Date: June/July 2019 (specific day not listed; issue dated June/July 2019)
A parishioner shares personal reflections after a recent group pilgrimage to the Holy Land, emphasizing the value of communal travel, shared prayer, and the expertise of guides like Fr. Ilya Gotlinsky. The article highlights the deepening of faith and the unique opportunities for spiritual growth found on such journeys.
Excerpt: “Fresh from another Pilgrimage to the Holy Land, I wish to share with you some of my own personal reflections as a complement to those offered by others from our parish… It’s not often that a group of believers has the opportunity to travel together for a specific faith-based purpose and share more intimate communal life of living in close quarters, sharing meals, praying regularly, and exploring our life in Christ at sacred sites with seasoned and knowledgeable guides… Fr. Ilya Gotlinsky is a middle-aged, family man who pastors a small Orthodox parish in Binghamton, New York. His gifts extend well beyond congregational life and include deep knowledge of Orthodox theology… and a passion for Orthodox pilgrimages that he organizes at least 3-4 times each year for the last 20 years not just to the Middle East, but also to Romania, Greece, and Italy (among other countries) to help others explore Biblical sites, Byzantine & Orthodox Church treasures, and a wide variety of cultures that have impacted Christian life for thousands of years….”
