In the Footsteps of Faith
Honouring Women. Strengthening Families. Renewing Faith.
A Sacred Invitation
A Pilgrimage for Ghanaian Families of Faith
You are warmly invited to journey to the lands of the early Church — to walk where the apostles walked, to stand in the Seven Churches of Revelation, and to honour the women of faith whose witness still shapes us today. This is not ordinary tourism; it is a sacred journey of worship, fellowship and renewal through the biblical heartlands of Türkiye.
Coordinated in Ghana by Helgard Travel & Tours in partnership with Turquaz Tour, your trusted Türkiye local operator (TURSAB A-12334).
A Day to Honour the Women of Faith
SEE IT. FEEL ITS PRESENCE.
WALK THROUGH HISTORY.
Visit the sacred house where Mary, Mother of Jesus, is believed to have spent her final years. High on a wooded hillside above Ephesus, it is a place of deep stillness, prayer and presence — honoured by pilgrims from every tradition and visited by popes.
On Monday 8 March — International Women's Day — the pilgrimage gathers here for a special service of thanksgiving, honouring the mothers, daughters and women of faith within our families and our churches.
"Woman, behold your son... Behold your mother." — John 19:26–27
The Heart of the Journey
The Seven Churches of Revelation & the House of the Virgin Mary
Each letter of the Book of Revelation was written to a living congregation in this land. Walk among their ruins where faith was tested by fire, and climb the quiet hillside where tradition says Mary lived her final years.
Ephesus
Revelation 2:1–7 · Acts 19
For two years Paul taught here until the silversmiths rioted for their goddess Artemis. Today you walk its gleaming marble streets to the great theatre where the city once roared “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” — the place where the gospel first shook an empire.
Smyrna
Revelation 2:8–11
Praised as the church that stayed faithful through poverty and persecution. In its agora the aged bishop Polycarp refused to deny his Lord and was burned alive, echoing the promise: “Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.”
Pergamon
Revelation 2:12–17
Called the place “where Satan’s throne is” — a pagan capital crowned by a breathtaking hilltop acropolis and the great altar of Zeus. Yet even here, surrounded by idols, the believers held fast to the name of Christ.
Thyatira
Revelation 2:18–29
A busy town of trade guilds and dyers — the home church of Lydia, the seller of purple who became Paul’s first convert in Europe. A reminder that faith is forged in ordinary workplaces and faithful hands.
Sardis
Revelation 3:1–6
A proud, golden city warned that it had “a name of being alive, but was dead.” Its silent ruins rise beside the vast Temple of Artemis — a solemn call to wake up and keep the faith truly living.
Philadelphia
Revelation 3:7–13
The church of the open door that no one can shut. Small in strength yet commended for its patient endurance, its last standing columns still rise quietly over modern Alaşehir as a sign of steadfast hope.
Laodicea
Revelation 3:14–22
The wealthy, self-sufficient church rebuked for being “lukewarm — neither hot nor cold.” Amid its ruins near the shining white terraces of Pamukkale, Christ’s gentle warning still knocks: “Behold, I stand at the door.”
House of the Virgin Mary
John 19:26–27
High on a wooded hillside above Ephesus stands the small stone house where tradition holds Mary spent her final years in the care of the apostle John. A place of deep stillness and prayer, honoured by pilgrims and visited by popes.
Seven Days of Pilgrimage
Day by Day
Day 1 — Fri 5 Mar
Arrival in Istanbul
Welcome to Türkiye. Meet, transfer and settle into your hotel, with an evening gathering to open the pilgrimage in prayer and fellowship on the shores of two continents.
Day 2 — Sat 6 Mar
Imperial Christian Constantinople
A full day in the heart of Christendom: Hagia Sophia — for almost a thousand years the greatest church in the Christian world, where emperors were crowned — then the ancient Hippodrome, the Blue Mosque, and the underground Basilica Cistern. A day among the wonders of Byzantine faith.
Day 3 — Sun 7 Mar
Orthodox Constantinople & the Bosphorus
The Ecumenical Patriarchate & Church of St George, the historic Fener & Balat quarters and St Stephen's Iron Church, the colourful Spice Bazaar, and a Bosphorus cruise between Europe and Asia — then a domestic flight to İzmir and transfer to Kuşadası.
Day 4 — Mon 8 Mar
International Women's Day · Ephesus
A day honouring the women of faith: the House of the Virgin Mary (John 19:26–27), the marble streets and great theatre of ancient Ephesus, and the Basilica of St John — with a special service of thanksgiving.
Day 5 — Tue 9 Mar
Pamukkale & Four Churches of Revelation
Laodicea, Philadelphia, Sardis and Thyatira — tracing the letters of Revelation across the Lydian plains — alongside the dazzling white travertine terraces of Pamukkale.
Day 6 — Wed 10 Mar
Pergamon & Smyrna
The towering acropolis of Pergamon — “where Satan’s throne is” — and the Agora of Smyrna, the church of the faithful martyr Polycarp.
Day 7 — Thu 11 Mar
Return Home
Morning at leisure for reflection, then transfer and domestic flight from İzmir to Istanbul for your international connections home — a pilgrim returning changed.
Ghana–Türkiye Business Programme
A continuation of the pilgrimage — one added day of trade, partnership and opportunity.
This business programme is part of the pilgrimage journey — a continuation of the same trip, added on the day after the pilgrimage programme ends. For pilgrims who also carry a vision for business, we arrange an optional Ghana–Türkiye business day, built around the interests of those travelling. Türkiye is one of the world’s leading centres for manufacturing, hospitality and trade — and this day opens a door to lasting partnerships between our two nations.
Food Processing & Packaging
Equipment, bottling, packaging materials and production supplies.
Hospitality & Furnishings
Hotel linen, furniture, kitchen equipment and fittings.
Textiles & Retail
Clothing, fabrics, uniforms and wholesale supply.
Tourism Partnerships
Future pilgrimage groups, hotel agreements and tour packages.
Preferred Date
Friday, 12 March 2027 in Istanbul — continuing straight on from the pilgrimage — subject to the final travel arrangements.
Choose Two Sectors
Once participants register their business interests, we focus on two sectors — then arrange suitable suppliers, individual appointments and a factory or showroom visit.
Costs
Additional accommodation, transport, interpretation and meeting costs are quoted separately by Helgard Travel & Tours.
Official Announcement
Ghana Christian Family Pilgrimage 2027
Watch the Journey Before You Go
See the sacred sites of Türkiye brought to life — Ephesus, the House of the Virgin Mary and the Seven Churches of Revelation — from our YouTube channel.
St. Paul's Invitation — Christian Pilgrimage to Türkiye
Ephesus — the Seven Churches of Revelation
The House of the Virgin Mary, near Ephesus
Smyrna — the Suffering Church
The Seven Holy Churches of Anatolia
Biblical Türkiye — the Land of the Early Church
What’s Included
- 6 nights accommodation
- Meals as specified in the programme
- Private transfers and touring
- English-speaking specialist guide
- Scheduled entrance fees
- Istanbul–İzmir return domestic flights
- Local taxes
- Shared Bosphorus cruise
Not Included
- · International flights to/from Türkiye
- · Turkish visa & associated costs
- · Travel insurance
- · Personal spending & drinks
- · Gratuities & porterage
- · Optional church activities
Register Online
Reserve your place on the Ghana Christian Family Pilgrimage 2027. Our Ghana coordinator will be in touch to confirm the next steps.
Ghana Coordinator
Helgard Travel & Tours
Contact: Thomas Okyere
+233 24 426 6582 +233 25 760 2232 [email protected]