Faith, Law, & Medicine: Greece & Turkey Pilgrimage
Ten days in Greece and Turkey on the foundations of law and medicine, from the Areopagus and Corinth to the healing sanctuaries of Epidaurus and Kos and the House of the Virgin Mary at Ephesus.
Your hosts and lecturers
Joshua McCaig, JD, MBA, MS
Founding President, Catholic Bar Association
Joshua McCaig is the founding president of the Catholic Bar Association, a national organization for Catholic legal professionals founded in 2015, and a co-founder of the Catholic Health Care Leadership Alliance. A graduate of Franciscan University of Steubenville, he earned his law degree with the inaugural class of Ave Maria School of Law.
Msgr. Stuart Swetland, S.T.D.
President, Donnelly College, Kansas City, Kansas
Msgr. Stuart Swetland has been president of Donnelly College in Kansas City, Kansas, since 2014. A graduate of the United States Naval Academy, he was ordained a priest in 1991 and named a Prelate of Honor by St. John Paul II in 2000.
Nikolas T. Nikas
President and General Counsel, Bioethics Defense Fund
Nikolas T. Nikas is president and general counsel of Bioethics Defense Fund. He has litigated constitutional cases, drafted model pro-life legislation and testified before the U.S. Senate.
John Thorp, MD
Professor of Medicine, University of North Carolina
Dr. John Thorp is the McAllister Distinguished Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine.
“Behold, your mother.”
John 19:27
Our Lord’s words to St. John at the foot of the Cross. Tradition holds that St. John brought Our Lady to Ephesus, and our last full day ends at the House of the Virgin Mary in the hills above the ancient city.
The House of the Virgin Mary · Ephesus
Greece & Turkey, May 24 to June 2, 2027
Ten days, eight nights in Athens, Nafplio, Kos and Kusadasi, with Corinth, Epidaurus, the Asklepieion of Kos and Ephesus along the way. Mass is celebrated each day of the pilgrimage.
Begins in Athens and ends in Kusadasi
OvernightVisit
Nights: 3 Athens, 1 Nafplio, 2 Kos, 1 or 2 Kusadasi.
Departure
The day has arrived, and we depart the United States on our overnight flight to Greece.
Arrival in Athens
Upon arrival in Athens, we transfer to our hotel and take time to rest and adjust after the journey. We gather as a group for our first evening together and a welcome dinner.
Athens
We begin our pilgrimage at the Acropolis, exploring the Parthenon, the Temple of Athena Nike, and the Erechtheion, which reflect not only classical religious devotion but also ideals of harmony, logic, and proportion that would later influence Christian understandings of justice and the common good. Descending to the Areopagus, we stand at the very place where St. Paul addressed the Athenian philosophers. The Areopagus in ancient Greece was a court which dealt with serious crimes and religious matters. We continue to the Ancient Agora, once the heart of public life in the city. Here we walk past, among other things, the Stoa of Attalos and the Temple of Hephaestus.
Corinth & Nafplio
Today we travel to Corinth, a major city in the Roman Empire and a key site in the missionary life of St. Paul. We visit the Bema, where Paul stood before the proconsul Gallio, and walk along the Lechaion Road to see the ruins of temples, fountains, and marketplaces. A highlight of the visit is the pavement inscription of Erastus, identifying a city official who is also mentioned in Paul’s letters. This inscription gives us a rare glimpse into the lives of early Christian converts who were also active participants in public administration. We see the Temple of Apollo and other visible layers of Roman urban life. We move on to Nafplio, a seaport town with a long and layered history, where we spend the evening.
Nafplio, Epidaurus & Athens
This morning we explore Nafplio, including the Palamidi Fortress, a symbol of civil authority and order from a time when the Catholic Republic of Venice extended its power eastward in the Mediterranean. We visit Epidaurus, home to an ancient healing sanctuary dedicated to Asclepius. We walk through the remains of the temples, treatment areas, and the sacred spring, learning how healing was understood in a culture that blended religion, ritual, and early medical practice. The site includes the Epidaurus Theater, famous for its acoustics and used in performances thought to promote wellness. We will return to Athens.
Athens & Kos
This morning we fly from Athens to Kos, the birthplace of Hippocrates. After arriving on the island, we transfer to our hotel and have the afternoon free to explore the town’s harbor, visit the Castle of the Knights, or enjoy time along the Aegean waterfront.
Kos
We visit the Asklepieion of Kos, a large healing complex terraced into a wooded hillside. Here we walk among the altar platforms, treatment rooms, and porticoes, where the Hippocratic School took shape. It was in places like this that physicians began to formalize ethical standards: commitments to confidentiality, non-maleficence, and professional integrity. We also visit the Plane Tree of Hippocrates, a site where he is said to have taught. In the afternoon, we return to town and have time to rest or explore the local market streets and seaside paths.
Kos, Bodrum & Kusadasi
This morning we take a short ferry across the Aegean to Bodrum, on the Turkish coast. After clearing passport control, we travel inland by private coach to Kusadasi, a coastal city not far from Ephesus, which was one of the great cities of Roman Asia. Upon arrival, we check in and enjoy a restful evening as we enter the final leg of our journey.
Ephesus
We spend the day in Ephesus, a city that once served as a crossroads of trade, religion, and governance. Our visit includes the Library of Celsus, the Odeon, the Terrace Houses, and the Great Theater, all of which give us insight into the daily and civic life of this important Roman center. We continue to the Church of the Virgin Mary, the likely site of the Council of Ephesus, where the title Theotokos was affirmed and Christ’s full humanity and divinity were defended. We conclude at the House of the Virgin Mary, a quiet pilgrimage site in the forested hills above the ruins. It is believed that the Virgin Mary was taken here by St. John and lived here towards the end of her life. Your flight home from Izmir (ADB) may depart either tonight or tomorrow; if it departs tomorrow, an overnight is required.
Return home
Your flight home from Izmir (ADB) may depart either the previous night or today. Later today we will arrive back at home, with a deeper understanding of the foundations of our professional vocations, and of our Catholic faith.
What’s included
Everything below is covered by the package price.
Your hotels in Greece and Turkey
Four-star hotels throughout: three nights in Athens, one in Nafplio, two in Kos and two in Kusadasi (the second only if your flight home leaves on June 2). Hotels are subject to final confirmation; if a hotel changes, it is replaced with one of the same standard.
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“If you want a pilgrimage that’s seamless, historical and actually fun, book these guys.”
Questions pilgrims ask
Short answers to what most people want to know before they put down a deposit.
It is a touring pilgrimage by motorcoach, with a flight from Athens to Kos and a ferry to Bodrum. Expect about 2 to 3 miles of walking on a typical day. Days usually start around 7am and end back at the hotel between 5pm and 6pm. The Acropolis, Corinth, Epidaurus and Ephesus have uneven ground, stairs and real slopes, often in the sun with little shade.
You can have a room to yourself, with a single room supplement of $1,195, or share a room with two beds with another pilgrim. If you would like to share, we will do our best to match you with a roommate. If we cannot find a match by February 23, 2027, the single room supplement applies. Couples, families, friends and singles are all welcome, and plenty of pilgrims come on their own.
International airfare, since this pilgrimage is priced land only; group flights are available from $1,290 per person. Lunches, donations at Masses, souvenirs and laundry, and the cost of a passport if you need one. A typical lunch costs about $15 to $20. Tips for your tour manager, local guides and driver: the recommended amounts are in your final travel documents. Travel insurance if you choose it, and a 3% fee if you pay by card. Abroad, we recommend paying for most things by credit card, which is accepted almost everywhere and comes with protection that cash does not; bring a couple hundred U.S. dollars in cash for emergencies. When a card machine or ATM asks whether to pay in dollars or in the local currency (euros in Greece, Turkish lira in Turkey), choose the local currency; it is almost always cheaper.
Cancel in writing. Up to February 23, 2027 (90 days before departure), everything you have paid is returned except $200. After that date, the $450 deposit and any costs we cannot recover are kept. Travel insurance may cover a cancellation, depending on the reason.
Joshua McCaig of the Catholic Bar Association hosts the group, with Msgr. Stuart Swetland as chaplain and guest lecturers Nikolas T. Nikas and Dr. John Thorp.
More answers in the FAQ below and in our Support Center, or call us at +1 (800) 653-0017.
Price per person
Per person, land only: international airfare is not included. Group flights are available from 36 U.S. airports, from $1,290 to $1,790 per person depending on the airport; choose yours at registration or book your own flights.
$200 per person is non-refundable.
Final payment is due 90 days before departure. Payment plans are available if you would like to make smaller payments before then.
Check
ACH bank transfer
Zelle
Cash, money order or cashier’s check
Group airfare by departure airport
Round-trip group airfare, per person, added to the land price. Select your airport at registration. If yours is not listed, choose “send me a flight quote.”
Booking your own flights? Select “I plan to book my own flights” at registration, $0.
Group air contracts do not allow deviations, date changes or upgrades. To arrive earlier, depart later or upgrade, contact us at hello@canterburypilgrimages.com.
Protect your pilgrimage
Your pilgrimage is paid for long before you leave. After you reserve, your booking confirmation email has our Allianz Travel Insurance plans and a link to buy one directly. Classic is the plan we recommend for most pilgrims.
- Covers your trip cost. Classic reimburses 100% of the trip cost you insured if you cancel for a covered reason, and adds emergency medical care and baggage cover.
- Buy within 14 days of your first deposit to keep Cancel Anytime and pre-existing condition cover. The plans stay available until departure.
- Buy it from your confirmation email. Prefer to add it by phone? Call us at +1 (800) 653-0017.
Frequently asked questions
It is built around the Catholic vocations of law and medicine, with two guest lecturers, Nikolas T. Nikas in law and Dr. John Thorp in medicine, travelling with the group. Everyone is welcome to join.
This is an active program that covers a good amount of ground each day. Expect a wake-up call around 7am, departure by 9am and a return to the hotel between 5pm and 6pm. You should be able to walk 2 to 3 miles a day at a moderate pace, with uneven surfaces, stairs and significant slopes at the archaeological sites, often in the open with little shade.
Late May is usually warm and sunny in Greece and western Turkey, with hot afternoons at Corinth, Epidaurus and Ephesus. Bring sun protection, a hat, a refillable water bottle and comfortable walking shoes.
Yes. Your passport must be valid for at least six months beyond the return date, and passport cards are not accepted for international travel. We cross from Greece into Turkey by ferry, so check the current entry rules for Turkey for your passport; we will let you know before departure if anything applies to your trip. We need your passport details at least 90 days before departure.
International airfare is not included. Group flights are available from 36 U.S. airports, from $1,290 per person, and you choose your airport at registration. You may also book your own flights: plan to arrive in Athens on May 25 and to fly home from Izmir (ADB) on the evening of June 1 or on June 2.
Final payment is due on February 23, 2027, 90 days before departure. Payment plans are available if you would like to make smaller payments before then.
We strongly encourage travel insurance for all of our pilgrims, and we partner with Allianz Travel Insurance to offer affordable coverage. Most of our pilgrims choose the Classic Plan. Insurance can be quoted and purchased after registration.
A pilgrimage is not a vacation or excursion but a unique spiritual journey that provides many opportunities to deepen your relationship with God and enrich your Catholic faith by bringing Scripture to life. Pilgrimages offer the opportunity to let Christ draw you near.
More questions are answered in our Support Center, covering booking, payments, travel insurance, passports and what to expect on pilgrimage.
Couples, families, friends, singles, all are welcome!
Some pilgrims come as a couple, some bring the whole family, some come with a friend from the parish, and plenty come on their own. Everyone is welcome.
Faith, Law & Medicine in Greece and Turkey
May 24 to June 2, 2027, with Joshua McCaig, Msgr. Stuart Swetland, Nikolas T. Nikas and Dr. John Thorp. Reserve today with a $450 deposit per pilgrim.
Questions? Call +1 (800) 653-0017 or email hello@canterburypilgrimages.com.
Secure your spot today with a $450 deposit per pilgrim.