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Feasts: 25 January
(celebration of his conversion)
29 June (celebration of Saints Peter and Paul co-founders of the Church)
18 November (feast of the dedication of the Basilicas of Peter and Paul)
Profile
Talmudic student. Pharisee. Tent-maker by trade. Saul the Jew hated and
persecuted Christians as heretical, even assisting at the stoning of Saint
Stephen the Martyr. On his way to Damascus to arrest another group of
them, he was knocked to the ground, struck blind by a heavenly light, and
given the message that in persecuting Christians, he was persecuting
Christ. The experience had a profound spiritual effect on him, causing his
conversion to Christianity. He was baptized, changed his name to Paul to
reflect his new persona, and began traveling and preaching. Martyr.
Born: c.3 as Saul at Tarsus, Cilicia (modern Turkey)
Died: beheaded c.65 at Rome, Italy
Patronage: against snakes, authors, Catholic Action, Cursillo
movement, diocese of Birmingham Alabama, diocese of Covington Kentucky,
evangelists, hailstorms, hospital public relations, journalists, Kavala,
Greece, diocese of Las Vegas Nevada, lay people, Malta, missionary
bishops, musicians, newspaper editorial staff archdiocese of Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania poisonous snakes, Poznan Poland, diocese of Providence Rhode
Island, public relations personnel, public relations work, publishers,
reporters, Rome, rope braiders, rope makers, saddle makers, saddlers,
snake bites, tent makers, diocese of Worcester, Massachusetts, writers
Representation: thin-faced elderly man with a high forehead,
receding hairline and long pointed beard; man holding a sword and a book;
man with 3 springs of water nearby; sword; book
Reading
I assure you, brothers, the gospel I proclaimed to you is no mere human
invention. I did not receive it from any man, not was I schooled in it. It
came by revelation from Jesus Christ.
You have heard, I know, the story of my former way of life in Judaism. You
know that I went to extremes in persecuting the Church of God, and tried
to destroy it.
But the time came when he who had set me apart before I was born and
called me by his favor chose to reveal his Son to me, that I might spread
among the Gentiles the good tidings concerning him. Immediately, without
seeking human advisers or even going to Jerusalem to see those who were
apostles before me, I went off to Arabia; later I returned to Damascus.
Three years after that I went up to Jerusalem to get to know Cephas, with
whom I stayed fifteen days. I did not meet any other apostles except
James, the brother of the Lord.
The communities of Christ in Judea had no idea what I looked like; they
had only heard that "he who was formerly persecuting us is now preaching
the faith he tried to destroy," and they gave glory to God on my account.
from a letter from Saint Paul the Apostle to the Christians in Galatia
I remind you to stir into flame the gift of God that you have through the
imposition of my hands. For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but
rather of power and love and self-control. So do not be ashamed of your
testimony to our Lord, nor of me, a prisoner for his sake; but bear your
share of the hardship for the gospel with the strength that comes from
God.
Saint Paul in his second letter to Saint Timothy
source:
http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/saintp12.htm |
