The programme was coordinated by Sr Margaret Zdunich, NDS, Executive Director of the NDS Centre for Biblical Formation, and enriched by the presence of Sr Oonah O’Shea, NDS, the Superior General, and other Sion sisters. Kassandra Parioti was invaluable as local guide.
Sr Margaret reflects on the two weeks.
Each day blended learning, prayer, and encounter as we retraced the footsteps of St Paul. From Thessaloniki to Philippi, Berea, Delphi, Corinth, and Athens, Scripture met stone and story. By the riverside at Philippi, Lydia’s baptismal witness became vivid; in Corinth and Athens, the worlds of the New Testament and classical Greece converged. Fr Kieran linked sites to Pauline texts through crisp lectures, morning meditations, and the Eucharist – often within ancient sanctuaries – so that faith, history, and mission spoke with one voice.
Our ecumenical moments unfolded in outstanding Byzantine churches, museums, and monasteries. The Hagia Sophia (Thessaloniki) and the Byzantine & Christian Museum (Athens) deepened our appreciation of continuity in worship and art. At Meteora – the “suspended in air” rock-top monasteries – we glimpsed the hesychast tradition’s stillness and the Church’s enduring ascent to God. Visits to Hosios Loukas and Daphni (11th-century mosaics) further revealed prayer shaped in gold, stone, and chant – signs of a shared heritage between East and West.
The heart of Fr Kieran’s teaching lay in three themes: faithfulness, participation, and transformation.
This pilgrimage also served the Sisters of Notre Dame de Sion’s charism by returning us to Paul’s Jewish roots and to the early Church’s dialogue with Israel. Standing in places where Scripture locates synagogues and first assemblies, we reflected on Romans 9-11 – on God’s irrevocable gifts to Israel – and learned to reject supersessionist readings while cultivating reverent esteem for Jewish faith and practice. Lectures and prayer highlighted Paul as a Jew who proclaimed the Messiah to the nations, inviting us to witness with humility, gratitude, and theologically informed respect. The tour thus deepened our capacity for encounter, and equipped participants to promote Jewish-Christian understanding in Sion ministries worldwide.
During the tour we also launched the first title in the NDS CBF series, Living Images of Faith: 60 Reflections on Saint Paul’s Metaphors. Drawing from sites we visited and texts we prayed, the eBook offers concise, pastoral reflections on Paul’s evocative imagery – body, temple, race, citizenship, reconciliation, and more – designed for personal meditation, small groups, and preaching. Rooted in solid scholarship yet written in accessible language, it bridges classroom and pilgrimage, Scripture and life, and supports Sion’s mission by fostering a biblically grounded, dialogical faith for today’s Church. The eBook will soon be available on Amazon.
Shared meals, conversation, and quiet prayer framed our days. A valedictory Mass and meditation invited each participant to interiorise the journey – “forgetting what lies behind and reaching out for what lies ahead” (Phil 3:13). At the valedictory session, each participant was presented with a thoughtful souvenir, adding a special touch to the close of our shared journey and providing a tangible memory of the experiences and friendships formed on this programme.
In summary, the St. Paul Tentmaker study tour was a living experience of faith that blended scripture, history, and personal encounter within the sacred landscapes of Greece – an opportunity to step into Paul’s world and discover anew the call to faithfulness, participation, and transformation.
Sr. Margaret Zdunich NDS
Executive Director
NDS Centre for Biblical Formation
