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Saint Paul of Tarsus
By peace | July 18, 2008
Saint Paul of Tarsus
Saint Paul, The Apostle
Feast Day: 29th June
Saul of Tarsus
Born: c. 3 as Saul at Tarsus, Cilicia (Modern Turkey)
Died: c. 65 beheaded at Rome, Italy
Patron Saint of: Catholic Action, Lay people, Evangelists, Authors
St Paul, Apostle of the Gentiles, was converted from Judaism on the road to Damascus. After his Baptism, he went to Arabia, to prepare himself for his future missionary activity. Returning to Damascus, he preached in the synagogues that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. For this, he incurred the hatred of the Jews and had to flee from the city. He then went to Jerusalem to see Peter, the head of the Church.
Later he went back to his native Tarsus, to evangelize his own province until called
by Barnabus to Antioch. After one year, on the occasion of a famine, both Barnabus and Paul were sent with alms to the poor Christian community at Jerusalem. Soon after this, Paul and Barnabus made the first missionary journey, visiting the island of Cypress, then Pamphylia, Pisidia and Lycaonia, all in Asia Minor, and establishing churches at Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe.
With the company of Silas, Timothy and Luke, Paul made his second missonary journey, first revisiting the churches previously established by him in Asia Minor, and then passing through Galatia. At Troas he had a vision, which impressed him as a call from God to evangelize in Macedonia. He accordingly sailed for Europe, and preached the Gospel in Philippi, Thessalonica, Beroea, Athens, and Corinth. Then he returned to Antioch.
On his third missionary journey, Paul visited nearly the same regions as on the second trip and including Ephesus, the centre of his missionary activity. Persecutions by the Jews hindered him from making another trip. After two years of imprisonment at Caesarea he finally reached Rome, where he was kept another two years in chains. Paul was released from his Roman imprisonment after two years, and then traveled to Spain, the East, and back to Rome, where he was imprisoned a second time and in the year 67, was beheaded.
St Paul shows himself to be a profound religious thinker and has had an enduring formative influence in the development of Christianity.
Christians invited to birthplace of St. Paul
Topics: Spiritual Articles, View All Post, bible |
August 2nd, 2008 at 3:10 pm
[…] similar experience. He told me about it. It was ‘a group’ he said. The head of all was Saint Paul, and that is why I heard the chains sound, very loud and […]