Taylor in Greece, 2011: Berea, Vergina, Mt. Olympus & Study Day

Friday - Berea, Vergina, & Mt. Olympus

With “The Word” as today's theme, we set off to the town of Berea where Paul shared the Word nearly 2,000 years ago. We focused on Paul’s use of the Old Testament to persuade those at the Jewish synagogue that Jesus was the promised and longed-for Messiah. While in the old Jewish Quarter of Berea, students gave on-site presentations about the first century setting of Paul's journeys.

From Berea we headed to Vergina and the underground burial tomb of Phillip II, father of Alexander the Great. Unfortunately, no photographs are allowed in this magnificent site and its marvelous gold wreaths and artifacts. At Vergina the students learned about the significance of the spread of culture and language from Alexander’s conquests that laid the foundation for the future expansion of Christianity.

We ended the day with a great hike on the slopes of Mt. Olympus. Students enjoyed the mountain range with its breathtaking views and vistas. We ended the day in the quaint mountain village of Lictohoro with a cup of hot chocolate before traveling back to Thessaloniki.

Saturday - Study Day

Students got to sleep in a bit after their long hike the day before (a few had sore muscles). Our morning lecture was on the letter writing of Paul to the various Christian communities that he founded. Students were divided into small groups to study portions of I Thessalonians and Philippians with small group presentations due at our evening meeting. With a warm and sunny day, students were also given some free time to stroll the harbor of Thessaloniki and take in the local sites and sounds.

It is great getting to know the students and see their enthusiasm for life and learning!