The Travels of Macarius: Volume I (Softcover)

First published in the 17th century and later translated for Western readers, Paul of Aleppo’s The Travels of Macarius is one of the most illuminating chronicles of Eastern Christian life, diplomacy, and devotion in the early modern world.

Written by the archdeacon Paul of Aleppo, who accompanied his father—Patriarch Macarius of Antioch—on his journey through the Ottoman Empire, the Balkans, Russia, and Eastern Europe (1652–1660), this work provides a vivid and deeply human record of faith amid empire. Paul recounts the churches, customs, rulers, and rituals encountered along the way, offering a rare glimpse into the spiritual and political landscape of the Orthodox East during a time of upheaval and transformation.

Part travel narrative, part ecclesiastical chronicle, The Travels of Macarius bridges cultures and centuries, preserving the voices, ceremonies, and impressions of a world where pilgrimage, diplomacy, and theology intertwined.

Complete and unabridged edition of Paul of Aleppo’s seminal 17th-century account

Authentic record of Orthodox Christian life across the Ottoman Empire, the Balkans, and Russia

A cornerstone text for the study of Eastern Christianity, travel literature, and intercultural relations

Essential reading for historians of the Levant, Byzantine heritage, and early modern Europe