
The Pilgrimage of Discovery is a 7-day, all-expense paid, religious and cultural trip to Constantinople from July 31, 2023 to August 7, 2023. Deepen your Orthodox faith by exploring holy sites and having a private audience with His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.
The mission of the Pilgrimage of Discovery is to reconnect Greek Orthodox Young Adults from the Metropolis of Chicago with their religious and cultural roots. Our goal is to bolster the future of the Orthodox Church by educating and inspiring future leaders through this inspired connection to the Mother Church.


This journey will include a private audience with His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and visits to sites such as:
- Zoodochos Pigi Church at Baloukli
- Agios Demetrios Church of Kuruçesme
- Hagia Sophia
- Bosphorus Strait
- The Blue Mosque
- Prince’s Islands
- Pera
- Grand Bazaar
- Halki Seminary
- Ecumenical Patriarchate
- St. George Church at the Phanar
The Pilgrimage of Discovery program is
truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience!
Have fun journeying through the holy land of Constantinople with your peers this summer. Learn more about the history and unbreakable thread of our Orthodox faith!
Be part of the first-of-its-kind filming of this experience! A professional crew will follow along the tour capturing key moments. A documentary starring the participants will be created for release nationwide inspiring young adults across the country.
The Pilgrimage of Discovery is funded by the Order of St. Andrew the Apostle Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

Trip Eligibility
Applicants must:
• Be between the ages of 23-28 by August 1, 2023
• Have received their undergraduate degree from a 4-year accredited institution by August 1, 2023
• Be a citizen or legal resident of the United States
• Be in good standing with the Greek Orthodox Church
• Be a member of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Chicago (IL, IA, MN, WI, IN & MO)
• Demonstrate leadership and show interest in the Orthodox Church
For the full list of eligibility requirements, click below:
Contact
For questions regarding the pilgrimage of discovery, please emailpilgrimageofdiscovery@gmail.
All application materials should be emailed to pilgrimageofdiscovery@

Interested in applying? Access the application form below!

The Pilgrimage of Discovery is a religious-educational journey that includes an audience with His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and visits to historic sites around Constantinople. It is the opportunity of a lifetime for up to five young adult leaders, male and female, of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Chicago to have a transformative and immersive experience in the Queen of Cities and to grow in their Orthodox Christian faith. The Pilgrimage of Discovery is funded by the Archons of the Order of St. Andrew the Apostle and is being piloted by the Metropolis of Chicago Archons in preparation for a national program in the future.
In addition to visiting historic sites around Constantinople, the selected young adults will be scheduled to meet with His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew where they will have the opportunity to engage in open dialogue. The young adults may also have the chance to participate in an environmental service program while on the journey with His All-Holiness. He is known as the Green Patriarch because he was the first global religious leader to show commitment to education and action on issues of environmental protection and climate change since the 1980’s.
A professional videography crew will accompany the selected young adults throughout the Pilgrimage of Discovery to record their experiences for use in creating a documentary film. This film will be released nationwide and used in future years to promote the Pilgrimage of Discovery.
Following the Pilgrimage, the young adults will be asked to share their experiences in a series of speaking engagements over the next two years at various parishes and locations in the Chicagoland area in order to expand awareness about the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Pilgrimage of Discovery.
Travel expenses will be paid for up to five young adults that are selected, including round trip flights from Chicago O’Hare to Istanbul, all transportation while in Turkey, and entrance fees to programmed sites. The Pilgrimage of Discovery will be seven days/six nights and will include all lodging (double occupancy), breakfasts, dinners, and most lunches. Incidentals, personal expenses, and any additional meals will be the responsibility of the participants. The Pilgrimage of Discovery is scheduled for July 31, 2023 to August 7, 2023.