Ancient Greeks worshipped many false gods. You can read the stories Greeks wrote about these made-up deities. In these tales, the Greek gods are not like our God. They are far from perfect. They’re more like powerful, selfish characters playing with Earth and its people like big toys. They play tricks. They change their minds.

But you can also read something else in ancient Greek. The New Testament! That’s because Greece went through a major change. The Apostle Paul preached there. People believed his message. Paul’s God is totally different! He loves people so much that He gave up His own life for them. And He is trustworthy and dependable. This God had a perfect plan for His world and people. Churches started, and Greece was never the same. Neither was the rest of the world.

The whole Christian Church got started in the time of the apostles. (You can read all about that time in the book of Acts.) History books tell the rest of the church’s story. Over time, people found differences in what they believe about Christianity. Some became part of the Greek Orthodox Church. Some joined the Roman Catholic Church. The Protestant Reformation brought the many additional denominations we have today.

Santorini . . .

is half-moon shaped. A volcano destroyed half the once-circular island in 1650 B.C.

is famous for its architecture and views. The white painted villages standing on red cliffs draw about two million visitors each year.

has incredibly fertile soil. The volcanic loam on Santorini grows grapes, fava beans (a kind of yellow pea), and the deep red Santorini cherry tomato.