Today we made the long trip to Phillipi to visit the ruins of the old city where Paul wrote to the Philippian Christian community. The bus ride was long and many of us took the time to take some very desired naps but it was worth it to see such a historical site. As someone who has studied Paul’s ministry on several occasions, I’ve enjoyed the chances this trip has given us to attempt to understand the world and communities to which he was writing. Within the ruins of the ancient city was a jail cell where they have placed a sign that says “The Prison of Saint Paul”. Although they have no way of knowing that this was where he was held, the sign was a reminder of the context in which Paul was writing, as a prisoner under the Roman empire.
We also visited the site that is believed to be the location of Lydia’s baptism who is widely believed to be the first woman in Europe to convert to Christianity. Her baptism is recounted in the book of Acts and seeing this site and the beautiful church that has been built there was a fascinating experience (plus the adorable dogs that followed us from the ruins of the city were an added bonus). After a late lunch we began the long bus ride back to Thessaloniki and had our class on the road where we further discussed Paul’s letter to the Philippians and the many different ways we can critique and understand it especially now that we had seen Philippi for ourselves and have gained a deeper understanding of its historical significance.
– Juliet Morrison
Oles in Greece 2020 