The Nigeria Christian Pilgrims Commission has said that concerns for the safety of Nigerians has necessitated a change in the pilgrimage route from Israel and Jordan to Biblical sites in Rome and Greece.
This was disclosed in Abuja on Wednesday by the Executive Secretary of the NCPC, Rev. Yakubu Pam.
The Executive Secretary who spoke with journalists explained that the safety and security of Nigerian citizens had always been the prime concern of NCPC.
He explained that the Christian pilgrimage to Israel and Jordan scheduled for December 2023 was suspended solely due to such concerns, noting that it was now being replaced with the pilgrimage to Rome and holy sites in Greece by the end of January.
Pam further stated that it took years before the NCPC under him began to consider visits to remarkable Biblical sites in Jordan, a Muslim country.
According to him, a prolonged wait for the Israel/Hamas conflict that began on October 7, 2023, to end, forced his teams’ previous research on Biblical sites in Greece and Rome to be properly analyzed, while he personally led teams to inspect accommodation facilities and existing biblical sites in those locations.
He said, “I have led NCPC teams to inspect holy sites across Greece and Rome, we have discussed extensively with government and local authorities and security, accommodation and good hospitality is assured as the very first batch of Nigerian Christian pilgrims visit these places to connect physically with New Testament locations of the gospel and do spiritual exercises including meditation and prayers for our dear nation.
“Also, arrangements for smooth flight, good meals and local transportation have been concluded for the 2023/2024 main pilgrimage; state governments, states’ offices of Christian Pilgrims Welfare Boards, churches and individuals have been formally informed about the modalities and the N3 million cost that only requires some augmentation of payment previously made for the Israel/Jordan trip.
“Unknown to many, Apostle Paul, Peter, and the early Christians are why we have Christian sites in Rome; it was from there and Greece Paul, Peter, and the early Christians are why we have Christian sites in Rome and also in Greece from where they founded several Christian communities in Asia Minor and Europe from the mid-40s to the mid-50s AD, beginning the spread of Christianity across the world,” he explained.
According to a statement from the NCPC, the new 3 million pilgrimage cost covering return flight ticket, hotel accommodation, three-course meal per day, tours of holy sites in executive luxury buses for six nights and seven days is exclusive of pilgrims travelling allowances, while states and private pilgrims are expected to meet up with payments before the last day of January 2024.
Pam stated that the new pilgrimage sites would include places where Apostle Paul, otherwise known as Saint Paul, passionately spread of the teachings of Jesus Christ, converting polytheists and idol worshippers through extensive physical journeys and remarkable contributions that remained very significant parts of the New Testament till date and his epistles or letters to early Christian communities have remained very relevant as words of instruction till date.
He added, “St. Paul is often considered to be the most important person after Jesus in the history of Christianity.
“His epistles (letters) have had enormous influence on Christian theology; he wrote the epistle to Ephesians in a prison in Rome and his journey through Greece included stops at Samothrace and Kavala (Neapoli), where he initiated Christian churches and fostered relationships and he later visited Philippi, Thessaloniki, Veria, Athens, and Korinthos (Corinth), spreading the word of God and facing both acceptance and opposition in these cities.”
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