Orthodox Anglican Pilgrimage to Italy

I am planning another pilgrimage for the good people of our diocese to take place next Spring, March 12 to March 25, 2011 (specific date subject to move one or two days either way depending upon availability). It will be a THIRTEEN DAY pilgrimage to ITALY. I know many of you have been to Italy as tourists before, but this will be a serious study tour and pilgrimage and it will have substantially different content than a typical "package tour." Even if you have been to Italy before, it will be worth going back with a group of orthodox Anglicans in order to drink deeply from the fountain of Western Civilization and Western Christianity, Rome. And if you have never been to Italy before, I can think of no better company.

We will start with four days in the city of Rome, then travel to Naples and Pompeii, up the coast to Florence and the Italian Riviera, over to the marvelous Byzantine city of Ravenna, up to Venice, then finish out in Milan. The trip will be packed with visits to ancient Roman sites as well as places associated with the history of Christianity. We will, of course, also have nightly instruction and devotions led by me. There will also be a local tour guide, just as we had last summer in the Holy Land. But since ancient Rome is the area of history in which I spent more than 15 years of college and grad school studying I hope to be an especially well-informed group leader on this trip. (Latin is not a prereq for the trip, however. )

Mr. Kort of Econotravel is organizing this pilgrimage for me, just as he did last summer's spectacular trip to Israel. I fully expect it to be just as wonderful as that Holy Land trip was. This pilgrimage will take place over THIRTEEN DAYS during our Spring Break next year (missing, I believe, no more than three days of school). The approximately $4500 per person cost will include airfare from New York to Italy, all high-quality lodging , a touring coach, an Italian guide, and breakfast and dinner every day.

Reconnect with the European roots of our culture and the early Church and have a grand time as well! I need FIFTEEN PEOPLE to indicate strong interest as soon as possible so we can go ahead and being making our reservations.

PLEASE send me an email to rfoster[at]sves.org and let me know if you are interested in going. I would LOVE to have a much bigger group than 15!!!