paul's 3rd missionary journey cities

Paul’s Third Missionary Journey

After spending perhaps up to one year in Antioch following his Second Missionary Journey, Paul sets out from Antioch to embark on his Third Journey.  His first destinations will be the congregations he planted in Galatia on his First Journey.

Paul briefly visits the congregations he started in the regions of Galatia and Phrygia to strengthen the believers on his way through the interior of Asia to Ephesus.

Arriving at Ephesus, Paul finds and instructs some believers about baptism.  According to his usual custom, he goes regularly to the synagogue and preaches Jesus as the Messiah for three months until the Jews there refuse to believe.  For two years, Paul has daily discussions in the lecture hall of Tyrannus, which effectively spreads the Word of God throughout the province of Asia.  Throughout Paul’s time in Ephesus, God did extraordinary things through Paul so that the name of Jesus was highly regarded in the whole region. After spending over 2 years in Ephesus, a silversmith who is worried about the loss of business in crafting idols begins a riot in the whole city concerning the Christian message Paul is preaching.  After the city clerk convinces the rioters to disassemble, Paul says goodbye to the believers and sets out for Macedonia.

Paul travels to Macedonia in order to visit and encourage the congregations he planted on the 2nd Journey.  At some point during his trip through Macedonia, Paul writes another letter to the believers in Corinth, the letter we know as 2 Corinthians.  Eventually, Paul makes his way through Macedonia down to Corinth in Greece.

Paul makes it down to Corinth in Greece, where he stays for three months and writes his famous letter to the Romans.  Hearing about a plot by opposing Jews, he decides to travel back up north through Macedonia to Philippi.

After traveling back up north through Macedonia, Paul and his companions arrive at Philippi.  Many of his companions travel ahead of him to Troas, and after celebrating the Jewish Festival of Unleavened Bread he and Luke set sail for Troas to meet the others.

While in Troas, one night Paul speaks to the people for many hours.  A young man named Eutychus is seated in a window and falls asleep listening to Paul, causing him to fall backward out of the third story window.  He is picked up dead.  Paul goes down and throws himself on top of Eutychus, which brings the young man back to life.  Staying in Troas for seven days, Paul and his companions leave for Assos with their eyes toward their final destination, Jerusalem.

Eventually sailing to Miletus, Paul sends for the Ephesian elders to meet him.  After they arrive, he delivers an emotional farewell speech to warn them against false teaching and to encourage them in their faithful work as shepherds for God’s kingdom.  After praying with them and saying goodbye, Paul and his traveling companions leave for Kos on their way to Tyre and eventually Jerusalem.

Sailing along the major coastal towns of Phoenicia, Paul and his companions arrive at Caesarea where they stay at the house of Philip the evangelist.  After a number of days, a prophet named Agabus comes to Paul, takes his belt, ties his own hands with it, and prophesies through the Holy Spirit that in the same way Paul will be bound and arrested in Jerusalem by the Jewish leaders.  Paul states that he is ready to be arrested and even die for the Lord Jesus, so he is going to Jerusalem anyway.

Paul finally arrives in Jerusalem, officially ending his 3rd Missionary Journey.  Since he had spent 3 years in the city of Ephesus, this whole journey must have lasted 4 or 5 years, from roughly 53 AD to 58 AD.  Following his arrival in Jerusalem, Paul is arrested and jailed for two years, eventually being sent to Rome as a prisoner.  The book of Acts ends with Paul as a prisoner in Rome for two years, but evidence from later letters suggests he was released, conducted a fourth missionary journey, and later was arrested again.  Church tradition states that Paul was executed by Nero sometime between 64 and 67 AD.

• Third Missionary Journey – Acts 18:23-21:26

Chronology of Jesus’ Life and Ministry

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Paul’s Third Missionary Journey ( Acts 18:22–21:17 )

C. a.d. 52–57.

Paul’s third missionary journey traversed much the same ground as his second (see map ). Passing through Galatia and Phrygia, he proceeded directly to the great port city of Ephesus. After three years of preaching and teaching there, Paul traveled again through Macedonia and Achaia, strengthening the believers, and then finished with a visit to Jerusalem.

Paul’s Missionary Journeys: The Beginner’s Guide

by Ryan Nelson | Jul 6, 2020 | Bible topics

Paul’s missionary journeys helped spread the gospel throughout much of the ancient world. Over the course of his ministry, the Apostle Paul traveled more than 10,000 miles and established at least 14 churches.

The Book of Acts records three separate missionary journeys that took Paul through Greece, Turkey, Syria, and numerous regions you won’t find on modern-day maps. Some scholars argue that Paul also took a fourth missionary journey, since parts of the New Testament appear to reference travels that may have taken place after the events in Acts.

Paul’s travels played a crucial role in the formation and development of the early Christian church. Many of the communities he encountered on these missionary journeys were the same ones he wrote to in his pastoral epistles.

In this guide, we’re going to follow Paul’s footsteps as he travelled across the ancient world, looking at the places he went and the major events that took place along the way. At times it can be challenging to distinguish between ancient cities, provinces, and regions (and there are sometimes multiple names that refer to the same area), so as we go, we’ll make some of those distinctions more clear.

Paul’s first missionary journey (Acts 13–14)

Paul’s first missionary journey began in Antioch. You may notice that maps of the ancient world often have two cities labelled Antioch. They’re both named after Antiochus, father of Seleucid I. The Antioch in Acts 13 was the third largest city in ancient Rome and capital of the province of Syria. Today, it’s part of southern Turkey. The other Antioch was part of Pisidia, an ancient region which is also now part of Turkey. Your Bible likely refers to it as Pisidian Antioch or Antioch of Pisidia.

In Antioch (the big city in Syria), the Holy Spirit singled out Paul and Barnabas from the believers worshiping there, and sent them on their first missionary journey.

Paul’s first journey took him by boat to the Roman province of Cyprus. Today, Cyprus is a country known as the Republic of Cyprus. It’s a mediterranean island south of Syria. Paul and Barnabas arrived in the port city of Salamis, where John Mark (who was possibly Barnabas’ cousin), helped them share the gospel in Jewish synagogues.

From Salamis, the group moved across the island to Paphos, where they were met by a Jewish sorcerer named Bar-Jesus (also known as Elymas the sorcerer). This sorcerer worked for the governor—Sergius Paulus—who sent for Paul and his companions because he wanted to hear the word of God. Elymas opposed them and tried to turn Sergius from the faith, and so Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, called him a “child of the devil” and struck him blind. Sergius saw what happened, and believed.

Ironically, Elymas meant to steer Sergius away from Christ, but he became the very vehicle God used to draw Sergius toward him.

From Paphos, Paul and company set sail for the Roman province of Pamphylia, located in modern day Turkey. They arrived in the city of Perga, where John Mark left them and returned to Jerusalem (which, interestingly, was in the opposite direction from where they just came). We don’t know why John Mark decided to leave, but this would later create a rift between Paul and Barnabas.

Together, Paul and Barnabas travelled to Pisidian Antioch, where local synagogue leaders invited them to speak. Initially, the Jewish people were receptive to the gospel, but a week later, the entire city gathered to hear Paul and Barnabas, and the Jewish leaders became jealous. They resisted the message of the gospel, and so Paul and Barnabas made an important pivot: they began preaching to the Gentiles.  

Many of the Gentiles believed the gospel, and Luke (the traditional author of Acts) tells us that: 

“The word of the Lord spread through the whole region. But the Jewish leaders incited the God-fearing women of high standing and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region.” —Acts 13:49–50

Driven out of Pamphylia, Paul and Barnabas travelled to Iconium, an eastern city in the region of Phrygia. Iconium still exists today as the Turkish city of Konya.

Once again, Paul and Barnabas spoke in the synagogue, where Jews and Greeks alike accepted the gospel. But the Jews who didn’t accept it stirred up trouble, even as Paul and Barnabas began performing signs and wonders (Acts 14:3). As support for Paul and Barnabas grew, so did the opposition they faced, and eventually, they became aware of a plot to abuse and stone them. So they left.

Fleeing the threat in Iconium, Paul and Barnabas left Phrygia altogether and travelled to Lystra, a city in the province of Lycaonia. Here, Paul healed a man who was lame.The locals who witnessed this miracle thought Paul and Barnabas were gods in human form, calling Barnabas Zeus and Paul Hermes. The priest from the temple of Zeus brought bulls and wreaths to offer sacrifices to them.

Paul and Barnabas attempted to redirect their praise to God, but struggled to keep the crowds from offering sacrifices to them.

Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and continued what they’d started. They riled up the crowds and convinced them to stone Paul. Believing he was dead, they dragged him outside the city. When the disciples gathered around him, Paul got up and went back inside the city.

Then Paul and Barnabas went to Derbe, another city in Lycaonia. There, they “won a large number of disciples” (Acts 14:21).

The return to Antioch

After a time in Derbes, Paul and Barnabas went back the way they came, working their way through Lystra, Iconium, Pisidian Antioch, and Perga. In each city, they encouraged the believers there and strengthened their faith, as they would continue doing on their future missionary journeys. They did, however, stop in a new Pamphylian city on the way: Attalia. Acts only mentions it in passing, but presumably, they established a community of believers there as well.

From there, they skipped a return voyage to the island of Cyprus and went straight back to Antioch (the big one), where they told the church what happened on their journey.

Paul’s second missionary journey (Acts 16:23–20:38)

Paul’s second missionary journey established many of the churches he would later write to in his pastoral epistles. Interestingly, this may have happened in part because of a “sharp disagreement” he had with Barnabas. Paul’s original plan was to essentially have a rerun of their first trip, strengthening the communities they’d formed in each city and telling them what the Council of Jerusalem had ruled in regards to Gentile believers.

But Barnabas wanted to take John Mark—who had left them shortly into their previous journey. Paul was so opposed to the idea that they parted ways, initiating two separate missionary journeys. Barnabas took John Mark and went with the original plan, making their way back to the island of Cyprus. Paul took a man named Silas and travelled through the provinces of Syria and Cilicia.

The first cities that Acts mentions by name on Paul’s second journey are Derbe and Lystra. At this time, Paul and Silas picked up a new companion: Timothy. 

The locals spoke highly of Timothy, and Paul wanted to bring him along even though he was half Greek, which meant local Jews would have a harder time accepting their message. Out of concern for these local Jews, Paul circumcised Timothy—even though, ironically, one of the things they were coming to tell Christians was that Gentiles didn’t have to be circumcised. (See Acts 16:3–4.)

Acts doesn’t specify where in Phrygia Paul and his companions stopped, but since he’d established a church in Iconium on the first trip, that community would’ve been on his mind (even though last time he was there, people had plotted to stone him). Interestingly, Acts notes that Paul and his companions journeyed here after they were “kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia” (Acts 16:6).

Just north of Phrygia was the province of Galatia. Acts makes no mention of what happened here, but this is the province Paul wrote to in his letter to the Galatians . Interestingly, part of the purpose of Paul’s second trip was to share the news from the Council of Jerusalem regarding the Law of Moses and whether or not Gentiles (or Christians in general) should be expected to follow it. The council decided the Torah didn’t apply to Gentile believers (though they did hang on to a few rules). But by the time Paul wrote the Book of Galatians, Christians there were feeling pressure to obey the law (particularly in regards to circumcision) in order to be saved.

From Galatia, Paul’s group traveled west, until they reached the border of Mysia—a western region in the province of Asia, which is now part of Turkey. They intended to head north to the region of Bithynia, “but the spirit of Jesus would not allow them to” (Acts 16:7). So they passed by Mysia and headed to the city of Troas. Here, Paul had a vision of a man in Macedonia, begging him to “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” Paul took this vision as a sign that God was calling them to Macedonia, which was across the Aegean Sea.

From Troas, Paul and his companions sailed across the Aegean Sea, making a pitstop on the island of Samothrace before landing in Neapolis and then traveling to Philippi. In Philippi, they spoke with women outside the city gate. One of them was a wealthy cloth dealer named Lydia. After her household was baptised, she persuaded Paul’s group to stay with her for a while.

Later, Paul, Silas, and the others were confronted by a spirit-possessed slave woman who could predict the future. She followed them for many days, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved” (Acts 16:17). Paul became so annoyed that he cast out the spirit. Her owners were furious, because they had been profiting off of her fortune telling. So they turned the local magistrates against them, claiming Paul and Silas were stirring up trouble and trying to get Roman citizens to believe and do illegal things.

The authorities had Paul and Silas severely flogged and thrown in prison. Late at night, while they were worshiping, an earthquake shook the foundations of the prison, opened the doors, and freed the prisoners from their chains. When the jailer awoke and saw the doors open, he prepared to kill himself. But Paul stopped him and assured him everyone was still in the prison.

After listening to Paul and Silas share the gospel, the jailer believed in Jesus and had his whole household baptized.

The next morning, the magistrates ordered Paul and Silas released. Paul revealed that they were Roman citizens, who had just been beaten and imprisoned without trial, and the authorities became afraid. Paul and Silas returned to Lydia’s house, and then left the city of Troas.

After passing through the Macedonian cities of Amphipolis and Apollonia, they arrived in Thessalonica. Since Thessalonica had a synagogue, Paul turned to his usual method—preaching the gospel on the Sabbath. Over the course of three weeks, he achieved the usual result—many Jews and Greeks alike embraced the gospel . . . and those who didn’t were outraged by it. 

At night, the Thessalonian believers sent Paul and his companions away to the nearby city of Berea.

The Bereans listened eagerly to the gospel and carefully examined the Scriptures to see if they supported Paul’s claims. Many Jews and Greeks became believers, but some agitators from Thessalonica heard Paul was in Berea, and they stirred up the crowds. Silas and Timothy stayed in Berea, while Paul was escorted out of Macedonia to Athens.

In the first century, Athens was in the region of Achaia, just south of Macedonia. Today, it’s the capital of Greece, and the largest city in the country.

Paul was essentially waiting around for Silas, Timothy, and the others to rejoin him. But while he waited, he noticed that Athens was full of idols. He debated with philosophers in both the synagogue and marketplace. Some Athenians were open to his ideas, and they were eager to discuss them. One idol in particular caught his eye—it had an inscription that read: “to an unknown god.” He seized on this as an opportunity to tell them about the “unknown God” who died and rose so that all might have eternal life. 

Paul’s message in Athens incorporated observations about what he saw around him as well as quotes from famous Greek philosophers to point back to the gospel. After establishing a group of believers in Athens, Paul headed west to the city of Corinth.

In Corinth, Paul stayed and worked with a couple of Jewish tentmakers named Priscilla and Aquila. Every Sabbath, he preached to Jews and Greeks in the synagogue. Silas and Timothy rejoined Paul here, and Paul began focusing his energy on testifying about Jesus to the Jews. 

When the Jews opposed his message, Paul devoted himself to reaching Gentiles, and he left the synagogue. As more Greeks embraced the gospel, the Corinthian Jews brought Paul before the governor, who basically told them to take a hike and refused to help.

Paul stayed in Corinth for a year and a half, and he left with Priscilla and Aquila.

The return journey

Before setting off for Syria, Paul stopped for a vow-fulfilling haircut in the port city of Cenchreae, which was just a hop, skip, and a jump from Corinth. With his companions, he sailed across the Aegean Sea to Ephesus, where he dropped of Priscilla and Aquila, and promised to come back if he could. After a short stay in Ephesus, Paul set sail for Caesarea, which was across the Mediterranean and far to the southeast. From there, he made the trek south to Jerusalem.

Paul’s second missionary journey ended in Jerusalem.

Paul’s third missionary journey (Acts 18:23–20:38)

When you read Acts, there’s no transition from Paul’s second missionary journey to his third. His arrival in Jerusalem almost immediately began his next trip. But while his second journey ends in Jerusalem, the beginning of his third journey is actually in Antioch, which is about 300 miles north.

Phrygia and Galatia

From Antioch, Paul once again worked his way west, passing “from place to place throughout the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples” (Acts 18:23). This included Derbe, Lystra, and Iconium.

Paul traveled west to Ephesus, the capital of the province of Asia, where he’d left Priscilla and Aquila on his previous journey. Since he’d last visited, a man named Apollos had been preaching part of the gospel, but he didn’t know about the Holy Spirit. So when Paul arrived, he taught the Ephesians about the difference between water baptism and the baptism of the Spirit.

For three months, Paul preached in the synagogues. When people started criticizing Christianity, he left and began holding discussions in a lecture hall.

This went on for two years, and all the while, God used Paul to perform miracles. Even things Paul had touched—handkerchiefs and aprons—healed the sick and drove out evil spirits.

Some Jews thought invoking Paul’s name would let them drive out demons. Seven sons of a chief priest named Sceva said to an evil spirit, “In the name of the Jesus whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out” (Acts 19:13). The spirit replied that it knew Jesus and Paul, but not them, and then it pulverized all seven of them.

As word spread about what happened, people began to revere the name of Jesus. Local sorcerors came to repent, and they burnt scrolls that would have been worth more than 130 years’ worth of wages (Acts 19:19).

Around this time, a local silversmith named Demetrius realized that the future of his business (making idols) was jeopardized by the gospel. The demand for idols was going down all across the province of Asia, but especially in Ephesus, where he lived. So Demetrius gathered all the craftsmen and workers whose businesses were impacted, and stirred the entire city into an uproar. They seized two of Paul’s companions and brought them into a theater.

Paul wanted to address the crowd, but the disciples didn’t let him. Instead, a city clerk told everyone that unless they were going to bring formal charges against the men in a legal assembly, they were in danger of being charged with rioting.

Macedonia and Greece

After things settled down in Ephesus, Paul headed across the Aegean Sea to Macedonia. He traveled throughout the region, encouraging believers, and eventually arrived in Greece, where he stayed for three months. He intended to sail back to Syria (where his journey started), but some people plotted against him, so he took another lap through Macedonia instead.

Along the way, disciples joined Paul from many of the communities he’d ministered to. He had companions from Berea, Thessalonica, Derbe, and the province of Asia. These followers went ahead of Paul to Troas, in Asia. Paul stayed briefly in Philippi, then joined them.

Paul stayed in Troas for seven days. The night before he left, he stayed up late talking in a room upstairs. A young man sat in a window, drifted off to sleep, and fell to his death. Paul threw his arms around the man and declared that he was alive, and he was. Then Paul went back upstairs and continued talking until daylight.

Paul walked from Troas to Assos, which was just to the south, and then sailed for the nearby city of Mitylene. Eager to reach Jerusalem before Pentecost, Paul sailed past Ephesus and stopped in Miletus. There, he met with the leaders of the Ephesian church and essentially told them that he had taught them everything they needed to know, that he would not see them again, and that they needed to be on guard against false teachers. This is when Paul also famously quoted Jesus, sharing words that aren’t recorded in any of the gospels: “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35).

And then he set sail.

Paul and his companions stopped briefly in Kos, Rhodes, and Patara before heading across the Mediterranean Sea to Phoenicia (the coastal region south of ancient Syria, which is now part of Syria). They arrived in Tyre, where “through the Spirit” (Acts 21:4), the local disciples urged Paul not to go to Jerusalem. He ignored them.

From Tyre, the voyage continued to the port city of Ptolemais, and then Caesarea, where the group stayed with Philip the evangelist (not to be confused with Philip the apostle ). Here, a prophet warned Paul that he would be bound by the Jews in Jerusalem and handed over to the Gentiles.

Still, he pressed on to Jerusalem, and by the end of Acts, the Jewish leaders had handed him over to Roman rulers.

Paul’s fourth missionary journey

Acts explicitly records three distinct missionary journeys. But some scholars and even ancient Christian writers have claimed that there was also a fourth missionary journey which was only hinted at in the Bible.

The argument for a fourth journey is primarily based on clues from Paul’s letters. He occasionally refers to events and visits that may not be accounted for in Acts or the epistles. 

For example, Paul suggested he would travel to Spain (Romans 15:24), but he provides no record of this journey in his letters. However, early church fathers claimed Paul did, in fact, travel to Spain.

In his letter to the Corinthians, first-century church father Clement of Rome said Paul “had gone to the extremity of the west,” which at the time presumably meant Spain. Fourth-century church father John of Chrysostom said, “For after he had been in Rome, he returned to Spain, but whether he came thence again into these parts, we know not.” And Cyril of Jerusalem (also from the fourth century) wrote that Paul “carried the earnestness of his preaching as far as Spain.”

In 2 Timothy 4, Paul makes an ambiguous reference to “my first defense” and claims he was “delivered from the lion’s mouth” (2 Timothy 4:16-17). Some have interpreted this as a reference to his first defense before Emperor Nero, which he was heading for at the end of Acts.

Paul’s letters make other references to events not recorded in Acts, but since there is so much overlap in the locations mentioned, and Paul spent multiple years in some of these places on his three recorded journeys, it’s difficult to say whether or not this fourth journey ever actually happened.

Take a closer look at Paul’s footsteps

Paul’s missionary journeys are a key part of the New Testament. Paul’s epistles were originally written to the communities he formed on these journeys, and they show us exactly how Christianity spread to the Gentiles so rapidly.

Here at OverviewBible, we’ve charted each of Paul’s missionary journeys into beautiful, full-color posters you can display in your classroom or church office. Each comes in multiple sizes on fine art paper with a matte finish.

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ESV Global Study Bible :: Paul’s Third Missionary Journey (Acts 18:22-21:17)

Paul's Third Missionary Journey ( Acts 18:22-21:17 )

C. a.d. 52-57.

Paul's third missionary journey traversed much the same ground as his second (see map ). Passing through Galatia and Phrygia, he proceeded directly to the great port city of Ephesus. After three years of preaching and teaching there, Paul traveled again through Macedonia and Achaia, strengthening the believers, and then finished with a visit to Jerusalem.

The ESV Global Study Bible Copyright © 2012 by Crossway . All rights reserved. Used by permission.

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Old Testament

New testament.

Paul's Third Missionary Journey

In the short stay which Paul had made at Ephesus on his return from his second journey, he had promised to come again to that city, if the providence of God should allow it. This promise he was enabled to fulfill, after a hasty visit to the metropolis of the Jewish nation, and a longer sojourn in the first metropolis of the Gentile Church.

It is evident that it was not Apostle Paul's only object to proceed with all haste to Ephesus, nor indeed is it credible that he could pass through the regions of Cilicia and Lycaonia, Phrygia and Galatia, without remaining to confirm those churches which he had founded himself, and some of which he had visited twice. We are plainly told that his journey was occupied in this work, and the few words which refer to this subject imply a systematic visitation. Paul would be the more anxious to establish them in the true principles of the Gospel, in proportion as he was aware of the widely-spreading influence of the Judaizers.

It may be considered probable that Timothy was with the Apostle through the whole of this journey. Abundant mention of him is made, both in the Acts and the Epistles, in connection with Apostle Paul's stay at Ephesus and his subsequent movements (Acts 19:22, 20:4, 1Corinthians 4:17, 16:10, 2Corinthians 1:1, Romans 16:21).

Of the other companions who were undoubtedly with Paul at Ephesus, and who may have traveled with him from Syrian Antioch on his third journey, or went with him after he left Ephesus, we cannot say with confidence. Erastus, however, may have remained with him since the time of his first visit to Corinth (Acts 19:22), and Caius and Aristarchus (Acts 19:29) since the still earlier period of his journey through Macedonia.

Whatever might be the exact route which the Apostle Paul followed from Antioch in Syria to Ephesus, he would certainly have revisited those churches which before had known him as their teacher. He would pass over the Cilician plain on the warm southern shore, and the high table land of Lycaonia on the other side of the Pass of Taurus. Paul would see once more his own early home on the banks of the Cydnus and Timothy would be once more in the scenes of his childhood at the base of the Kara-Dagh.

After leaving Tarsus, the cities of Derbe, Lystra, and Iconium, as well as Antioch in Pisidia, would be the primary objects in Paul's progress. Then we come to Phrygia, a vague and indeterminate district which he had visited at least once before (Acts 16:6).

The great road from Ephesus ran east near the cities of Laodicea, Colossae and Hierapolis, then continued to Iconium and ultimately to the Euphrates. We should naturally suppose that the Apostle would approach the capital of Asia along this well-traveled line. But the arguments are so strong for believing that Apostle Paul was never personally at Colossae (see Colossians 2:1), that it is safer to imagine him following some road farther to the north.

Thus, then, we may conceive Paul, during his third evangelistic journey, arrived at that region where he was formerly in hesitation concerning his future progress (Acts 16:6 - 8) and then making his way to Ephesus.

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Acts 19-21 New Living Translation

Paul’s third missionary journey.

19  While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul traveled through the interior regions until he reached Ephesus, on the coast, where he found several believers. [ a ] 2  “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” he asked them.

“No,” they replied, “we haven’t even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”

3  “Then what baptism did you experience?” he asked.

And they replied, “The baptism of John.”

4  Paul said, “John’s baptism called for repentance from sin. But John himself told the people to believe in the one who would come later, meaning Jesus.”

5  As soon as they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6  Then when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in other tongues [ b ] and prophesied. 7  There were about twelve men in all.

Paul Ministers in Ephesus

8  Then Paul went to the synagogue and preached boldly for the next three months, arguing persuasively about the Kingdom of God. 9  But some became stubborn, rejecting his message and publicly speaking against the Way. So Paul left the synagogue and took the believers with him. Then he held daily discussions at the lecture hall of Tyrannus. 10  This went on for the next two years, so that people throughout the province of Asia—both Jews and Greeks—heard the word of the Lord.

11  God gave Paul the power to perform unusual miracles. 12  When handkerchiefs or aprons that had merely touched his skin were placed on sick people, they were healed of their diseases, and evil spirits were expelled.

13  A group of Jews was traveling from town to town casting out evil spirits. They tried to use the name of the Lord Jesus in their incantation, saying, “I command you in the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, to come out!” 14  Seven sons of Sceva, a leading priest, were doing this. 15  But one time when they tried it, the evil spirit replied, “I know Jesus, and I know Paul, but who are you?” 16  Then the man with the evil spirit leaped on them, overpowered them, and attacked them with such violence that they fled from the house, naked and battered.

17  The story of what happened spread quickly all through Ephesus, to Jews and Greeks alike. A solemn fear descended on the city, and the name of the Lord Jesus was greatly honored. 18  Many who became believers confessed their sinful practices. 19  A number of them who had been practicing sorcery brought their incantation books and burned them at a public bonfire. The value of the books was several million dollars. [ c ] 20  So the message about the Lord spread widely and had a powerful effect.

21  Afterward Paul felt compelled by the Spirit [ d ] to go over to Macedonia and Achaia before going to Jerusalem. “And after that,” he said, “I must go on to Rome!” 22  He sent his two assistants, Timothy and Erastus, ahead to Macedonia while he stayed awhile longer in the province of Asia.

The Riot in Ephesus

23  About that time, serious trouble developed in Ephesus concerning the Way. 24  It began with Demetrius, a silversmith who had a large business manufacturing silver shrines of the Greek goddess Artemis. [ e ] He kept many craftsmen busy. 25  He called them together, along with others employed in similar trades, and addressed them as follows:

“Gentlemen, you know that our wealth comes from this business. 26  But as you have seen and heard, this man Paul has persuaded many people that handmade gods aren’t really gods at all. And he’s done this not only here in Ephesus but throughout the entire province! 27  Of course, I’m not just talking about the loss of public respect for our business. I’m also concerned that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will lose its influence and that Artemis—this magnificent goddess worshiped throughout the province of Asia and all around the world—will be robbed of her great prestige!”

28  At this their anger boiled, and they began shouting, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” 29  Soon the whole city was filled with confusion. Everyone rushed to the amphitheater, dragging along Gaius and Aristarchus, who were Paul’s traveling companions from Macedonia. 30  Paul wanted to go in, too, but the believers wouldn’t let him. 31  Some of the officials of the province, friends of Paul, also sent a message to him, begging him not to risk his life by entering the amphitheater.

32  Inside, the people were all shouting, some one thing and some another. Everything was in confusion. In fact, most of them didn’t even know why they were there. 33  The Jews in the crowd pushed Alexander forward and told him to explain the situation. He motioned for silence and tried to speak. 34  But when the crowd realized he was a Jew, they started shouting again and kept it up for about two hours: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians! Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”

35  At last the mayor was able to quiet them down enough to speak. “Citizens of Ephesus,” he said. “Everyone knows that Ephesus is the official guardian of the temple of the great Artemis, whose image fell down to us from heaven. 36  Since this is an undeniable fact, you should stay calm and not do anything rash. 37  You have brought these men here, but they have stolen nothing from the temple and have not spoken against our goddess.

38  “If Demetrius and the craftsmen have a case against them, the courts are in session and the officials can hear the case at once. Let them make formal charges. 39  And if there are complaints about other matters, they can be settled in a legal assembly. 40  I am afraid we are in danger of being charged with rioting by the Roman government, since there is no cause for all this commotion. And if Rome demands an explanation, we won’t know what to say.” 41  [ f ] Then he dismissed them, and they dispersed.

Paul Goes to Macedonia and Greece

20  When the uproar was over, Paul sent for the believers [ g ] and encouraged them. Then he said good-bye and left for Macedonia. 2  While there, he encouraged the believers in all the towns he passed through. Then he traveled down to Greece, 3  where he stayed for three months. He was preparing to sail back to Syria when he discovered a plot by some Jews against his life, so he decided to return through Macedonia.

4  Several men were traveling with him. They were Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea; Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica; Gaius from Derbe; Timothy; and Tychicus and Trophimus from the province of Asia. 5  They went on ahead and waited for us at Troas. 6  After the Passover [ h ] ended, we boarded a ship at Philippi in Macedonia and five days later joined them in Troas, where we stayed a week.

Paul’s Final Visit to Troas

7  On the first day of the week, we gathered with the local believers to share in the Lord’s Supper. [ i ] Paul was preaching to them, and since he was leaving the next day, he kept talking until midnight. 8  The upstairs room where we met was lighted with many flickering lamps. 9  As Paul spoke on and on, a young man named Eutychus, sitting on the windowsill, became very drowsy. Finally, he fell sound asleep and dropped three stories to his death below. 10  Paul went down, bent over him, and took him into his arms. “Don’t worry,” he said, “he’s alive!” 11  Then they all went back upstairs, shared in the Lord’s Supper, [ j ] and ate together. Paul continued talking to them until dawn, and then he left. 12  Meanwhile, the young man was taken home alive and well, and everyone was greatly relieved.

Paul Meets the Ephesian Elders

13  Paul went by land to Assos, where he had arranged for us to join him, while we traveled by ship. 14  He joined us there, and we sailed together to Mitylene. 15  The next day we sailed past the island of Kios. The following day we crossed to the island of Samos, and [ k ] a day later we arrived at Miletus.

16  Paul had decided to sail on past Ephesus, for he didn’t want to spend any more time in the province of Asia. He was hurrying to get to Jerusalem, if possible, in time for the Festival of Pentecost. 17  But when we landed at Miletus, he sent a message to the elders of the church at Ephesus, asking them to come and meet him.

18  When they arrived he declared, “You know that from the day I set foot in the province of Asia until now 19  I have done the Lord’s work humbly and with many tears. I have endured the trials that came to me from the plots of the Jews. 20  I never shrank back from telling you what you needed to hear, either publicly or in your homes. 21  I have had one message for Jews and Greeks alike—the necessity of repenting from sin and turning to God, and of having faith in our Lord Jesus.

22  “And now I am bound by the Spirit [ l ] to go to Jerusalem. I don’t know what awaits me, 23  except that the Holy Spirit tells me in city after city that jail and suffering lie ahead. 24  But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.

25  “And now I know that none of you to whom I have preached the Kingdom will ever see me again. 26  I declare today that I have been faithful. If anyone suffers eternal death, it’s not my fault, [ m ] 27  for I didn’t shrink from declaring all that God wants you to know.

28  “So guard yourselves and God’s people. Feed and shepherd God’s flock—his church, purchased with his own blood [ n ] —over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as leaders. [ o ] 29  I know that false teachers, like vicious wolves, will come in among you after I leave, not sparing the flock. 30  Even some men from your own group will rise up and distort the truth in order to draw a following. 31  Watch out! Remember the three years I was with you—my constant watch and care over you night and day, and my many tears for you.

32  “And now I entrust you to God and the message of his grace that is able to build you up and give you an inheritance with all those he has set apart for himself.

33  “I have never coveted anyone’s silver or gold or fine clothes. 34  You know that these hands of mine have worked to supply my own needs and even the needs of those who were with me. 35  And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”

36  When he had finished speaking, he knelt and prayed with them. 37  They all cried as they embraced and kissed him good-bye. 38  They were sad most of all because he had said that they would never see him again. Then they escorted him down to the ship.

Paul’s Journey to Jerusalem

21  After saying farewell to the Ephesian elders, we sailed straight to the island of Cos. The next day we reached Rhodes and then went to Patara. 2  There we boarded a ship sailing for Phoenicia. 3  We sighted the island of Cyprus, passed it on our left, and landed at the harbor of Tyre, in Syria, where the ship was to unload its cargo.

4  We went ashore, found the local believers, [ p ] and stayed with them a week. These believers prophesied through the Holy Spirit that Paul should not go on to Jerusalem. 5  When we returned to the ship at the end of the week, the entire congregation, including women [ q ] and children, left the city and came down to the shore with us. There we knelt, prayed, 6  and said our farewells. Then we went aboard, and they returned home.

7  The next stop after leaving Tyre was Ptolemais, where we greeted the brothers and sisters [ r ] and stayed for one day. 8  The next day we went on to Caesarea and stayed at the home of Philip the Evangelist, one of the seven men who had been chosen to distribute food. 9  He had four unmarried daughters who had the gift of prophecy.

10  Several days later a man named Agabus, who also had the gift of prophecy, arrived from Judea. 11  He came over, took Paul’s belt, and bound his own feet and hands with it. Then he said, “The Holy Spirit declares, ‘So shall the owner of this belt be bound by the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem and turned over to the Gentiles.’” 12  When we heard this, we and the local believers all begged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem.

13  But he said, “Why all this weeping? You are breaking my heart! I am ready not only to be jailed at Jerusalem but even to die for the sake of the Lord Jesus.” 14  When it was clear that we couldn’t persuade him, we gave up and said, “The Lord’s will be done.”

Paul Arrives at Jerusalem

15  After this we packed our things and left for Jerusalem. 16  Some believers from Caesarea accompanied us, and they took us to the home of Mnason, a man originally from Cyprus and one of the early believers. 17  When we arrived, the brothers and sisters in Jerusalem welcomed us warmly.

18  The next day Paul went with us to meet with James, and all the elders of the Jerusalem church were present. 19  After greeting them, Paul gave a detailed account of the things God had accomplished among the Gentiles through his ministry.

20  After hearing this, they praised God. And then they said, “You know, dear brother, how many thousands of Jews have also believed, and they all follow the law of Moses very seriously. 21  But the Jewish believers here in Jerusalem have been told that you are teaching all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn their backs on the laws of Moses. They’ve heard that you teach them not to circumcise their children or follow other Jewish customs. 22  What should we do? They will certainly hear that you have come.

23  “Here’s what we want you to do. We have four men here who have completed their vow. 24  Go with them to the Temple and join them in the purification ceremony, paying for them to have their heads ritually shaved. Then everyone will know that the rumors are all false and that you yourself observe the Jewish laws.

25  “As for the Gentile believers, they should do what we already told them in a letter: They should abstain from eating food offered to idols, from consuming blood or the meat of strangled animals, and from sexual immorality.”

Paul Is Arrested

26  So Paul went to the Temple the next day with the other men. They had already started the purification ritual, so he publicly announced the date when their vows would end and sacrifices would be offered for each of them.

27  The seven days were almost ended when some Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul in the Temple and roused a mob against him. They grabbed him, 28  yelling, “Men of Israel, help us! This is the man who preaches against our people everywhere and tells everybody to disobey the Jewish laws. He speaks against the Temple—and even defiles this holy place by bringing in Gentiles. [ s ] ” 29  (For earlier that day they had seen him in the city with Trophimus, a Gentile from Ephesus, [ t ] and they assumed Paul had taken him into the Temple.)

30  The whole city was rocked by these accusations, and a great riot followed. Paul was grabbed and dragged out of the Temple, and immediately the gates were closed behind him. 31  As they were trying to kill him, word reached the commander of the Roman regiment that all Jerusalem was in an uproar. 32  He immediately called out his soldiers and officers [ u ] and ran down among the crowd. When the mob saw the commander and the troops coming, they stopped beating Paul.

33  Then the commander arrested him and ordered him bound with two chains. He asked the crowd who he was and what he had done. 34  Some shouted one thing and some another. Since he couldn’t find out the truth in all the uproar and confusion, he ordered that Paul be taken to the fortress. 35  As Paul reached the stairs, the mob grew so violent the soldiers had to lift him to their shoulders to protect him. 36  And the crowd followed behind, shouting, “Kill him, kill him!”

Paul Speaks to the Crowd

37  As Paul was about to be taken inside, he said to the commander, “May I have a word with you?”

“Do you know Greek?” the commander asked, surprised. 38  “Aren’t you the Egyptian who led a rebellion some time ago and took 4,000 members of the Assassins out into the desert?”

39  “No,” Paul replied, “I am a Jew and a citizen of Tarsus in Cilicia, which is an important city. Please, let me talk to these people.” 40  The commander agreed, so Paul stood on the stairs and motioned to the people to be quiet. Soon a deep silence enveloped the crowd, and he addressed them in their own language, Aramaic. [ v ]

• 19:1 Greek disciples; also in 19:9 , 30 .
• 19:6 Or in other languages.
• 19:19 Greek 50,000 pieces of silver, each of which was the equivalent of a day’s wage.
• 19:21 Or decided in his spirit.
• 19:24 Artemis is otherwise known as Diana.
• 19:41 Some translations include verse 41 as part of verse 40.
• 20:1 Greek disciples.
• 20:6 Greek the days of unleavened bread.
• 20:7 Greek to break bread.
• 20:11 Greek broke the bread.
• 20:15 Some manuscripts read and having stayed at Trogyllium.
• 20:22 Or by my spirit, or by an inner compulsion; Greek reads by the spirit.
• 20:26 Greek I am innocent of the blood of all.
• 20:28a Or with the blood of his own [Son].
• 20:28b Or overseers, or bishops.
• 21:4 Greek disciples; also in 21:16 .
• 21:5 Or wives.
• 21:7 Greek brothers; also in 21:17 .
• 21:28 Greek Greeks.
• 21:29 Greek Trophimus, the Ephesian.
• 21:32 Greek centurions.
• 21:40 Or Hebrew.

Holy Bible , New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. , Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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Paul’s 3rd Missionary Journey

This intricately detailed map traces the remarkable journey of the Apostle Paul during his Third Missionary Journey, a pivotal period in the early spread of Christianity. Spanning the mid-1st century AD, this journey is brought to life through geographic precision and historical context, offering a vivid glimpse into the life and teachings of the apostle.

Key Features on the Map:

Starting Point in Antioch: 

Paul's journey begins in the bustling city of Antioch in Syria, a hub for early Christian communities.

Asian Minor (Modern-Day Turkey): 

Follow Paul's path through Asia Minor, where he visited and nurtured growing Christian communities in cities like Ephesus, Troas, and Miletus.

Journey into Greece: 

The map shows Paul's passage into Greece, where he preached in cities like Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea, leaving a lasting Christian legacy.

Iconic Cities: 

Explore the map's markers for iconic cities where Paul made significant impacts, establishing churches and sharing his teachings.

Biblical References: 

Discover scriptural references that correspond to each location, offering insight into the events and teachings associated with each stop on Paul's journey.  

Geographic Details: 

Learn about the geographical features that shaped Paul's path, from rivers and mountains to the Aegean Sea, providing a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities he encountered.

Historical Context: 

Gain a deeper appreciation for the historical backdrop of the time, including political and cultural elements that influenced Paul's mission.

This map serves as a valuable educational tool for students, scholars, and anyone interested in the early history of Christianity. It illuminates the incredible travels and tireless efforts of the Apostle Paul as he spread the message of Christ across the ancient Mediterranean world.

THE BOOK OF ACTS

CITIES AND AREAS VISITED ON PAUL’S THREE MISSIONARY JOURNEYS

The First Missionary Journey

The Second Missionary Journey

  The Third Missionary Journey Location Biblical Reference Antioch Acts 18:23 Galation and Phrygia Acts 18:23 Upper coasts Acts 19:1 Ephesus Acts 19:1 Macedonia - Greece Acts 20:1-2 Philippi Acts 20:6 Troas Acts 20:6 Assos Acts 20:13 Mitylene Acts 20:14 Chios Acts 20:15 Samos Trogyllium Miletus Coos Acts 21:1 Rhodes Patara Tyre Acts 21:3 Ptolemais Acts 21:7 Caessarea Acts 21:8 Jerusalem Acts 21:15

Map of Paul's third mission journey

Paul's 3rd missionary journey took place between 54 AD and 58 AD, more than 1900 years ago. He traveled through parts of Asia and Europe. This journey is described in the Bible's book of Acts 18:23-28; Acts 19; Acts 20; through Acts 21:17. Click on any of the map markers and more information about that place will pop up.

Source: Research by About-Jesus.org

Interactive Bible maps:

• Places where Jesus performed miracles

• Places that Jesus visited

• Paul's 1st mission journey

• Paul's 2nd mission journey

• Paul's 3rd mission journey

• Paul's journey to Rome

• Seven churches in Revelation

• Bible places map

• List of interactive maps

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Author: Ron Graham

simplybible.com

Outline of Paul’s Third Missionary Journey —Revisiting churches, then to Jerusalem

This is our third study on the journeys of Paul, and we look at Paul's third missionary journey (Acts 18:23 to 21:17).

Stages of the third journey

• Between his second and third journeys, Paul spent some time working with the church in Syrian Antioch (Acts 18:22-23). From there, Paul set off on the third journey.
• First he visited the churches again in Galatia and Phrygia (Acts 18:23).
• Paul next returned to Ephesus where his work caused an uproar (Acts 19:1-41).
• Paul then revisited Macedonia and Greece, afterward going to Troas and then to Miletus (Acts 20:1-38).
• From Miletus Paul sailed to Caesarea and then went to Jerusalem (Acts 21:1-17).

1. In his second journey, Paul had visited Ephesus briefly (Acts 18:19-21). He begins his third journey overland, revisiting churches where he had previously been (Acts 18:23). Paul continued on a route that eventually brought him to Ephesus (Acts 19:1).

2. While Paul was doing all this travelling, there was something already going on at Ephesus, concerning a preacher called Apollos. It also involved Priscilla and Aquila whom Paul had made friends with on his second journey (Acts 18:1-3). Luke inserts an account of this episode before describing Paul's work in Ephesus (Acts 18:24-28).

3. One thing Paul did in Ephesus was to correct the lack of understanding about baptism among some disciples, just as Priscilla and Aquila had done earlier with Apollos (Acts 19:1-7).

4. Paul tried to establish a regular ministry preaching in the synagogue, but this lasted only three months and Paul moved his venue to a school and preached there successfully for two years (Acts 19:8-10).

5. Paul did marvelous miracles in Ephesus. People renounced their inferior magic. But this sparked a near riot in the city (Acts 19:11-41).

After Ephesus

6. Paul revisited Macedonia and Greece (Achaia) as he had planned (see Acts 19:21). He then went to Troas where Eutychus fell out the window while Paul was preaching (Acts 20:1-12).

7. Next Paul went to Assos, and on to Miletus, a coastal town near Ephesus. There Paul made his touching farewell speech to the elders from Ephesus (Acts 20:13-38).

8. Paul sailed from Miletus around by Rhodes and past Cyprus, then down to Tyre for a week's respite with the kindly disciples there. After that he made his way to Caesarea to stay with Philip the evangelist. As in Tyre, here also in Caesarea there were prophecies that bode ill for Paul in Jerusalem. But he was resolute (Acts 21:1-14).

9. Finally, Jerusalem (Acts 21:15-17).

Solid Companions

In this third journey, we notice that Paul, in most stages, had many companions travelling with him, including Luke himself at times. People travelled ahead to make arrangements for Paul. People gave him lodging. They prayed, even wept with him. Paul was facing serious problems ahead. He needed the care of his fellow disciples.

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Navigate the Chapters

Chapter 1: Introduction

Chapter 2: pentecost, chapters 3-7: in jerusalem, chapters 8-12: judea & samaria, chapters 13-20: the missionary journeys, chapters 21-28: paul's witness spreads to rome.

Paul’s Third Missionary Journey

1 While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul traveled through the interior regions until he reached Ephesus, on the coast, where he found several believers. 2 “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” he asked them.

“No,” they replied, “we haven’t even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”

3 “Then what baptism did you experience?” he asked.

And they replied, “The baptism of John.”

4 Paul said, “John’s baptism called for repentance from sin. But John himself told the people to believe in the one who would come later, meaning Jesus.”

5 As soon as they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 Then when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in other tongues and prophesied. 7 There were about twelve men in all.

Paul Ministers in Ephesus

8 Then Paul went to the synagogue and preached boldly for the next three months, arguing persuasively about the Kingdom of God. 9 But some became stubborn, rejecting his message and publicly speaking against the Way. So Paul left the synagogue and took the believers with him. Then he held daily discussions at the lecture hall of Tyrannus. 10 This went on for the next two years, so that people throughout the province of Asia—both Jews and Greeks—heard the word of the Lord.

11 God gave Paul the power to perform unusual miracles. 12 When handkerchiefs or aprons that had merely touched his skin were placed on sick people, they were healed of their diseases, and evil spirits were expelled.

13 A group of Jews was traveling from town to town casting out evil spirits. They tried to use the name of the Lord Jesus in their incantation, saying, “I command you in the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, to come out!” 14 Seven sons of Sceva, a leading priest, were doing this. 15 But one time when they tried it, the evil spirit replied, “I know Jesus, and I know Paul, but who are you?” 16 Then the man with the evil spirit leaped on them, overpowered them, and attacked them with such violence that they fled from the house, naked and battered.

17 The story of what happened spread quickly all through Ephesus, to Jews and Greeks alike. A solemn fear descended on the city, and the name of the Lord Jesus was greatly honored. 18 Many who became believers confessed their sinful practices. 19 A number of them who had been practicing sorcery brought their incantation books and burned them at a public bonfire. The value of the books was several million dollars. 20 So the message about the Lord spread widely and had a powerful effect.

21 Afterward Paul felt compelled by the Spirit to go over to Macedonia and Achaia before going to Jerusalem. “And after that,” he said, “I must go on to Rome!” 22 He sent his two assistants, Timothy and Erastus, ahead to Macedonia while he stayed awhile longer in the province of Asia.

The Riot in Ephesus

23 About that time, serious trouble developed in Ephesus concerning the Way. 24 It began with Demetrius, a silversmith who had a large business manufacturing silver shrines of the Greek goddess Artemis. He kept many craftsmen busy. 25 He called them together, along with others employed in similar trades, and addressed them as follows:

“Gentlemen, you know that our wealth comes from this business. 26 But as you have seen and heard, this man Paul has persuaded many people that handmade gods aren’t really gods at all. And he’s done this not only here in Ephesus but throughout the entire province! 27 Of course, I’m not just talking about the loss of public respect for our business. I’m also concerned that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will lose its influence and that Artemis—this magnificent goddess worshiped throughout the province of Asia and all around the world—will be robbed of her great prestige!”

28 At this their anger boiled, and they began shouting, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” 29 Soon the whole city was filled with confusion. Everyone rushed to the amphitheater, dragging along Gaius and Aristarchus, who were Paul’s traveling companions from Macedonia. 30 Paul wanted to go in, too, but the believers wouldn’t let him. 31 Some of the officials of the province, friends of Paul, also sent a message to him, begging him not to risk his life by entering the amphitheater.

32 Inside, the people were all shouting, some one thing and some another. Everything was in confusion. In fact, most of them didn’t even know why they were there. 33 The Jews in the crowd pushed Alexander forward and told him to explain the situation. He motioned for silence and tried to speak. 34 But when the crowd realized he was a Jew, they started shouting again and kept it up for about two hours: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians! Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”

35 At last the mayor was able to quiet them down enough to speak. “Citizens of Ephesus,” he said. “Everyone knows that Ephesus is the official guardian of the temple of the great Artemis, whose image fell down to us from heaven. 36 Since this is an undeniable fact, you should stay calm and not do anything rash. 37 You have brought these men here, but they have stolen nothing from the temple and have not spoken against our goddess.

38 “If Demetrius and the craftsmen have a case against them, the courts are in session and the officials can hear the case at once. Let them make formal charges. 39 And if there are complaints about other matters, they can be settled in a legal assembly. 40 I am afraid we are in danger of being charged with rioting by the Roman government, since there is no cause for all this commotion. And if Rome demands an explanation, we won’t know what to say.” 41 Then he dismissed them, and they dispersed.

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Moscow: The Third Rome

The Third Rome refers to a nickname given to Moscow after it succeeded Rome and Istanbul as the capital of Christianity. It emphasizes the significance of the Russian Orthodox Church to Moscow.

Constructed after the fall of the Soviet Union (1991), Post-Soviet churches will be our main focus of analysis and will contribute to our understanding of Moscow as a palimpsest. Through examining the pre-communist, communist, and post-Soviet eras, these churches will portray the dynamic role that political institutions have had on the architectural layers of the city.

Saint Basil's Cathedral

Byzantine vs. Onion Dome

Pre-Communist Era

As the foundation of the city’s palimpsest, pre-communist churches contribute a defining architectural layer to the urban landscape of Moscow. Established in 1448, the Russian Orthodox church, for much of its existence, was heavily associated with the political, social, and economic affairs of the country. Churches during this era were constructed to commemorate military victories, assert religious piety, and most importantly, reflect the magnificence of the country. Constructed in 1561, Saint Basil’s Cathedral is one of the most iconic examples of a pre-communist Russian Orthodox church (1). Commissioned by Ivan the Terrible to celebrate his military victory in Kazan and Astrakhan, Saint Basil’s introduced several architectural traditions into Russian Orthodox church design. The most notable of which are the vibrantly colored onion-shaped domes. These onion-shaped domes replaced the earlier hemispherical Byzantine domes and remain an influential part of later church designs (2). Because of this, the architectural features of these pre-communist churches serve as a defining layer of Moscow’s palimpsest.

Cathedral of Christ the Saviour

Communist Era

In 1917, when the communist government gained control, it withdrew its support from the church, adding another notable layer to Moscow’s palimpsest. The implications of this separation of church and state are most evident in the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour. Built in 1883 to commemorate Alexander I’s military victory, the cathedral was one of the tallest monuments in Moscow (3). Because Stalin believed that the church had a significant influence on society, he “decided to demolish religious influences across the country and replace them with those that stood for communist values” (4). As a result, the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour was demolished in 1931. 

Palace of Soviets

From "New Moscow" Stalinist Buildings with Palace of Soviets in Background

In its place, Stalin began plans to construct the Palace of Soviets, a governmental center that would have been the tallest structure in the world. Furthermore, Stalin also completed several ambitious infrastructure projects around the city like the Seven Sisters, the Moscow canal, and even the opulent metro system. To Stalin, these grandiose projects represented the power of communism in Russia.

Creating imposing communist structures is a common idea in some of the films that we’ve studied. For example, in New Moscow, the film presents a satirical view on many of the communist structures proposed under Stalin’s ambitious reconstruction plans. Through depicting imposing buildings like the Palace of Soviets and several completed infrastructure projects (bridges, buildings, prospects), the film highlights Moscow’s grandiose and formidable structural development under the communist era (5). As evidenced by the destruction of the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour and the construction of many Soviet style buildings, the communist era added another significant architectural layer to Moscow’s palimpsest.

Post-Soviet Era

When the communist government collapsed in 1991, the Russian Orthodox Church began to regain influence over society, reflecting another layer of the city’s palimpsest. For many Russians, the church “fill[ed] the ideological vacuum left by the end of communism” (6) As a result, the city began reconstructing previously demolished churches and initiated a massive religious infrastructure program. For example, in 1995, the city government decided to reconstruct the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour on its original site. Most recently, the government instituted the 200 Churches Program – an initiative to construct 200 churches in Moscow’s suburbs over the next 20 years (7).

In combination, the, pre-communist, communist, and post-Soviet eras contribute various defining layers to the city’s palimpsest. Although Moscow has experienced multiple political governments, the Russian Orthodox Church has always been an integral role in the urban landscape of the city’s palimpsest.

1)  Popova, Anna. "Russia's Best-known Church."  Russia Beyond The Headlines . N.p., 12 July 2016. Web. 23 Oct. 2016.

2) Jackson, Thomas Graham.  Byzantine and Romanesque Architecture .  New York: Hacker Art, 1975. Print.

3)  "The Cathedral of Christ the Saviour."  Moscow's Cathedral of Christ the Savior . N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Oct. 2016.

4) Jin, Peter. "Post Soviet Churches: The Tallest Orthodox Church."  Omeka RSS . N.p., 9 Oct. 2016. Web. 09 Dec. 2016.

5)  New Moscow . Dir. Aleksandr Medvedkin. Youtube , 1938. Web. 9 Dec. 2016.

6)  Clover, Charles. "Russia's Church Mourns Patriarch."  Financial Times . N.p., 05 Dec. 2008. Web. 23 Oct. 2016. 

7)  Vasílieva, Anna. "200 New Orthodox Churches in Moscow."  Russia Beyond The Headlines . N.p., 26 Mar. 2013. Web. 23 Oct. 2016.

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From Moscow to St. Petersburg: 6 ancient cities to see along the way

Monument to Mikhail Tverskoy on Sovetskaya Square in Tver

Since Russia’s second capital, St. Petersburg, was founded more than 300 years ago, many of the country’s most prominent people, from Imperial rulers to poets, often traveled between the two centers of power. Not surprisingly, Russia’s first paved roads were between Moscow and St. Petersburg, and the country’s first major railway line linked the two cities.

Writer Alexandr Radishchev was imprisoned for his report,  Journey from St. Petersburg to Moscow (1790), and was almost executed by Catherine the Great for penning this travel diary. In the end, the monarch spared his life and he was exiled to Siberia.

Today, there are several ways to travel from Moscow to St. Petersburg (high-speed train, overnight train or plane), but you can also enjoy an amazing road trip between the two host cities of The 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia ™.

Monument to Pyotr Tchaikovsky in Klin

After about an hour driving on the M-11 highway you’ll arrive in the small tsarist-era merchant town of Klin, which is in the Moscow Region. Right at the city entrance you will see the Demyanovo Estate. In 1785, Catherine the Great and her grandson, future Tsar Alexander I, stayed here. Nearly 16 years later, poet Alexander Pushkin was also a guest.

Composer Pyotr Tchaikovsky spent the last years of his life in Klin, so you’ll also see monuments and signs of his memory everywhere. There is a house museum devoted to his life and art, and it’s said that Tchaikovsky wrote his famous “Nutcracker” in the city.

In 1569, Ivan the Terrible called for a campaign to punish the rebellious city of Veliky Novgorod, and since Klin was on this route it was almost burnt down by the vicious shock troops known as the oprichniki . Klin’s first stone church, the Church of the Confession of the Holy Mother of God, was built soon after this tragedy and still stands today. Read more about Klin and its surroundings here .

Take a boat tour on the Volga River

After about another 1.5 hours you’ll reach Tver. The city was once a rich and powerful competitor to Moscow. Located at where the Volga and Tvertsa rivers meet, Tver was once a prosperous merchant city. Today, it’s more of an average provincial town.

In summer, take a boat tour on the Volga River. The one-hour ride allows you to see the whole city, including Catherine the Great's recently restored Imperial Travel Palace  that now hosts a fine art gallery. Other sites to keep an eye out for include the huge train wagon factory, and the picturesque embankments on both sides of the Volga.

Take a stroll along the Trekhsvyatskaya pedestrian street, and greet Pushkin, Afanasy Nikitin and Vladimir Lenin, as well as grab a snack there. Read more about Tver and its surroundings here.

St. Boris and Gleb Monastery

Not far from Tver is the small cozy town of Torzhok where you can find a wide range of activities. 

In the gastronomical sphere the old merchant city is well known for its unique Croquettes Pozharsky , which Pushkin praised: “Dine in the Pozharsky Inn in Torzhok with fried meat cutlets and you’ll certainly leave happy!”

Today, you can sample them in almost every restaurant, especially next to the poet’s museum. By the way, the museum’s garden offers the best view of the city from above.

Apart from more mundane matters, Torzhok was once a powerful religious center with the monumental St. Boris and Gleb Monastery , located at the steep shore of the Tvertsa River.

Many centuries ago a local monk showed Kievan Princess Olga a precious local traditional skill: goldwork . In the Goldwork Museum, you can learn how Torzhok masters embellish clothes and accessories with golden embroidery. Read more about Torzhok here .

4. Vyshny Volochyok

Monument to Ilya Repin next the Academic Dacha of the Russian Artists Union

In another hour you’ll be in the “Russian Venice!” You might wonder why this ambitious moniker? Vyshny Volochyok is an old merchant town, located on a large canal system. Prior to the 19th century, the Vyshny Volochyok Waterway connected St. Petersburg with central Russia, and the canals made possible cargo routes for all sorts of supplies, from food to construction materials.

To the benefit of Russian culture, Vyshny Volochyok was a “place of inspiration” for famous artists including Ilya Repin, Isaac Levitan and Arkhip Kuindzhi. Today’s artists still come here to invigorate their creative powers at the Academic Dacha of the Russian Artists Union. The great Repin once wrote about the place: “Isn't it the promised land for a landscape painter! It is the essence of Russia, its soul and its beauty... It's like a song!”

At night it’s cold? No problem. The original Valenki manufacturer, and its nice museum and shop, are open almost 24 hours. Here you can find reliable and real Russian felt boots. Read more about Vyshny Volochok and its surroundings here .

Valday Iversky Monastery

Ding, dang, dong... this is how Valdai greets visitors! In 1910, Georgy Andreev founded a bell factory here, where they produced church bells as well as secular ones. Why here? Because in this region for centuries fast-going winter sledges and carriages used to ring a small bell to alert the others and avoid crashes. Later the military started to use these signals as well, and they were prohibited for civilian transport.

Walk around the small Palace Park and guess which Russian tsarina made Valdai a city and built a beautiful estate here?  Catherine the Great, of course! In fact, she built ‘small’ travel houses in almost every major city in order to rest on her long journeys.

In the tiny white rotunda in the park you’ll find the Bell Museum where you can learn about the bells, their history, and also be taught how to play the large bell ensembles found at the top of church towers.

When you leave the city on the way to Veliky Novgorod stop at the picturesque Iversky Monastery, which is located in the middle of a dark forest next to a large lake. Founded in the 17th century by Patriarch Nikon, who was on his way to the Solovetsky Islands in the north, the monastery grounds offers a chance to enjoy nature, peace and solitude. The monastery kitchen feeds visitors well with typical Ivan Chai tea , Sbiten and different cookies, cakes and more. Read more about Valdai and it’s surroundings here .

6. Veliky Novgorod

Russia's oldest kremlin

Now you’ve arrived at the last stop before reaching St. Petersburg, and you can again get used to bigger cities. In Veliky Novgorod, which means Novgorod the Great, you can walk along the imposing kremlin walls or take a bath in the wide Volkhov River. The city’s kremlin , or Detinets , is Russia's most ancient that has survived to our day.

Visit the extraordinary State Gallery and Regional Museum inside the kremlin , and then try the fine local restaurants with traditional Russian cuisine. Next, take a small trip to the wooden village of Vitoslavitsy, which often has festivals of Russian culture.

Next to this tiny village and it’s Open Air Museum of Russian Wooden Architecture you can also take a glance on the famous St. Yuryev Monastery. Founded in 1030 by Yaroslav the Wise, it’s one of Russia’s oldest monasteries. Read more about Veliky Novgorod and its surrounding here .

What next? In about 200 km there will be a few smaller tsarist summer palaces, and in about two or three hours you’re back in civilization – in exquisite St. Petersburg.

For your trip we also recommend to read about the driving culture in Russia .

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Byzantium, Kyivan Rus’, and their contested legacies

Virgin of Vladimir, 12th century with later repainting, tempera on wood (State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow)

One of the most beloved artworks in Russia is a tempera on wood icon known as the Virgin of Vladimir, or Vladimirskaya . It presents a common composition known as the Virgin eleousa (“compassionate”), which shows Mary and Jesus in tender embrace, their faces pressed together. The Virgin gazes out at us, commanding our attention, but her hands seem to gesture toward her son, destined to die on the cross and rise from the dead as the savior of humankind. Through the centuries, many miracles have been attributed to this icon, and as a result, numerous patrons and artists have sought to produce copies of it.

Locations of the Virgin of Vladimir icon (underlying map © Google)

But despite the Virgin of Vladimir’s enduring religious and cultural importance in Russia, the icon is not Russian in origin. It was likely painted in the twelfth century in Constantinople (Istanbul), capital of the Eastern Roman “ Byzantine ” Empire, and brought to Kyiv, capital of Kyivan Rus’ , as a diplomatic gift around 1131. Later, the icon was transferred to the city of Vladimir (hence its name), and eventually to the Russian capital of Moscow, where it still remains.

The Virgin of Vladimir’s journey from Constantinople to Kyiv, and eventually, to Moscow, is part of a larger story of the conversion of Kyivan Rus’ to the Orthodox Christianity of the Byzantine Empire in the tenth century and Moscow’s subsequent rise as a new center of power in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. While neither the Byzantine Empire nor Kyivan Rus’ survive today, works of art and architecture like the Virgin of Vladimir can help us understand the relationship between these medieval states, as well as their contested legacies in today’s world.

The Byzantine Empire and Kyivan Rus’

Kyivan Rus’ emerged as a powerful confederation of city-states during the second half of the ninth century in Eastern Europe, where rivers helped link the Baltic Sea with the Black Sea and facilitated trade with Constantinople, the wealthy capital of the Byzantine Empire. The capital of Kyivan Rus’ was Kyiv on the Dnieper River , which is today the capital of Ukraine. The name “Kyivan Rus’” refers both to the state and its people.

Map of the Byzantine Empire and Kyivan Rus’ (underlying map © Google)

A modern monument to prince Vladimir I overlooks the Dnieper River in Kyiv, Ukraine, (photo: Library of Congress )

Kyivan Rus’ was sometimes a trading partner and other times an enemy of the Byzantine Empire. But in 987, Prince Vladimir I of Kyiv , ruler over Kyivan Rus’, formed an alliance with the Byzantine emperor Basil II , converting from paganism to Christianity and marrying Basil II’s sister Anna in 988. Historical texts describe the subsequent conversion of Vladimir’s formerly pagan subjects by mass baptism in the Dnieper River in Kyiv. With its conversion to the Orthodox Christianity of the Byzantines, Kyivan Rus’ now began appropriating and adapting Byzantine art and architecture for itself.

St. Sophia, c. 1037 (with later additions), Kyiv (photo: Daniel Kraft, CC BY-SA 3.0)

St. Sophia, Kyiv

Plan of St. Sophia, Kyiv, c. 1037 (Evan Freeman, redrawn after John Lowden, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

Wishing to emulate the Byzantine capital of Constantinople and its cathedral Hagia Sophia (dedicated to Christ as “Holy Wisdom”), Vladimir’s son Yaroslav expanded Kyiv and built a magnificent new church to function as the city’s main cathedral, which he likewise dedicated to St. Sophia (“Holy Wisdom”) in imitation of Constantinople’s Hagia Sophia. St. Sophia in Kyiv illustrates how Kyivan Rus’ appropriated the art and architecture of the Byzantine Empire while also making it their own.

Built c. 1037, Kyiv’s St. Sophia was likely the product of collaboration between Byzantine and local craftsmen. The core of St. Sophia takes the form of a typical Middle Byzantine cross-in-square church, incorporating additional aisles and galleries to accommodate a large cathedral congregation, though still falling short of the astonishing scale of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople. Kyiv’s St. Sophia was probably finished in the 1040s and even its first bishop, Theopemptos, came from Constantinople. St. Sophia in Kyiv still stands today, albeit with later restorations and additions.

The interior of St. Sophia displays  mosaics and frescoes —hallmarks of Byzantine church decoration—though the former are better preserved than the latter. And although church services in Kyivan Rus’ were celebrated in Church Slavonic, a language whose written form was first developed by Byzantine missionaries in the ninth century, St. Sophia’s mosaics are labeled in Greek, the language of Byzantium.

Dome mosaics, St. Sophia, Kyiv, c. 1037 (photo © Archimandrite Seraphim )

Christ Pantokrator

Byzantine worshippers probably would have found the interior of Kyiv’s St. Sophia very familiar. As in contemporary Byzantine churches, such as Daphni monastery , a bearded Christ Pantokrator (“almighty”) reigns over the church from the central dome. Christ is surrounded by angels with large wings in imperial garb. Apostles fill the spaces between the windows in the drum that supports the dome and the four evangelists (authors of the Gospels) appear in the pendentives just below the windows.

Annunciation mosaics, St. Sophia, Kyiv, c. 1037 (photos © Archimandrite Seraphim )

The Annunciation

The mosaics in the bema  where the altar is located similarly mirror contemporary Byzantine churches and point to the function of this part of the church as the place where the Eucharist was celebrated. Gabriel and the Virgin enact the Annunciation from either side of the bema. The angel announces to the Virgin that she will give birth to Jesus, suggesting a parallel between Christ’s incarnation (becoming flesh and blood) through the Virgin and the Eucharistic bread and wine believed to become Christ’s body and blood on the altar below.

Apse mosaics, St. Sophia, Kyiv, c. 1037 (photo © Archimandrite Seraphim )

Virgin orans

A towering Virgin orans (about 5.5 meters tall) looms against the gold ground of the apse. She stands on a gold platform and raises her hands in prayer beneath large Greek characters that identify her as the “Mother of God.” This mosaic echoed similar images of the Virgin installed in churches and the palace in Constantinople following Iconoclasm, which were associated with imperial power and authority. A large inscription frames the Virgin at Kyiv with the words of Psalm 45:6, which speak of a God-protected city: “God is in its midst; it shall not be shaken; God will help it in the morning.” [1]

The Communion of the Apostles

Below the Virgin, Christ presides at the celebration of the Eucharist in a scene known as the “Communion of the Apostles,” which became a common feature in Byzantine churches at this time, and which paralleled the celebration of the Eucharist unfolding at the altar below. Although reminiscent of the Last Supper , this image anachronistically depicts Christ presiding at a celebration of the Divine Liturgy like a Byzantine priest with all the trappings of a contemporary church altar. This image must have helped connect the experiences of contemporary worshippers with these holy figures of Christ and his apostles from the past: as worshippers drew near to the altar to receive the Eucharist, they mirrored the apostles who similarly approached Christ in the mosaic above.

Perhaps surprising to modern viewers, Christ actually appears twice in this image. The artists have employed a common medieval visual device known as continuous narration in an attempt to depict two moments within one scene: on the left, Christ offers the Eucharistic bread to six of the apostles; on the right, he offers the Eucharistic wine to six more apostles.

Virgin and Child flanked by emperors Constantine and Justinian, Southwest vestibule mosaic, early 10th century, Hagia Sophia, Constantinople (Istanbul) (photo: byzantologist , CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

Fresco depicting the imperial box at the hippodrome in Constantinople, 11th century, St. Sophia, Kyiv

Badly damaged frescoes decorating the galleries and turrets of St. Sophia—privileged spaces reserved for the prince—once displayed portraits of Yarloslav, his wife Irene, and their children. Yaroslav, now lost, was once shown offering a model of St. Sophia cathedral to Christ, much as the Byzantine emperors Constantine and Justinian offer models of Constantinople and Hagia Sophia to the Virgin and Child in a tenth-century mosaic in Hagia Sophia in Constantinople. The southwestern turret also displayed images of chariot racing in the hippodrome of Constantinople, further linking Kyiv’s cathedral and prince with the Eastern Roman capital and empire.

Icon with the Battle of Novgorod and Suzdal (The Miracle of the Icon of the Mother of God of the Sign), c. 1475 (Novgorod Integrated Museum-Reservation, Novgorod, Russia) (photo: byzantologist , CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

The rise of Moscow, “Third Rome”

In the middle of the thirteenth century, Kyiv and many of its former territories fell to Mongol invaders, bringing an end to Kyivan Rus’. But after two centuries of Mongol rule in the region, the city of Moscow emerged as a new center of power. Moscow was a latecomer among the older cities of Kyivan Rus’, emerging in the twelfth century and gaining wealth and power in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. The Grand Duke of Moscow Ivan III “the Great” achieved independence from the Mongols around 1480 and established Moscow as the center of what now became known as “Russia.”

But as Moscow ascended, the Byzantine Empire declined. Constantinople (today Istanbul) fell to the Ottomans  in 1453, ending the long history of the Eastern Roman Empire that had begun when emperor Constantine dedicated the capital city of Constantinople in 330, which he also referred to as “New Rome.” In the years that followed, Moscow increasingly viewed itself as successor to Byzantium and even began referring to itself as the “Third Rome.” [2] In 1472, Ivan III married Sophia Palaiologina, niece of the last Byzantine emperor, symbolically cementing the continuation of Byzantium in Russia.

Rublev’s Trinity

In addition to the Virgin of Vladimir, one of Russia’s best-known artworks—an icon of the Holy Trinity attributed to Andrei Rublev—dates from this period of Moscow’s ascent. Rublev was an influential Russian painter who probably lived from the 1360s until around 1430. Texts describe him painting the Cathedral of the Annunciation of the Moscow Kremlin with the Byzantine painter Theophanes the Greek, although these paintings no longer survive. Rublev probably painted his icon of the Trinity  for the Trinity Lavra of Saint Sergius in Sergiyev Posad, an important monastery near Moscow, where it was part of a church iconostasis (the barrier that separates the sanctuary from the rest of the church).

Andrei Rublev, The Trinity, c. 1410 or 1425–27, tempera on wood, 142 × 114 cm (Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow)

The harmonious colors and rhythmic contours of the symmetrical composition depict three angels who visited and were served food by the biblical patriarch Abraham and his wife Sarah in Genesis 18  in the Hebrew Bible or “Old Testament.”Christian theologians long interpreted this visitation of the three angels as an image of the Holy Trinity. Byzantine depictions of this event, as seen, for example, in the sixth-century mosaic at San Vitale, typically include both Abraham and Sarah, who play a central role in the biblical episode. But Rublev eliminated Abraham and Sarah from his icon, allowing the viewer to focus on the simplified composition of the three angels seated around an altar-like table. Rublev’s innovative icon reflects new Russian contributions to the Byzantine artistic tradition it inherited.

Hospitality of Abraham and Sacrifice of Isaac mosaic, San Vitale, consecrated 547, Ravenna, Italy

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Home / Orthodoxy / The Orthodox Faith / Volume III - Church History / Sixteenth Century /

Volume III - Church History

Sixteenth century, the victory of the possessors.

In Russia in the 16th century, the “Third Rome” theory became a political reality. In 1511, only one year after Moscow’s annexation of the important northwestern city of Pskov, the elderly, scholarly monk Philotheus of Pskov informed the Muscovite Tsar Basil III (r. 1505–1533) of his vision, based on the book of Daniel, that the Russian tsardom was to be the final earthly reign of God’s People.

According to Philotheus, the first Rome had fallen through heresy, and the second Rome, Constantinople, had fallen through sin. The third Rome, Moscow, was standing. And according to his interpretation of Daniel 2.44, it was the rising Muscovite tsardom that would be the kingdom that the “God of Heaven” was raising up which “shall never be destroyed . . . and it will stand forever.” Hence, he proclaimed with prophetic confidence that there would never be a fourth Rome.

The Monk Philotheus on Moscow as the Third Rome

It is through the supreme, all-powerful and all-supporting right hand of God that emperors reign . . . and It has raised thee, most Serene and Supreme Sovereign and Grand Prince, Orthodox Christian Tsar and Lord of all, who art the holder of the dominions of the holy thrones of God, of the sacred, universal and apostolic Churches of the most holy Mother of God . . . instead of Rome and Constantinople. . . . Now there shines through the universe, like the sun in heaven, the Third Rome , of thy sovereign Empire and of the holy synodal apostolic Church, which is in the Orthodox Christian Faith. . . . Observe and see to it, most pious Tsar, that all the Christian empires unite with thine own. For two Romes have fallen, but the third stands, and a fourth there will not be; for thy Christian Tsardom will not pass to any other, according to the mighty word of God.

Such a dramatic formulation of this powerful political/religious ideology, articulated by a devout monk of the Church, indicates to what extent the way was prepared for the development of an intimate alliance between Church and State in the Russian Empire.

The strengthening of this alliance was greatly hastened beginning in 1521, when Tsar Basil III presented the Church with a difficult dilemma. After many years of marriage, Basil’s wife had not given him any children. So he appealed to the Church for a divorce, in order to marry another who would presumably provide an heir to assure a peaceful succession to the throne. But in the Russian Church, barrenness was not a legitimate reason for divorce. Holding fast to the traditions, Metropolitan Varlaam of Moscow refused to allow the tsar to get divorced and remarried.

However, some in the Church, mostly following the Possessor philosophy of close relations between Church and State, felt that in this specific, extraordinary case, the strictness of the canons could be modified through pastoral economia , and an exception could be made, in the interest of ensuring that there would be a peaceful succession to the throne after Tsar Basil III’s death. One of those who openly promoted this view was the monk Daniel, a leading Josephite.

In 1522, Metropolitan Varlaam was forcibly retired to a monastery, and Daniel was made the Metropolitan of Moscow. In the next year, he celebrated the wedding of Tsar Basil III to Yelena Glinskaya. Seven years later, in 1530, the future tsar Ivan IV, “the Terrible,” was born of this marriage.

Once the Possessors came to political favor and power, they strove to suppress the Non-Possessors. For example, Saint Maxim the Greek (d. 1556), a skilled librarian from Mount Athos who had been invited by Tsar Basil III to come to Russia to help with translation and revision of the service books, was placed in confinement for twenty years for his support of the Non-Possessor position.

As Pierre Kovalevsky writes in Saint Sergius and Russian Spirituality , “The sketes beyond the Volga were closed, and the nationalist tendency definitely took the upper hand over the contemplatives. The idea of Russia as a ‘Third Rome,’ the protector of Eastern Christians, degenerated very quickly into Moscow as the ‘Third Rome,’ which was the only one to profess [true] Orthodoxy, and which considered all other people to be tainted with heresy.”

Ivan the Terrible

Tsar Ivan IV the Terrible (r. 1533–1584) established his reign on the foundation of the “Third Rome” ideology. He was crowned tsar in January of 1547. One month later he married Anastasia Romanova. As long as she lived, she had a salutary influence upon her impetuous, emotionally unstable husband. She bore him six children, but only two of them survived to adulthood.

Later in 1547, a huge fire in Moscow destroyed much of the city. To help in the rebuilding process, Ivan invited numerous technicians, printers, and physicians from the West. In 1550 a National Assembly was called, which approved a new legal code, allowing for extensive local self-government.

Three major local Church councils were held between 1547 and 1551. At the first two, forty-five saints from throughout Russia were glorified. And at the third one, known as the Council of One Hundred Chapters (Stoglav), many necessary reforms were instituted. This council proclaimed the ritual practices of the Russian Church to be superior to those of the other Orthodox Churches.

In 1552, Tsar Ivan conquered the Tatar Khannate of Kazan. In celebration of this victory, the great church on Red Square in Moscow, dedicated to Saint Basil the Blessed Fool for Christ, was built, with Oriental influence in its architecture. It became a national symbol of Russia.

In 1555 the missionary archdiocese of Kazan was established. According to Dimitry Pospielovsky in The Orthodox Church in the History of Russia , “Ivan’s missionary guidelines for the conquered Tatar kingdoms of Kazan and Astrakhan stipulated that conversions were to be only voluntary, by education and conviction, not by coercion.” Saint Gury (or Gurias; d. 1563), the bishop of Kazan, was influential in missionary outreach.

In these years Ivan accepted the guidance of a humble, country parish priest named Father Sylvester, who composed a tremendously popular practical guidebook for Christian family life called Domostroi (The Home-Builder) .

Tragically, these “thirteen good years” came to an end in 1560. Ominously, one year before, having fallen under the influence of his courtiers who resented the high standing held by Father Sylvester, the simple country priest, Ivan ordered him to leave Moscow. The next year, on August 7, 1560, his beloved young wife suddenly died. He suspected that she had been poisoned.

Thereafter Ivan fell increasingly back to certain cruel tendencies of his youth. According to Nicolas Zernov, “No longer checked by her good influence, he plunged again into the dark passions and lusts of his early years. Ivan removed, one after another, by execution or exile, his gifted civil and military collaborators and surrounded himself with a crowd of base and unscrupulous men who drove him further along the road of moral disintegration.”

In 1563, Saint Metropolitan Makary (r. 1542–1563) died. He had written twelve volumes called Monthly Readings , a vast collection of commentaries on the Bible, the lives of the saints, sermons, and other material for spiritual reading. He also had had a calming influence on Tsar Ivan. But when he died, according to Pospielovsky, “Ivan’s paranoia lost all restraints.” Then, as Zernov relates, “Haunted by fear and suspicion, he embarked in 1564 on a social revolution which in many ways resembled the totalitarianism of the twentieth century.”

Tsar Ivan ruthlessly persecuted his enemies as he subjected both the Church and the State to his direct, personal control. Among his many victims was Saint Philip, Metropolitan of Moscow (r. 1565–1568), who, after numerous unfruitful private consultations with Ivan, dared to deny Holy Communion to the bloodthirsty tsar, openly rebuking him for his persecution of his own innocent people. The tsar had Philip imprisoned, and later strangled.

The last years of Ivan’s reign were filled with unrelieved misery as he continued to oppress and persecute all those he imagined were his enemies among his own people. After marrying for a fifth time, and after killing his son and heir, Ivan V, in a fit of rage, he finally died, in 1584.

Tsar Theodore

Ivan IV was succeeded by his younger son, Theodore (r. 1584–1598), a man with limited mental capacities. But his people loved him for his deep, simple faith and gentle disposition that were like a balm to the nation after the turmoil and terror of his father’s reign. Early on many mornings the people of Moscow would be roused by hearing their tsar ringing the bells of the Kremlin cathedral.

In 1587 the Patriarch of Constantinople, Jeremias II (r. 1572–1579, 1580–1584, 1585–1595), came to Moscow in quest of aid for his Church suffering under the yoke of the Ottoman Turks. Seeing this as their opportunity for Moscow to be made a patriarchate, the Russians invited Jeremias to be their patriarch. Apparently he considered the offer for some time, but in January of 1589, in the midst of his second long winter in Moscow, he recognized Job, the Metropolitan of Moscow, as the first Patriarch of All Russia.

The installation document of the new patriarch repeated almost verbatim the prophecy of Philotheus of Pskov about Moscow as the “Third Rome.” Thus the theory, which had become practice under Basil III, was now officially affirmed by the highest ranking prelate in the Orthodox Church.

In 1593 the Russian Church received approval of its new status as a patriarchate from the patriarchs of Jerusalem, Alexandria, and Antioch. The Russians accepted their new patriarchate being placed fifth in honor after the four ancient Orthodox patriarchates.