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Philippi is an ancient city in northern Greece where the Apostle Paul founded the first Christian church in Europe.
The ruins of the Roman city are extensive, and nearby flows the river where, according to Acts, Lydia became the first person in Europe to be baptized as a Christian. A baptistery marks the traditional spot today.
For any Christian outside the Middle East, Philippi is where the faith first arrived on their continent.
Paul preached the first Gospel sermon on European soil here, and Lydia, a merchant of purple cloth, became the first European convert and was baptized in the river.
Paul and Silas were also imprisoned in Philippi, where an earthquake freed them and the jailer came to faith. Paul later wrote his warm letter to the Philippians to this church.
Why does Philippi matter to pilgrims?
It is the doorway through which Christianity entered Europe, which makes it deeply personal for European and Western believers. Standing at the river where Lydia was baptized, pilgrims realize they are at the source. Every church they have ever entered traces back, in a sense, to what began on this riverbank. It is a humbling and joyful place.
In northern Greece, near the modern city of Kavala. It is a key stop on footsteps of Paul pilgrimages.
Yes. A baptistery marks the traditional site on the river near Philippi, and many groups hold a moment of worship or vow renewal there.
Holy Sites
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