AINTS AND SAGES Tradition holds that St. Andrew blessed the hills that would later be the city of Kiev and prophesied a Christian future for the Russian people, a prophecy that would come to fruition with the baptism of Prince Vladimir and the consecration of the country in 988 AD. This event is considered the one of the great defining moments in Russian history. Shortly thereafter, Christianity spread far and wide across the Empire. With the fall of the Romanovs, the Church underwent a period of brutal suppression by the Soviet Regime. Your group will want to journey to the very heart of the Russian Orthodoxy, Moscow to discover the deep and indomitable spirit of the people who managed to uphold their faith in the face of overwhelming oppression. This spiritual odyssey would also include sights of profound religious and cultural interest such as the Hermitage, the Cathedral of St. Nicholas the Wonder Worker, Pskov Cave Monastery, and the Shrine of Blessed St. Xenia in St. Petersburg.

SPIRITUAL AND CULTURAL TREASURES Universally considered the cradle of Western civilization, Greece has inspired innumerable artists, poets, and philosophers with its classical culture typified by such architectural marvels as the Acropolis and the Parthenon. Already considered the center for learning in the ancient world when St. Paul arrived there to begin his second missionary expedition, his preaching assisted in the rapid spread of the new faith. Discover the unique and important role Hellenic culture played in the role of the early Christian Church with visits to Corinth, Thessalonia, and Philippi. Explore the monastery at Patmos, the site at which St. John wrote the book of Revelation. Male pilgrims will want to visit Mount Athos, the Holy Mountain of Greece, which has stood for a thousand years as the center of Orthodox monasticism and mysticism.

We understand the rich diversity within the Eastern Orthodox Church, and as a result can customize a Religious Heritage Tour tailor-suited to your parish's unique needs with specialized itineraries to Russia, Greece, Ukraine, Georgia, Poland, Turkey, the Czech Republic as well as the Holy Land. Our aim is to provide you with the most satisfying and meaningful travel experience possible. Casterbridge can provide your group with opportunities for fellowship with local parishes. We will gladly arrange for your priest to celebrate the Divine Liturgy locally.