AECA Pilgrimage 2025: 1700th Anniversary of the Council of Nicaea

Monday 28 April – Wednesday 7 May, 2025

Ancient Cities and Landscapes of the Ecumenical Councils at Constantinople, Chalcedon, Nicaea and Ephesus, with visits to Assos, Pergamum, Izmir (Smyrna), Urla and Çesme

The Pilgrimage will be led by His Eminence Archbishop Nikitas Loulias Archdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain
and The Rt Revd, the Lord Chartres Assistant Bishop in The Diocese of Europe

During this ten-day pilgrimage in Turkey, we explore the sites of the great Councils of the Church, staying in the cities in which they took place and visiting the locations where the Creeds were composed. Following two full days in Istanbul, where we visit wonderful historical churches and other sites on both sides of the Bosphorus, we travel to beautiful Iznik (Nicaea) where we shall celebrate the momentous 1700th anniversary of the Nicene Creed. We continue our journey southwards along the Aegean coast, visiting breathtaking historical sites, which continue to resonate in the Christian imagination. Picturesque coastal towns such as Ayvalik and Urla were Christian majority towns until the 1920s. In Izmir (Smyrna) we shall visit Orthodox and Anglican churches which thrive in the present day, and at Ephesus we shall join the Orthodox and Roman Catholic communities in worship, with their Archbishops at the site of the tomb of St John the Evangelist in the remains of St John’s Basilica. Late April/early May is a wonderful time to travel in Istanbul and the Aegean region. The weather is mild, and wildflowers cover the hillsides and ancient sites that we shall visit. The AECA invites you to journey together as we celebrate the faith we share.

Leaders

The Right Reverend and Right Honourable The Lord Richard ChartresAssistant Bishop in The Diocese of Europe

His Eminence Archbishop Nikitas LouliasArchdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain

The Revd James BuxtonChaplain in Izmir