A group of 22 Chaplains and spouses from across the Diocese in Europe, led by Bishop Robert and guided by James Buxton (Chaplain in Izmir), travelled to the Seven Churches of Revelation from 8th to the 15th of May 2023. 

Bishop Robert shared his thoughts on the event:

"At the end of the first century the territory covered by the Seven Churches of Asia was the centre of gravity of the Christian Church. So travelling around this area enabled us to feel really close to the pages of the New Testament - the letters of Paul as well as the Revelation of St. John the Divine.  

Our group didn’t know each other particularly well at the outset. The pilgrimage was a powerful bonding experience as we travelled together through new and fascinating places and reflected together on our faith. Seeing first hand the architectural reality of the first century pagan world in which the early Christians lived helped us understand how scripture speaks to our own church in the secular Western world of today.

The pilgrimage deepened our knowledge and faith and will certainly inform my ministry in the future."

It was an uplifting and challenging experience to hear the excerpts of Revelation read out in the cities to which they were addressed, and to imagine the difficulties and challenges faced by our brother and sister Christians in the late first century.  As with all good pilgrimages we enjoyed conversation, fun, food and drink together, as well as a considerable amount of walking.  On day four of our pilgrimage, the bishop led a service of Baptism and Confirmation at the Church of St John the Evangelist Izmir, at which four young Turkish adults (who had been baptized at Easter) were confirmed and two young adults from St Nicolas, Ankara, who travelled to Izmir for the service, were baptized and confirmed.  Many of the pilgrims attended the service and were greatly moved to see how Christ is calling disciples in our Anglican Churches in Turkey. 

Revd Jules Barnes, chaplain of Hamburg, was among the pilgrims.

"One of the best parts was the dynamic nature of the sites of the seven churches of Revelation: we got to them all, and most were still clearly places of still ongoing discovery. New streets and temples are being uncovered all the time, so praying there, really brought home how these were places of living, worshipping and themselves dynamic and changing communities. And we were privileged to make a short, extra stop at Colossae. Here, the very first excavation is just about to commence, so we stood in the midst of what is a field of thistles, but within the obvious embrace of the soon to re-emerge arc of the amphitheatre. 

Also our 'Holy Trinity' of leaders proved an engaging and unique part of our pilgrimage too. James, the local Izmir CofE Chaplain, Bishop Robert our Diocesan (great to meet him at last, after two years in the DinE), and Macit, our local turkish guide."