Icon with the Holy Apostle Paul – embroidered, framed, 15x18cm
The Holy Apostle Paul, known before his apostleship as Saul, was descended from the tribe of Benjamin and was born in Tarsus of Cilicia, to honorable parents who had previously lived in Rome.
Initially, Paul was a fervent supporter of the Mosaic Law and joined with great zeal those who persecuted the Christians. On his way to Damascus, intending to arrest the Christians there, Christ appeared to him in a bright light, revealing to him that those persecuted were not only His followers but Himself. Thus, Paul, who physically persecuted those in the Body of the Church, realized that essentially, he was persecuting Christ Himself. This encounter transformed Paul from a persecutor into a witness of Christianity. He was baptized by Ananias, the bishop of Damascus, and his name was changed from Saul to Paul.
The Holy Apostle Paul was captured by the Jews in Jerusalem in the year 58 and was held in prison for two years in Caesarea of Palestine. Due to his Roman citizenship, he was transferred to Rome to be judged by the emperor. In Rome, he spent two years in a rented house, under the guard of a Roman soldier. He was released in the year 63 and ultimately was martyred in the year 67, during the reign of Emperor Nero, by decapitation.
Paul did not meet the Savior during His earthly ministry, but he witnessed the martyrdom of Saint Stephen, guarding the clothes of those who stoned him.
From the Holy Apostle Paul, we have received 14 Epistles: the First Epistle to the Thessalonians (Corinth, in the year 52); the Second Epistle to the Thessalonians (Corinth, 52); the Epistle to the Galatians (Ephesus, 54); the First Epistle to the Corinthians (Ephesus, 56); the Second Epistle to the Corinthians (Macedonia, 57); the Epistle to the Romans (Corinth, 58); the Epistle to the Ephesians (Rome, 62-63); the Epistle to the Philippians (Rome, 62-63); the Epistle to the Colossians (Rome, 62-63); the Epistle to Philemon (Rome, 62-63); the Epistle to the Hebrews (Rome, 63); the First Epistle to Timothy (Macedonia, 63); the Epistle to Titus (Macedonia, 65); the Second Epistle to Timothy (Rome, 66), considered as the "spiritual testament" of St. Apostle Paul.
The Holy Apostle Paul is celebrated on June 29th.
The Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, patrons of the penitentiaries
In 1993 and 1997, two protocols were signed between the Romanian Patriarchate and the Ministry of Justice regarding the provision of religious assistance in the Romanian penitentiary system. According to these protocols, the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul were declared patrons of the penitentiaries in Romania.
