A Publication of the ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN LAITY
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| Volume 6 Number 49 - Tuesday, December 7th, 2004 |
A Publication of the ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN LAITY |
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The Orthodox Christian Laity
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The Orthodox Christian News Service |
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Fr. Ilya Gotlinsky invites you to join him and his parishioners on a tour-pilgrimage. The tour will include visits to Padua, Venice, Ravenna, Florence, Rome, Naples, Pompeii and Bari. Our tour-pilgrimage will target the remains of Byzantine Civilization, major ruins from Ancient Rome times and, most importantly, will enable participants to venerate relics of numerous saints and to worship at places that were so dear to the Early Church. The tour cost based on 30 participants is $3,200.00, including airfare or $2,600.00 for land only. The cost of the trip includes accommodations at three star hotels with breakfasts daily, transportation, tours, entry fees, and some extra meals. The sign-up deadline is December 31, 2004. If you are interested in joining the tour, please contact Fr. Ilya Gotlinsky for more information at: 53 Baxter Street, Binghamton, NY 13905 1-(607)-797-1058 frilya@verizon.net Gotlinsky@msn.com
Itinerary for tour-pilgrimage to “Byzantine Italy” May 15 - 29, 2005
Possible add-on: Day 1 Departure from the US Groups assembles in New York’s JFK Airport at the gate before the departure.
Absolutely the best site for Italy: http://www.initaly.com
Day 2 In the morning we arrive to Padua/Venice Airport. Welcome to Italy. From the airport we transfer to our Hotel in Padua. Check-in. Lunch. Some time for brief rest and un-packing, at a place that will become our base for three nights. Afternoon tour of Padua - Ancient Italian town, known for it’s magnificent frescoes and Centuries-old University. Today will see: Scrovegni Chapel, that is open to public in its recovered brilliance after intensive restoration undertaking just couple of years ago. The masterpiece includes 900 square meters of frescoes that depict over a hundred biblical scenes. Frescoes were painted by Ambrogio Bondone, more commonly known as Giotto. That chapel considered to be one of the best expressions of Medieval Art. To see some pictures from the Scrovegni Chapel or read more on the frescoes, please follow the links: http://www.kfki.hu/~arthp/html/g/giotto/padova/ http://www.mystudios.com/gallery/giotto/intro.html Also, today will be able to pray at the Relics of St. Apostle and Evangelist Luke, whose relics made the news several years ago: http://www.traces-cl.com/archive/2000/novembre/luca.htm http://www.cathtelecom.com/news/110/72.html Your evening will be at leisure, where you will have a choice of good local restaurants. Please, rest well after the long flight, and before another day of wonders.
Day 3 After good breakfast at our hotel, will head for the day of wonders at one of the most beautiful cities in the World, Beautiful Venice. Among the highlights of the day there are: St. Mark’s Cathedral, that host relics of another Evangelist – St. Mark. Cathedral was build in distinctive Byzantine Style in mid 11 century, to store the relics of St. Mark that Venetians stole from the Alexandria. Cathedral that is of exceptional beauty, also had a magnificent collection of Byzantine treasures, that come to Venice, for the most part after the Universal tragedy, the suck of Constantinople by Crusaders in 1204. http://www.venetia.it/m_basil_eng.htm http://campus.queens.edu/faculty/rhodesk/basilica_of_st.htm
Doge’s Palace – the place where the mighty rulers of the prosperous marine Republic lived and where the city councils were getting together for various assemblies. Beautiful architecture, nice art and armor collections: http://www.orme.ws/galleries/venice/venice-pic18.html http://www.geocities.com/ulfberth/Venice.htm
There are over thirty Saints that are repose in Venice, among them St. Zacharias, St. Helen, St. Athanasius of Alexandria, SS. Cosmas and Damian and many other. Most of the relics and church historical artifact deserve the most serious attention among other of a kind throughthought the Western Europe, because most of them came to Venice from Constantinople who openly and actively participate in Crusader’s plunder of Constantinople in 1204. In the afternoon, at your desire we’ll go on a “saintly tour”. You may read more about it at: http://www.orthodoxvenice.com/ We’ll start our tour with a Greek church that in addition to many holy relics contains exquisite exhibit of Late Byzantine and post Byzantine Art. Evening is at leisure. You may enjoy yourself at night Venice, stroll through tine streets, take a gondola ride through the Venice canals, or just relax at the on of the numerous cafés at the most romantic St. Mark’s square.
Day 4 Today will dedicate to the exploration of the Venice Lagoon. Venice was known for centuries for it’s outstanding glass. We will start our day with a stop at the island of Murano, to see the glass factory and museum. Then will continue to the island Burano famous for it brightly painted houses and wonderful linens and lace. Here you can have a nice lunch at one of the numerous local restaurants. You also may shop at the dozens of shops that present local products. After lunch will continue to the island of Torchello with its exquisite Byzantine basilica, the origins of which dates back to the early century Mosaics inside are still able to overwhelm you with their color and liveliness. Murano: http://www.boglewood.com/murano http://www.europeforvisitors.com/venice/articles/murano_the_glass_island.htm http://www.aboutvenice.com/aboutvenice/isole/isole1eng.htm Burano: http://www.aboutvenice.com/aboutvenice/isole/isole2eng.htm http://www.carfree.com/ven/buintro.html http://www.danheller.com/venice-burano.html http://www.veniceincoming.it/Burano/index2.html Torchello: http://www.aboutvenice.com/aboutvenice/isole/isole3eng.htm http://www.jssgallery.org/Essay/Venice/Other_Sites/The_island_of_Torcello.htm
We will return back to Venice later in the afternoon. Several hour before dusk are at your leisure. The ride will pick us up to deliver us to our hotel for our final overnight at hospitable Padua.
Day 5 After breakfast will have a pleasant transfer to the former capital of Byzantine Empire … Ravenna. Despite of the fact that it is not capital of the mighty Empire for over thousand year to date, that present day sleepy Italian coast on the Adriatic shore conquers your imaginations with the images from the past. It’s splendid basilicas with the most luxurious mosaics earned it the name of the Mosaic capital of the world. No picture, photograph, exhibit or story will ever do justice about what we about to see today. Several basilicas, baptisteries and a splendid tomb will uncover to you the images of the glorious art and religious devotion of the Ancient Christian Empire. To see a little glimpse of it you may at: http://www.turismo.ravenna.it/eng/ http://wings.buffalo.edu/AandL/Maecenas/italy_except_rome_and_sicily/ravenna/section_contents.html http://www.casesf.com/ravenna.htm http://www.davidalexandersmith.com/travel/italigno/ravmosac.html http://www.initaly.com/regions/byzant/byzant4.htm
Day 6 - Saturday. The splendor of Renaissance Florence makes number one destination for tourist groups in Italy. Most visitors saying that the old city is just too overcrowded, but conquered by is beauty they leave just to come back again and again. Florence offers countless sites of interest the famous Duomo with its magnificent Tower, Medici’s Chapel and St. Mark’s Monastery the home for many years for famous Girolamo Savonarola, Medici’s Chapel, Academia with Michelangelo’s David and of course one of the best Art Galleries – the Uffizi. We’ll some of the most important sites through the day, among them of particular interest to us the Baptistery with stunning Byzantine Mosaics and Lorenzo Ghiberti gate’s of paradise. Through the day you’ll be given time for some lunch and dinner. There are plenty wonderful Italian restaurant where locals and tourists enjoy the gifts of delicious local cuisine. If you would like to have a tour of Uffizi, please contact Fr. Ilya for times and prices. Monastery of Saint Mark http://www.artunframed.com/angelico.htm http://www.museumsinflorence.com/files%20musei/museum_of_san_marco.html Baptistery: http://www.mega.it/eng/egui/monu/bc.htm http://www.initaly.com/regions/byzant/byzant4.htm
Cathedral http://www.mega.it/eng/egui/monu/buq.htm Uffizi Gallery: Medici’ Chapel: http://chnm.gmu.edu/courses/ffolliott/arth342/slide_lib/group20.htm Basilica di Santa Croce http://www.christusrex.org/www1/giotto/santacroce.html
Day 7 This day will start with the service at the Orthodox Church. Although apparently Russian, in the early 20th century pseudo Russian/Byzantine style, that give you an allusion to St. Basil’s in Moscow and Savior on the Spilt Blood in St. Petersburg, it mingles very fine in classic Florence environment. I’m sure that you’ll enjoy not only comfort of familiar service at that yet one more Ancient Christian site, but also will appreciate the efforts of Russian Émigrés who built and preserve that tiny piece of Russian orthodoxy on Italian Land. In the afternoon will transfer to Siena, another jewel city of Tuscany for a couple hour stroll through hilly medieval city with its historical narrow streets. Same night we plan to arrive to Eternal City, where dinner will be awaiting us at the conveniently located hotel. Russian Orthodox Church in Florence: http://www.florencephotos.com/pic.asp?iCat=50&iPic=223&offset= Siena Duomo: http://www.bluffton.edu/~sullivanm/sienacath/duomo.html
Day 8 - Monday. Today will start with the exploration of the reminiscent of the City that gave Rome title Eternal. Will see the largest stadium of Antiquity – Coliseum, a circus that hosted up to 80,000 spectators, yet even larger Circus Maximus – horse races stadium, witness to cheer of 250,000 Romans, Ancient Rome’s down town - forum and Palatine Hill with splendid museum hosting countless articles from distant times. In that Ancient Place will also visit place of Apostle Peter imprisonment – Mamertime prison and church that hold Peter chains. Also, we’ll see some of the most ancient churches of St. Clement and St. Nicholas that build within the walls of Ancient Pagan temples. Tonight will dine some place among the Ancient Ruins, surrounded by the very history in its exact dimension. Museum on Palatine’s Hill. (B/D) Ancient Roman timeline: http://www.exovedate.com/ancient_timeline_one.html Ancient Rome – facts and history: http://members.aol.com/TeacherNet/AncientRome.html Coliseum: http://www.the-colosseum.net/idx-en.htm http://wings.buffalo.edu/AandL/Maecenas/rome/colosseum/section_contents.html Roman Forum: http://www.kent.k12.wa.us/staff/dbishop/rome/Forum.html http://www.romanhomes.com/roman-forum.htm Roman Guide: http://www.romeguide.it/ St. Peter in Chains: http://www.cptryon.org/hoagland/travels/stpeterchains/stpeterchains02.html St. Clemente: http://www.initaly.com/regions/latium/church/clemente.htm Capitoline Museums: http://www.roma2000.it/zcapitol.html#Capitoline%20Museum http://sights.seindal.dk/sight/895_Capitoline_Museums.html
Day 9 - Tuesday. Vatican city is the smallest state in existence. But it more famous for the residence of Pope of Rome, once the most important out of five keepers of the Ancient Christian Patriarchal sees. Besides that few people know that Vatican is build on the place of the Early Christian Cemetery where many Christian martyrs were buried and St. Peter’s Basilica itself is a resting place of many Orthodox saints, among whom beloved Orthodox and Ecumenical Teacher St. John Chrysostom, the author of our weekly celebrated liturgy. There are no words to describe the glory and beauty of St. Peter’s Basilica, Collections of Vatican Museums of Sistine Chapel. For those who desire tour to the excavations under St. Peter’s basilica, to the tomb of the Apostle can be organized. In the afternoon we’ll continue our exploration of the Chistian Rome, by visiting St. Callistus Catacombs and Cathedral of “Paul outside the walls”. Your evening will be at leisure, unless you feel like to continue for a little and to explore Rome by night. During additional optional tour you will visit famous Pantheon, Spanish Steps, fountain Trevi and some other romantic places in the heart of the Eternal City. Area offers many little places to eat, where you can try “Italian” version of pizza, ravioli and macaroni and cheese. Although wine is plentiful, good and cheap, I won’t count on the Texas size stakes “medium rare. Enjoy yourself, we are in Rome! Vatican – St. Peter’s Basilica, Sistine Chapel, and Vatican Art Museums: http://www.christusrex.org/www1/citta/0-Citta.html Roman Catacombs: http://www.catacombe.roma.it/ St. Paul outside the Walls: http://www.ourfaithjourney.org/day09c.htm
Day 10 - Wednesday. This day will continue exploration of the Christian Inheritance of the Eternal City. Today we’ll see St. Maria Maggore Church, one of the largest and oldest church dedicated to Virgin Mary. In a special chapel you may see few pieces of wood that supposedly are that of Christ’s manger; St. John Lateran Cathedral is the cathedral of Rome, since Vatican is a different state. Cathedral is build on the palace where the Ancient Papal Palaces once stood. The most important relics that church contains are heads of the apostles Peter and Paul, executed in 64 A.D. during the Nero persecution. Santa Croce church or church of the Holy Cross, built on the place of the first Christian Chruch built by Emperor Constantine and Empress Helen. Here also St. Helen’s palace once stood and here she brough some artifact from her expedition-pilgrimage to the Holy Land. In the chapel of the church you still may see some of the most ancient Holy relics of Christianity, including a part of the wood with the inscription in three languages – “Jesus Christ King of Jews. That article viewed by many scientists as the authentic evidence from the day of our Lord’s Crucifixion. Church of the Holy Stairs was built for one reason to hold the stairs that Christ ascended to Roman Pretorium in Jerusalem on the day of His judgment by Pontius Pilate. The rest of the day will be at leisure. You may shop or just enjoy yourself at the café on one of the many Roman piazzas. I would strongly encourage you to visit, if possible, Galleria Borgese (advanced reservation required and entrance hours are rather limited) and/or to walk with “Rome by night tour” if you weren’t able to do so the previous night. But, again, Rome offers endless attractions for all tastes. The choice is entirely yours! Much interesting information on Rome, and churches in particular: http://www.exseminarians.com/rome/ Enjoy Rome web city guide: http://www.enjoyrome.com/tourist/cityguide/main.html
Day 11 - Thursday. This morning we’ll part with the Eternal City and will transfer to Naples. After a brief sightseeing tour of the city, we’ll visit a national archeological museum of Naples, one of the most important archeological museums of art. Here on several floors you’ll see a lot of treasures discovered in near by Ancient Roman towns of Herculaneum and Pompeii. The visit to museum is important because most of the art and valuable finds were removed here from the places where they actually were found. Naples is the home of real Italian pizza, make sure to have lunch in one local pizzerias-trattorias and not any place else! In the afternoon we’ll visit the site of the Anceint Town of Ercolano or Herculaneum, a sister city of Pompeii, who shared its tragic on the day of Vesuvius eruption in 79AD. Herculaneum is much smaller and less famous than Pompeii and yet it’s much better preserved, less crowded and give you better understanding of what Ancient cities looked like. Unlike Pompeii that was covered by hot aches and burning dust, it was buried under the river of hot mud, that hided city like under a blanket for over seventeen hundred years. After visit to Herculaneum we’ll transfer to Salerno for overnight.
Good site on Naples: http://www.goporta.com/naples/NatArchMuseum.htm National Archeological Museum in Naples: http://www.cib.na.cnr.it/remuna/mann/mann.html Herculaneum: http://www.roman-empire.net/articles/article-011.html http://ross.pvt.k12.ny.us/rome/herculan/herculan.html
Day 12 - Friday. Today we’ll see to important Archeological parks. One of them – Paestum is just outside Salerno. It offers remains of he Ancient Doric Temples, the signs of the vibrant Greek community that preceded appearance of Roman state for centuries. It’s magnitude is practically unparalleled, with the exception of Alley of the Temple in Argigento in Sicily. From Paestum will continue to the most famous Ancient ruin the city of Pompeii. Pomeii in its high day were inhabited by about 80 thousand people, merely a number of spectators at Coloseum. And yet its tragedy centuries ago, that lead to death of most of it inhabitants provided modern historian with 80 per cent of information of what we know about the life in Ancient Rome. The ruin is absolutely splendid and even a day won’t be enough to explore it all. We will have a tour of most important sites and you will be given time to explore the city on your own and to have a lunch at the air-conditioned cafeteria in the midst of ruin. After visit to Pompeii will be heading toward our final destination in our Italy trip, to the port city of Bari, on the Adriatic coast.
Paestum http://wings.buffalo.edu/AandL/Maecenas/italy_except_rome_and_sicily/paestum/section_contents.html http://www.initaly.com/regions/campania/paestum.htm
Pompeii http://wings.buffalo.edu/AandL/Maecenas/italy_except_rome_and_sicily/pompeii/section_contents.html http://www.jhauser.us/pictures/history/Romans/Pompeii/index.html
Day 13 - Saturday. Today will start our day with the service in the city of St. Nicholas. St. Nichoals became Saint patron of the city in1087 after his remains were moved from Myra in Lycia (modern day Southern Turkey), where he was Archpastor during his earthly life in 4th century. The body of a saint is laid down in crypt in Basilica of his name in Bari. Up until present day countless miracles proceed from his body, including the pouring of myrrh or “manna” that is yearly collected from under his bones by the rector of the cathedral in the presence of multitude of clergy and laymen. St. Nicholas is the most beloved are revered saint among many nations. He is especially popular among Orthodox, in particularly Slavs. For that reason in Roman Catholic basilica there is an Orthodox Chapel. We hope that local authorities will allow us to celebrate Liturgy on that Holy place. If for some bureaucratic reason that won’t be possible, we will have a Liturgy or a prayer service in the local Orthodox Church and we’ll prayerfully venerate the remains of the saint in his basilica. Bari itself was one out of the lasts outposts of Byzantium on the Italian soil that was lost to invading Normans during the Crusades. Now it is clean and modern seaport city, practically undisturbed by tourists. In the second half of the day, we’ll head toward Matera, famous for it paleo-Christian cave Churches with some Byzantine and Romanesque frescoes. That very Southern and remote part of Italy was at one time inhabited by thousand of monks that were hiding in the local caves and mountains from the Saracen rides. On our way back will visit Alberabello village famous of its unique cone type architecture known as trulli. That architectural style was typical for that area for thousand of years, and remains practically unchanged till the present day. Enjoy your last evening on the Italian land!
Page dedicated to St. Nicholas: http://www.geocities.com/Athens/7175/stnich-page.html An anonymous Greek account of the transfer of the Body of Saint Nicholas from Myra in Lycia to Bari in Italy: http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/basis/nicholas-bari.html Very interesting site dedicated to St. Nicholas, don’t be fulled by the initial appearance of the web page: http://www.stnicholascenter.org/Brix?pageID=23 Collection of links dedicated to St. Nicholas: http://www.christianity-links.com/People_Saints_N_Saint_Nicholas_of_Myra.html
Matera: http://www.initaly.com/regions/B&M/matera.htm
Personal page dedicated to visit to Matera: http://www.teka3.com/matera/matera.htm Alberabello: http://www.geocities.com/trullihouses/
Day 14 – Sunday This morning we’ll leave from Bari back home to the US via Rome or Milan Thank you and let’s travel together again!
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