On Friday, October 30, our pilgrims came to Philippi in northern Greece, the first city in Europe to hear the Gospel. Just outside the ancient city, beside the river where St. Paul met Lydia on the Sabbath, an open-air baptistery honors her as the first person baptized in Europe. There the pilgrims were blessed with water from the river, recalling their own baptism.
On the sabbath day we went outside the gate to the riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer; and we sat down and spoke to the women who had come together. One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to give heed to what was said by Paul. And when she was baptized, with her household, she besought us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.”
Acts 16:13-15
From the River at Philippi
I’m in a very special place, and I can’t wait to share it with you. We are outside of Philippi. St. Paul came to Philippi during his second missionary journey. It’s in northern Greece, in what was called Macedonia, just off the Aegean Sea. When St. Paul brought the Gospel to Philippi, this was the first time the Gospel ever came to Europe.
We read in Acts 16:13 and following how St. Paul came to this place, literally this river behind me, this very spot. He came here on a Sabbath. He encountered some women, and he proclaimed the Gospel to them. One of them was converted; her name was Lydia. She wanted to be baptized, and her whole household was baptized. We can celebrate literally the first person to be baptized in Europe, baptized right here.
We can take a moment as well to recall the importance of baptism. Baptism is necessary for our salvation. We are born of water and the Spirit (John 3:5). Through baptism we become adopted children of God. Our sins are forgiven; original sin is forgiven. Through baptism we are made children of God, temples of the Holy Spirit, disciples of Christ, and members of the Church.
We’re invited to be renewed in the gift and the importance of baptism. We’re invited, then, to seek to live our baptism as children of God, as temples of the Spirit, as disciples of Christ.
Later the same day, in the ruins of the city: Philippi: Where the Scriptures Come Alive.