.

Crypt dating from the Roman period, which is thought to have served as a prison for the Apostle Paul.

 

We sat in the theater during Pastor Adam explained Paul's time here other than being held prisoner

Our nest stop would be at Thessaloniki the next day