In September and October 2024, several members of the Lansing Church participated in a Reformation Tour of Europe led by Pan de Vida Travel. Participants traveled to six countries, visiting important sites in church history as well as other scenic and historical attractions. They heard the stories of faithful heroes, from the martyred apostles Paul and Peter to the persecuted Waldensians of northern Italy to reformers such as John Huss, Martin Luther, and Ulrich Zwingli.
Below are a few highlights shared by church members who went on the trip.
Following the Steps of Paul in Italy
Just a short distance from Naples, Italy, you will find a little city called Pozzuoli. Pozzuoli is the modern Italian name for the ancient city of Puteoli. At one time Pozzuoli was the world port for the city of Rome because it was larger and deeper and could handle the larger ships that carried iron, marble, grain and other import trade.
In the travels of the Apostle Paul, you will find the city of Puteoli mentioned in the Bible. “After three months we sailed in an Alexandrian ship whose figurehead was the twin brothers, which had wintered at the island. And landing at Syracuse, we stayed three days. From there we circled around and reached Rhegium. And after one day the south wind blew, and the next day we came to Puteoli, where we found brethren and were invited to stay with them seven days.“
The apostle Paul arrived on one of the large ships at this very city. But not the way he had envisioned. He was in chains for his faith and on his way to Rome to appeal to Caesar for his charges. There were a few Christians in the city and Paul was invited to stay with them, a request the soldiers honored. The monument to the left marks the spot where Paul landed.
On the eighth day Paul and the soldiers headed to Rome on the Appian Way, shown in the photo on the right. The Appian Way, named after the Roman censor, Appius Claudius Caecus, is one of the earliest and strategically most important Roman roads of the ancient republic, referred to as “the queen of the long roads.” The Apostles Paul, Peter and John all walked along this road to Rome.
Paul would travel the 140 miles in chains, and he began his journey with a heavy heart. His sufferings endeared his followers to him even more, and along the way Paul was hugged and shown love by some of the Christians who had heard his messages and knew he was coming to Rome. This love shown him gave Paul encouragement to continue his mission of spreading the wonderful Gospel message of Jesus Christ.
—Kim Kruszka
The Value of Religious Liberty
The Reformation trip was a whirlwind tour of 1700 years of history. It was my first time in Europe, so I was excited to see famous places like the Sistine Chapel, the ruins of Pompeii, and the Swiss Alps. But the spiritual focus of this tour was what made it special.
I loved singing “He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock” while standing in a cave where Waldensians worshipped during times of persecution. I loved sitting in the church where Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses on the door, sparking the Protestant Reformation (see photo on the right below). The photo at the top of the article shows another special place: Wartburg Castle in Germany, where Martin Luther translated the New Testament into German while hiding from his persecutors.
One of the stories that stood out to me happened at this scenic river in Zurich, Switzerland, pictured above on the left. Near this spot, a young man named Felix Manz was executed by drowning. His crime: daring to baptize adults instead of babies. As he was about to meet his death, a voice was heard crying out in the crowd of spectators. It was his mother, urging him to stay faithful to God even though it would cost his life. I believe that all the mothers in our group had tears in their eyes as we heard this story!
The trip helped me to realize more strongly than ever the value of the religious freedom that we enjoy in this country. Spiritual practices that we take for granted, like being able to give a Bible study in someone’s home, baptize people who are old enough to choose Christ for themselves, or partake of both bread and wine at communion, are privileges for which people gave their lives in past centuries. Have you ever expressed your concerns about church leadership or had a lively discussion/argument about church doctrine? We are fortunate to live in a time and place where we can discuss such issues without fear of being executed.
Before going on the trip, we were encouraged to read the first part of Ellen White’s book The Great Controversy, which tells about many of the events and people we would be learning about on the trip. I had not read this book for many years, so I’m glad I took the challenge to read it again. I’m finishing the book now and am being blessed by its biblical insights.
—Rachel Cabose
How to Participate in an Upcoming Reformation Tour
Pan de Vida Travel is hosting another Reformation Tour from April 22 to May 2, 2025, traveling to Italy, Vatican City, France, Switzerland, Germany, and the Czech Republic. They are offering a special group promotion: groups of 10 people or more will get free airfare from Chicago (offer good until the end of January or while there is space, whichever comes first). Pan de Vida will also lead a different Reformation Tour in the fall that will visit Portugal, Spain, Morocco, Gibraltar and France.
For information about upcoming tours, download the brochure below, visit travel.ppvida.com or contact Pan de Vida at (248) 275-1050.
