Thirteen weary travelers arrived in Thessoloniki from the Diocese of Texas last night. Thirteen hours in planes. We checked in, prayed, found some food, and went to bed.
THESSALONIKI
Thessaloniki is the second largest city in Greece. Paul and Silas preached here and it caused a riot. Unforatunaltey, their friend Jason, who they were staying with, got pulled up in front of the Roman magistrate. Paul and Silas had to escape under the cover of night. We were much more fortunate, although so far we’ve only prayed. No one has preached and no one is chasing us out of the city. They seem to have adopted the message that once forced Paul out of their city given that now there are hundreds just in this one city alone.
Here are some scenes from Church of Agios Dimitrios, patron saint of Thessaloniki.
KAVALA
Great food by the sea. Plus several of the pilgrims picked up new hats, which was a really good move since we spent the next few hours in the sun.
Lydia
Paul worked with a lot of women in his ministry. There were few Judeans and no synagogue there so Paul and his companions started talking to the women gathered outside the city…on the Sabbath.
Lydia was among them, but she was from Thyatira. She was a business owner and dyer of purple cloth, so perhaps she was a manager for a Thyatiran manufacturer. Only the most important citizens of Rome were allowed to wear the purple cloth. It is believed that she was the first to be baptized on the continent of Europe. Lydia was baptized by Paul in the river at Phillipi between 49 and 50 C.E.
We renewed our baptismal vows with our feet in the cold river and gave thanks for Lydia. Her support of Paul and her continued ministry in Philippi may have been the necessary foundation for the church to take root in Europe.
Philippi
We said Noon Prayer and celebrated the Eucharist at ancient ruins of Philippi. Paul, along with Silas, Luke, Lydia, and other women, planted a church in Philippi on Paul’s second (of three) missionary journeys.
Paul was arrested in Philippi after casting out an evil spirit from a fortune-telling slave girl who had been pestering them. Unfortunately, that made her owners mad because they made a lot of money off of her. It never ends well if you mess with folks who are profiting off of someone else’s misfortune.
But, there’s a violent earthquake and Paul and Silas are freed. This proves to be a significant experience for the jailer and he and his family all get baptized by Paul. Paul also made the Roman magistrates apologize to him and Silas since flogging and arresting a Roman citizen was against the law.
Magdalena's Musings 