SEPTEMBER 2023
Although Greece’s largest city and capital, Athens, is about a thousand years older, Thessaloniki still dates back to the 3rd Century BCE. It is the nation’s second largest city, boasting a population of around one million, with about a third of the residents living in the city center. Although it certainly has its share of tourist attractions – even cruise ships visiting regularly- we found a big difference in feel between Athens and Thessaloniki.
During the Byzantine era, Thessaloniki was the second only to Constantinople as a center for trade and culture. It was the site of one of the earliest and most important Christian churches during the Roman Empire, having been visited by Paul the Apostle around 50 AD. That first church should be well known to most Bible readers, as the books First and Second Thessalonians are Paul’s letters to the church.