Traditional Easter Celebration in Turabdin, 11-18 April 2023
Book your ticket now to become one of the 50 lucky Arameans who will enjoy a Traditional Easter Celebration in the Turabdin region in Southeast Türkiye! During an ALL-INCLUSIVE 8-day spiritual and cultural journey home, you will experience the Passion Week and Easter in Aramaic, the language of Jesus.
1. Turabdin: A Journey Home 5.0, from 11 – 18 April 2023
This year, WCA again gives 50 Arameans the chance to relive their childhood and bring up memories with fellow Arameans in the place that gave birth to them and/or their (grand)parents. For 30-50 years, many Diaspora Arameans did not return to their homeland. These Journeys Home are truly amazing and Arameans experience them in no way inferior to a pilgrimage to the Holy City of Jerusalem!
- Watch the 1.15-hour video of our Youth Trip from 5-13 November 2022; see here for photos.
- Watch the 1-hour DVDs of the Journey Home from 19-26 April 2011 & 11-17 April 2012.
2. Among others, participants may expect from WCA
You will enjoy an ALL-INCLUSIVE 8-day tour to 8 enchanting monasteries and through ancient places like Diyarbakir, Mardin, Nisibin, Turizlo, Midyat and its region. In addition to this spiritual and cultural experience, you will also have time to celebrate, have fun and enjoy traditional food, dance and music. Major things you can expect include:
- 4- & 5-Star Hotels
- Easter Dinner Party
- Bus with WiFi connection
- Mardin Food/Dance/Music
- Official Aramaic Tour Guide
- Flight with Transfer in Türkiye
SUMMARY OF THE PROGRAM
- Tuesday, 11 April: Arrival day! After your meet-and-greet opportunity with other participants at the airport and in the plane, there will be a group dinner at a local restaurant in Diyarbakir.
- Wednesday, 12 April: After visiting the St. Mary Church, we will take you to Mardin. In the city, you will visit the 40 Martyrs Church and enjoy lunch and free time. After that, we will take you to the Mor Hananyo (Zafaran) Monastery and then to Midyat where we will spend the next 5 nights.
- Maundy Thursday, 13 April: Those who wish to receive the communion (faghro) can do so early in the morning at the Mor Sharbel Church. After that, we will visit the Mor Yakub Church in Nisibin and the Mor Augin Monastery with its breathtaking view! After this, we will visit a nearby Aramean village, have dinner at the Maye Hewore (Nawale/Beyaz Su), will endeavor to visit the village of Anhil before we will have dinner in Midyat.
- Good Friday, 14 April: On this day, we will commemorate Jesus’ Crucifixion with H.E. Archbishop Mor Timotheus Samuel Aktas at the Mor Gabriel Monastery. We will also visit the villages of Beth Zabday (Azekh), Midin, Bsorino, Mzizah and have dinner in Midyat.
- Holy Saturday, 15 April: One day before Easter, we will visit the Monasteries of Mor Yakup in Salah and Mor Aho in Kafro 'Elayto, before visiting the villages of Hah, Bekusyone (Beth Kustan), Zaz, Kfarze, Arnas and have dinner in Midyat.
- Easter Sunday, 16 April: In the morning, we will celebrate Easter in Midyat with H.E. Archbishop Mor Timotheus Samuel Aktas. After that, we will tour Turizlo, including Kafro Tahteyto, Badibbe, Arkah and the Monasteries of Mor Yakup d-Qarne and Mor Melke. In the evening, we will be back in Midyat for an Aramaic dinner party.
- Easter Monday, 17 April: The Easter Monday celebration will be in Midyat, first at Mor Abrohom & Mor Hobil Monastery and then at Mor Akhsnoyo Church. After that, there is a FREE program of 5 hours which you can use to tour the city of Midyat and/or commemorate the deceased in your (parents’) village nearby (let us know if you want to leave earlier to visit your deceased or your relatives in your ancestral village); we will also prepare the bus to bring those who will be interested to the village of Iwardo. Early in the evening, we will travel to Mardin city for a fantastic entertainment program where you will enjoy its traditional food, dance and music!
- Tuesday, 18 April: Departure day! To put a good end to this trip, which we know you will always fondly remember, all the participants will be shuttled to the local airports of Mardin and Diyarbakir. After this journey to your historical home, WCA wishes you a safe flight back to your current home. :-)
3. The Price of this ALL-INCLUSIVE package
These prices are ONLY for flights from Europe:
- € 1.250 per person for non-WCA Members
- € 1.200 per person, for WCA Members of at least €5 per month
- € 1.150 per person, for WCA Members of at least €10 per month
If you are no WCA Member yet, register here for discounts and more via: www.SupportWCA.com.
DISCLAIMER: If the price for the flights will rise a lot in the coming weeks, the price of this trip may change accordingly by the end of February or in March.
If you want to fly from OUTSIDE of Europe, please contact us at turabdin [at] wca-ngo.org or fill out this registration form and we will contact you.
4. Book / Register here and secure your seat
If you want to participate in this unique journey home, fill out this registration form (1 form per participant)!
NOTE:
- Participants can register for this Journey Home until Tuesday, 15 March 2023;
- There are 50 seats available, so guarantee your place A.S.A.P.;
- Participants will have to share a double room, but can book a single room if they pay the additional costs;
- After you have paid, cancellation is not possible and a partial refund of €250 is available until 1 April 2023 in demonstrable emergency cases;
- Your registration will be confirmed AFTER your payment has been received at WCA’s bank account with the following details:
Name: World Council of Arameans
Description: Turabdin Trip 5.0
IBAN number: NL 71 RABO 0396 7306 20
BIC number: RABONL2U
Bank: RABOBANK
Place: Enschede-Haaksbergen, The Netherlands
