A Blessed Baptism

MDiv student Kylee Bestenlehner on the pilgrimage of a lifetime

My first semester of seminary, I took History and Theology I with Dr. Peter Vethanayagamony and I wrote an essay on the cultural context of the Roman Empire and its effects on the spread of Christianity. During that class, I learned about the Via Egnatia, a Roman military road that the Apostle Paul used to travel between Philippi and Thesselkaniki. 

I never dreamed that my journey at LSTC would be concluded by an opportunity to physically walk that road during LSTC’s “World of the Bible” pilgrimage to biblical sites of Greece and Turkey in May 2024, led by LSTC’s Dr. Barbara Rossing and Dr. Esther Menn. 

And yet, only a few months ago, I found myself at Philippi where the Apostle Paul established the first Christian church on European soil around 49-50 AD, walking on a part of the Via Egnatia. It was a shining moment in a transformational pilgrimage where I, and other LSTC students like me, were able to fully appreciate the historical contexts of the Bible and Christianity. Together, we found spiritual renewal, a blessed baptism, in being able to experience keystone sites so foundational to our faith. 

As an example, only a few hours after walking the Via Egnatia, we visited the Baptistery of St. Lydia. It is said to be the spot where the Apostle Paul baptized Lydia, the first Christian in Europe, in the river Zygakti (Acts 16: 13-15). I immediately took my shoes off to soak my tired feet in the cool water of the river. 

As I sat at the river’s edge, I felt emotion overtake me. This sacred spot is a pilgrimage for many Christians, and I can now say that I am one of them. I was so thankful to God for this opportunity and the reminder of my baptism and new life I received through Christ our Lord. 

Water—and its scarcity and importance in the region and our faith—became a common theme throughout our pilgrimage. We remembered our baptisms and walked through the ancient baptistery in the basilica of St. John. We swam in the Aegean Sea and sailed in the same waters as John the author of Revelation. 

In Istanbul, we walked through the underground Basilica Cistern, which used to hold 2.8 million cubic feet of water and reflected on water as a political tool for both the Roman and Ottoman Empires, for where there is water, there is life. 

In Ephesus, we saw the Roman water pipes system and learned that the wealthiest parts of their society had access to both hot and cold water. In Pamukkale, site of the Travertines, also known as Cleopatra’s pools, we soaked in mineral hot spring water where ancient peoples came for healing. 

I believe humanity is not just thirsty but dehydrated for the truth of the Gospel. What does it mean to serve a God who declares himself the living water? Who amid an Empire that used water as a means of control, says, “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me!” (John 7:37b). 

Those words took on new meaning as I experienced the healing waters of the Aegean and echoed throughout my journey through Biblical sites that gave new life to my evolving ministry. I will be carrying these thoughts and experiences with me as I graduate with my MDiv and embark on another journey—this one an uncharted pilgrimage into the world of my own ministry.