LAVIE, AND EXPLOITS THE SUFFERING OF THE HOLY AND GLORIOUS APOSTLE PAUL
WORTHY OF ALL PRAISES
(Synaxarion of St. Dimitri of Rostov - June 29)
Before that he became the Apostle, St. Paul was called Saul. Born in Tarsus in Cilicia, he was of Jewish race and belonged to the tribe of Benjamin. His noble parents lived first in Rome and then came to settle in Tarsus, with the honorary title of Roman citizens. This is why later, Paul received the qualifier Roman . We may add here that his family were the first martyr Stephen. In his youth, his parents placed him in Jerusalem to make the learning of sacred books and the Law of Moses under the direction of renowned master Gamaliel. During his studies he had with him his friend Barnabas became too Apostle of Christ. Having well-depth Law of his fathers, he showed her a fervent zeal, and attached himself to the Pharisees.
At that time, the Apostles spread the good news of Christ in Jerusalem and surrounding towns and regions, creating great discussions with the Pharisees, Sadducees, scribes and teachers of the law. These preachers of Christianity were quickly hated and persecuted by all those Jews. Saul also hated the holy Apostles, and would not even hear them preach Christ. He quarreled with Barnabas, Apostle now, and never ceased to blaspheme the truth. When its parent, St. Stephen, came to be stoned by the Jews, not only did he show any regret at seeing innocent shed blood of his own family, but he approved the murder and kept the clothes of Jews who beat the martyr. Having subsequently received full powers of the priests and Veterans, Saul persecuted the Church of Christ, breaking into the homes of believers, dragging men and women in prison.
Not content to persecute the faithful of Jerusalem, he went to Damascus with letters from the Priest. Breathing threats and carnage, he intended to flush out the men and women believing in Christ, to seize them and bring them into links to Jerusalem. This happened during the reign of Emperor Tiberius.
As Saul approached Damascus, a light from heaven suddenly shone around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying
- Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me? Seized with fear, he replied:
- Who are You, Lord?
- I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks! Trembling with fear, Saul said:
- Lord, what wilt Thou have me do?
- Rise, between the city and we'll tell you what to do!
The soldiers who accompanied Saul were dismayed to hear that voice without seeing anyone. When Saul got up, he saw nothing. His eyes were struck with blindness carnal, but his spiritual eyes began to open. He was taken by the hand to Damascus where he stayed three days in constant prayer, without seeing, eat or drink.
In Damascus the Holy Apostle Ananias lived. The Lord appeared to him in a vision, commanding him to go find Saul in the house of a certain Judas, to make the light in his eyes carnal by the imposition hands, and his spiritual eyes through baptism. But Ananias answered:
- Lord, I heard many people talk about this man and say all the harm he did to Your saints in Jerusalem. He is here with full powers of the chief priests to bind all who call upon Thy Name!
- Go without fear, because it is the vessel that I chose to carry My Name before the Gentiles, kings, and the son of Israel. I tell him he has to suffer for My Name!
Obedient the order of the Lord, Ananias went to find Saul and laid hands on him. Kinds of scales fell from his eyes. Baptized on the spot, he was filled with the Holy Spirit who sanctified the apostolic ministry. Its name was changed to Paul.
Paul preached immediately Jesus Son of God in the synagogues. All who heard him were astonished, "Is not he that in Jerusalem, persecuted those who invoke the name of Jesus ? Was he not come here to bind and bring them before the chief priests? "
Over time, Paul was becoming more confident and disturbed the Jews in Damascus by showing them that Jesus is the Christ. At the height of anger, they planned together to kill him and made day and night to keep the doors of the city so he could not escape them. But Ananias and the disciples in Damascus got wind of the plot. They drove at night on the ramparts of the city and brought him down along the wall in a basket.
Paul left Damascus for Arabia, as he wrote later to the Galatians: "I consulted neither the flesh nor blood, I went up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went into Arabia. Then I returned again to Damascus. Three years later, I went up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Peter. "
In Jerusalem, Paul wanted to meet the Lord's disciples, but they feared, could not believe it was theirs. Finally, he met the Holy Apostle Barnabas understood that his conversion, welcomes this change, and took him to the apostles. Paul told them how he had seen Christ on the road to Damascus, what he had said and how he emboldened the Name of Jesus. His story filled the Apostles with holy joy and glorified the Lord Christ.
In Jerusalem, Saint Paul instituted the controversy with the Jews and Greeks. One day he stood praying in the temple, he took an ecstasy and saw the Lord said unto him
- Hurry, get out of Jerusalem because they will not receive thy testimony concerning me here !
- Jews know that I was put in prison those who believed in you, and I did hit the synagogues. They also know that when shed the blood of Your witness Stephen, I, I approved the murder and I kept the clothes of those who killed him!
- Go, I'll send you off to the nations!
After this vision, though he liked to stay a few days in Jerusalem to enjoy the sight and conversation of the Apostles, Paul had to leave, because those with whom he had argued on Christ were furious and tried to kill him. The brothers then took him to Caesarea where he went to Tarsus.
Paul preached the Word of God in this city until the arrival of Barnabas who brought him to Antioch. He stayed a full year to teach in the church and converted many people to Christ, to whom he gave the name of Christians . After this year, Paul and Barnabas returned to Palestine to preach to the Apostles that the grace of God acting in Antioch, which rejoiced at the Church of Jerusalem. They brought with them many gifts of the faithful of Antioch for the poor and infirm brethren in Judea. According to the prophecy of Saint Agabus (one of the Seventy) had expressed a great famine in the reign of Emperor Claudius.
Subsequently, Paul and Barnabas parted again Jerusalem to Antioch, where they lived some time in fasting and prayer, celebrating the Divine Liturgy and preaching the Word of God, until Holy Spirit sends them to preach to the nations. The Holy Spirit said in effect to the elders of the Church of Antioch: "Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work for which I have called them! . After fasting and prayed, they laid their hands and then let them go.
Moved by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia and sailed for Cyprus. At Salamis, they preached the Gospel in the synagogues. Having crossed the island to Paphos, they met a Jewish sorcerer and false prophet named Bar-Jesus or Elymas, who lived alongside the proconsul Sergius Paulus, a prudent man. This proconsul summoned Barnabas and Paul and expressed his desire to hear the Word of God. Having listened to the Apostles believed. But the magician Elymas interposed and tried to divert him from the faith. Then Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked at the magician and said: "Oh, man full of all kinds of trickery and fraud! Son of the devil! Do you not cease perverting the right ways of the Lord? Behold now the Lord's hand is upon thee, thou shalt be blind, you will never see the sun for a while! . Obscurity and darkness fell on the magician who groped someone to guide him. Seeing this, the proconsul was struck by the Lord's teaching. Many people believed in his suite and the Church of Christ grows.
Paul and his companions sailed from Paphos to Perga of Pamphylia where they went to Antioch in Pisidia (not to be confused with Antioch in-the-Great of Syria). There they preached Christ. Like many people believed, the Jews drove the envy of the old town (who lived in the Greek impiety) to hunt without regard to the Apostles of the city and its boundaries. The latter, shaking the dust from their feet, went to Iconium, where they preached confidently leading to a multitude of Jewish faith and Greek, not only by words but by signs and miracles that their hands were doing. That's where they converted St. Thecla for the virgin betrothed to Christ. The unbelieving Jews prompted again by the Greeks and their leaders to reject the Apostles and stone them. However they got wind of the case and could flee Lycaonia, Lystra, and Derbe and the surrounding area where they preached.
There was a cripple who could not possibly walk. In the Name of Christ, they put him on his feet and jumped, he walked. Before this miracle the people proclaimed loudly Lycaonian language: "The gods have come down among us in human form! . They called Barnabas Zeus and Paul Hermes, and young people brought bulls and wreaths to offer a sacrifice. Seeing this, Paul and Barnabas tore their clothes and shouted to the crowd: "Why do you act this way? We are men of the same nature as you! . And they told them about the one God, Creator of the earth and sea, offering the rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, which provides food in abundance, and joy fills the hearts of men. But it is with great difficulty that prevented them these words to offer a sacrifice.
So they remained at Lystra, Jews came from Antioch and Iconium to incite the crowd to depart from the Apostles, accusing them of lying. They did so they pushed the population to a greater evil: they stoned Paul, who held the Word, and left him for dead outside the city. It could however be pointed out, back into the city and return Barnabas, with whom he started the next morning to Derbe. After having preached the Good Word and taught many, they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch in Pisidia, strengthening the souls disciples and exhorting them to remain steadfast in the faith. Praying and fasting, they appointed elders to each church and to the Lord in whom they had believed. Then they passed through Pisidia to Pamphylia visit, the word of the Lord in Perge, and then descended to Attalia. From there they sailed to Antioch in Syria where the Spirit had sent early in their ministry to preach the Word of God. At Antioch, they gathered the church and told what God had made them and they had converted pagans to Christ.
Shortly after, the converted Jews and Greeks of Antioch had a discussion about circumcision. Some said it could not be saved without being circumcised, others found it too painful. Paul went to Jerusalem with Barnabas to treat this matter with the apostles and elders, and told them how God had opened the doors of the pagan faith, new high delight all the brothers in Jerusalem. The Apostles and elders met and decided therefore to repeal the circumcision of the Old Testament, now useless to grace. They ordered abstain from meat sacrificed to idols and from fornication, and to offend in any way the next.
After that, they sent Paul and Barnabas to Antioch with Judas and Silas, where they stayed long enough before breaking again to go to the Gentiles. Barnabas went to Cyprus with Mark's parent. As for Paul chose Silas and departed in the cities of Syria and Cilicia strengthening the churches there. Reached Derbe and Lystra, he had circumcised his disciple Timothy to cause murmurs of the Jews. From there he went to Phrygia and Galatia, then crossed to Mysia Troas, with the intention of winning Bithynia, which the Holy Spirit would not allow him to do.
While Paul was at Troas with his disciples, he had a night vision: a man who looked like a Macedonian stood before him, begging him to come help his country. Paul understood that the Lord called them to preach the Good News.
Leaving Troas with his disciples, Paul reached Samothrace, and the morning of Neapolis. Then he reached the city of Philippi in Macedonia, where the Romans lived. He named a seller of purple called Lydia, after teaching her faith in Christ. She invited him to stay at his house with his disciples.
One day, while Paul went to church with his disciples to pray, a young girl came to meet them. This young girl was possessed by an evil spirit which his master seer drew great profit. Next Paul and his companions, she cried constantly, "These men are servants of God Almighty that we announce the way of salvation! She harassed Paul in this way for many days. The latter, exasperated, finally turn around and drive out the spirit by invoking the name of Christ. Masters of the girl, seeing evaporate the source of their earnings, they seized Paul and Silas and brought them before the princes and strategists saying: "These men disturb our city! They are Jews that teach customs and for us, Romans, it suits neither accept nor to follow! . Strategists tore their clothes and made them beat up their causing many injuries and then they brought them to jail. About midnight, while they were praying, the prison shook, the doors opened and the prisoners were broken links. Seeing this, the jailer believed in Christ and led prisoners with him, and washed their wounds, and was baptized with her household. Then they prepared a meal, after which they all returned to the prison. In the morning, strategists repented of having been beaten and sent innocent men to release them, giving them the opportunity to go wherever they wished. But Paul said: "After having beaten us publicly and without trial, we who are Roman citizens, they threw us in jail! And now, they make us go out secretly! It will not be so! They are themselves set us free! The messengers went back among strategists for their report the words of Paul. They were frightened to learn that they had beaten prisoners were Roman citizens. They came to beg them to leave the city. Leaving their cells, Paul and his companions went to Lydia's house where they stayed when they arrived: they consoled the brethren who were gathered and embraced. Then they went to Amphipolis and Apollonia.
Subsequently, they came to Thessalonica, where they converted a great multitude of people by preaching the Good Word. The Jews gathered some wicked jealous men and attacked Jason's house where the apostles lived. Do not find them, they took Jason and some other brothers, and dragged before the magistrates. They accused them of opposing Caesar citing another king named Jesus. Jason had great difficulty in freeing themselves from this calamity. For their part, the Apostles were hiding while waiting to leave the city at night to go to Berea. But again, the wicked jealousy of the Jews did not leave Paul alone. Indeed, the Jews of Thessalonica learned that Paul also preached the Word of God at Berea, and they came to raise the people against him. The Holy Apostle again had to flee towards the sea, not because he was afraid of death, but because the brothers prayed earnestly to preserve his life for the salvation of a multitude. Silas and Timothy remained in Berea to strengthen the faith of converts, because the Jews wanted only to Paul's head.
Paul boarded a ship bound for Athens. Noting that the city was full of idols, he was irritated to see so many souls lost. So he began to struggle with the Jews in their synagogues, and with the Greek philosophers and public places. The latter led him to the Areopagus (as they called the area near the Temple of Ares which was pronounced death sentences). Some had their heads in to hear about news, but others, like St. John Chrysostom said, waiting for the opportunity to engage in trial, suffering and death, if they come to hear her mouth something that deserved punishment. He began his speech with an allusion to an altar in Athens dedicated to an unknown God, and spoke of the true God they did not know saying, "The God you worship as unknown, this is the one that I announce! . And he showed them the God who had created the world. Then he approached the subject of repentance, of Judgement and resurrection of the dead. Upon hearing of resurrection of the dead, some mocked, but others wanted to learn more ... Following this speech, Paul left the Areopagus without conviction, and the Word of God appropriated some souls indeed some men attached themselves to the Apostle, including Dionysius the Areopagite, a woman named honorable Damaris, and others who asked to be baptized.
then Paul left Athens to Corinth where he stayed with a Jew named Aquila. Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia to join him and together they served the Word. Aquila and Priscilla his wife were making tents. Paul learned their craft and was able to earn his food and that of his companions in the work of his hands. As he said later to the Thessalonians: "We ate the bread for free. It is in the work and the pain we have been night and day at work for not to be a burden to any of you "(2Thes., 3.8). Every Saturday, he discussed with Jews in synagogues, showing that Jesus is truly the Christ, the Messiah. But the Jews challenged and derided him, so he ends up shaking his clothes and say, "Your blood be upon your head! I am pure! Now I go to the Gentiles! As he was leaving Corinth, the Lord appeared to him in a vision at night and he said: "Fear not for I am with you, and nobody will attack you to hurt you because J 'I have many people in this town! . So Paul stayed a year and a half in Corinth and taught the Word of God to Jews and Greeks. Many people were baptized, including Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, who believed in the Lord with all his family. But some Jews agreed to attack Paul and dragged to court the brother of the philosopher Seneca, the proconsul Gallio, who declared: "If he had done something wrong I would have thought, but I am not taking sides in controversy over the lyrics of your law! . And he drove them without court judge Paul. He remained still long enough to Corinth, and then he kissed her brothers and sailed for Syria with his companions. Aquila and Priscilla followed him, and they landed in Ephesus.
There they preached the Word of God. Paul performed many miracles, not only by imposing hands on the sick, but also through his sweat-soaked clothes. They were applied on patients who were cured of their ailments and or delivered from demons. Seeing this, some itinerant Jewish exorcists decided to turn invoke the name of Jesus to deliver a person possessed by evil spirits. They said: "We beseech you by Jesus whom Paul preaches! . But the evil spirits answered: "We know Jesus and we know who is Paul, but you, who are you? And the possessed fell upon them, overpowered, defeated and wounded them so that they fled naked. This story was known throughout Ephesus, sowing fear among the Jews, so that the Name of Jesus was magnified and that many people believed in Him. There were even a number of those who practiced the art of magic to come to faith in doing so, they brought their books together and burned them with magic for all to see. However, the value of these books was estimated at fifty thousand pieces of silver. Thus, the Word of God grew in power.
After that, Paul conceived the idea to go to Jerusalem and said: "When I myself am made, it should also let me see Rome! . So he left Ephesus after spending three years, which ended with major disturbances caused by the worshipers of Artemis. Then he went to Troas with his companions and remained there seven days. While they were in this city, the disciples came together on the first day of the week to break the bread, after which Paul began a long conversation with them which lasted until midnight. The room where the meeting took place was brightly lit, a young man fell asleep on the edge of a window, fell from the third floor and died. Paul got out, leaned over him, took him in her arms and said: "Do not disturb! His soul is in it! . He got into the room and they brought the boy alive. The interview continued until dawn and Paul departed after kissing the faithful. Arrived at Miletus, he sent for the elders of the church in Ephesus, because he would not return itself not to further delay his arrival in Jerusalem. As the old arrived, he told them: "Take care of yourselves, watch over all the flock, which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, and graze the Church that the Lord purchased with His own blood! . And he predicted that grievous wolves enter in among them after his departure. They also spoke of the trip he was planning to undertake: "I am going to Jerusalem, bound by the Holy Spirit, not knowing what to expect. The Holy Spirit warned me only that bonds and afflictions await me. I do not consider however, my life as precious, most being that I accomplish my race with joy and the ministry which I received from the Lord! "And he added:" Now, here I go and none of you will not see my face! " all burst into tears, fell on his neck, kissed him, grieving for what he had said they would never again met his face, and accompanied him to the ship. He gave everyone a last kiss and began his journey. After passing through many cities and coastal regions have wet and several islands, landed at Ptolemais, and came to Caesarea. He stayed there at the Holy Apostle Philip, one of the seven deacons, where he was visited by a prophet named Agabus. The latter took Paul's belt, tied to the feet and hands and said: "Thus says the Holy Spirit! The Jews of Jerusalem will bind and the man who owns this belt! They handed over to the Gentiles. " Hearing this, the brothers in tears begged Paul not to go to Jerusalem. But he replied: "What have you to weep and break my heart? Not only do I want to be bound, but I am ready to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus! The brothers were silent, then concluded by saying: "The will of God be done! .
With that, Paul went to Jerusalem with his disciples, among whom was Trophime of Ephesus, a Greek converted to Christ. In Jerusalem, Paul was received with love by the Apostle Saint Jacques, brother of the Lord, and all the faithful of the Church. These days, the Jews of Asia came to Jerusalem for the feast. They hated Paul and stood over against him in Asia. Having preview city of Ephesus Trophime company, they went to the chief priests, scribes and elders, accusing him of destroying the law of Moses and ordered not to be circumcised and everywhere preaching Christ crucified. They s'excitèrent and each other to seize him. The Day the Jews from Asia saw him in the temple, the accused, the people revolted against him and seized him, shouting: "Jewish people, help! Here is one who preaches everywhere against our people, against the law, against this place, and blasphemy! He even desecrated this holy place by introducing Greek! "They thought that Paul had indeed entered the temple with Trophime. The whole city was agitated, people ran and caught Paul, dragged him out of the temple and locked the door behind him. Their intention was to kill him off for not defile the holy place. At that time, the tribune of the cohort who guarded the city learned that all Jerusalem was raised. He ran with his soldiers and centurions. Seeing the soldiers and the tribune, people stopped beating Paul. The Tribune ordered him seized him, bound him with two iron chains and asked him who he was and how badly he had committed. The people shouting to kill him. The uproar was such that the Tribune could not understand the fault of Paul. He therefore lead the prisoner in the fortress. The soldiers complied, passing through the crowd that demanded death. As they arrived on a hill, Paul asked the Tribune permission to say a few words to the people, and gave him the tribune. Paul addressed the people in Hebrew, saying: "Brothers and fathers! Listen to what I now say to my defense! ... . And he spoke of his former zeal for the Law of Moses. Then he told how, on the road to Damascus, he was illuminated by a heavenly light and saw the Lord sent him to the Gentiles. But the people would not listen longer to the tribune and shouted: "Take away from the earth such a man! It is not worthy of live! "They screamed, threw their clothes, threw dust into the air with fury and demanded the death of Paul. The Tribune did enter it in the fortress and gave him the whip to know for which reason the people cried so against him. While being whipped, Paul spoke to the centurion who stood at his side
- You Is it permissible to beat with rods and a citizen Roman is not even condemned?
At these words the centurion approached the tribune and said
- Look what you gonna do! This man is a Roman citizen!
The Tribune approached Paul and said
- Are you a Roman?
- Yes!
- It is with much money I have earned this right of citizenship!
- for me, it's birth!
With that, the Tribune said Paul untie. The next morning he called together the chief priests and elders, and sent for the prisoner. Fixing the gaze of the council, Paul said:
- Brothers! It is in all good conscience that I have behaved so far before God!
At these words, the high priest Ananias ordered those standing near Paul to strike him on the mouth. Then Paul said:
- God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! You sit to judge me according to law and you violate the law by ordering an innocent knock!
Paul saw that this assembly was composed partly of Pharisees and Sadducees in part, is why he cried before the Sanhedrin:
- Brothers! I am a Pharisee and the son of a Pharisee! It is because of hope in the resurrection of the dead I am judged!
When he had said this, a strong dispute arose between the Pharisees and Sadducees and the assembly was divided. The Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angel nor spirit, whereas the Pharisees claimed otherwise. A great outcry was soon to rise, because the Pharisees confessed find no evil in this man while the Sadducees thought otherwise, and it was divisive. The Tribune, fearing lest Paul was torn to pieces, ordered him out and bring him into the fortress. The following night the Lord appeared to Paul and said, "Take courage! As thou hast testified of Me in Jerusalem, must you make me witness in Rome! .
The next day, some Jews hatched a plot and vowed to abstain from food and drink until they killed Paul. They were all men over forty. Having heard of the case, the Tribune sent Paul under guard to Caesarea at the governor Felix. The chief priests immediately notified, went to Caesarea to slander Paul before the governor. Yet they failed to get his death, for no fault justifying such a sentence could not be imputed. However, the Governor Paul remained in prison to please the Jews. Two years passed and, until Felix was replaced by Porcius Festus. The chief priests asked the new governor to send Paul to Jerusalem, preparing an ambush to kill him en route. Festus asked Paul if he would travel to Jerusalem to stand trial and he replied: "I am here in the court of Caesar where I should be judged. If I committed any crime deserving death, I refuse not to die. But if we do not find in me what drove them from Jerusalem to slander me, then nobody will devote myself to them because I appeal to Caesar. " With that, Festus deliberations with the board then said to Paul: "Hast thou appealed unto Caesar, thou shalt go before Caesar! .
few days later, King Agrippa arrived in Caesarea and asked to see Paul. Once before he and Festus, Paul spoke of the Lord Christ, and told them how he had been led to faith. As Agrippa said to him: "A little more and you'll make me a Christian! "Paul replied:" Let him Fault little or a lot, God grant that not only you, but all those who hear me today as I'm becoming myself, except for these chains! . At these words the King, the governor and subsequently withdrew, saying to each other: "This man has done nothing deserving death or imprisonment ! . Agrippa said to Festus: "This man could be released if he had not appealed to Caesar! . Thus we decided to send Paul to Rome before Caesar and he was given with other prisoners in the hands of the centurion Julius cohort Augusta. They boarded a ship and the journey began.
The road was not without difficulties, because of headwinds. Able to Crete and a place called Vouchers Ports Paul divined the future and suggested to stop there for the winter. But the centurion preferred listening to the advice of the helmsman and the owner, and they continued their journey. Back at sea, a very violent storm arose. We saw neither sun nor stars for two weeks to the point of losing any idea of where we stood. Battered by the waves, desperate travelers ate nothing, waiting for death. The ship had a total of two hundred seventy-six souls. One night Paul comforted them: "My friends, it would have taken my advice and do not leave Crete! However, I urge you not to lose heart because none of you will perish. Only the ship will be lost. That night, an angel of God appeared to me and said: Fear not, Paul, thou must stand before Caesar and now God has given thee all them that sail with thee . Therefore, my friends, do not worry! I trust in God that this will happen. " Then he exhorted them to take some food and added: "Fear not, for not a hair of your heads will be lost! . Having said this, he took bread, gave thanks to God and ate. All, comforted, and took some food. As day broke, they saw the earth without knowing which place it was. They directed the ship toward the shore. Reached near the shore, the ship ran aground. The bow, taken on a reef, stopped, while the stern was broken under the force of waves. The soldiers planned together to kill the prisoners so that none of them ran away, but the centurion, wishing to save Paul, kept them from running their plan and ordered those who could swim to jump into the water first to get ashore. The others left the ship after them, some on boards, on which floating debris. All reached the ground alive. They learned that the island on which they had failed was called Malta. The barbarians who inhabited the island they evinced much kindness. They made a big fire because of the cold and rain that fell, to allow to warm up shipwrecked. As Paul gathered brushwood for the fire, a viper, awakened by the heat, clung to his hand. When the barbarians saw the snake suspended from the hand of Paul, they said: "Truly this man is a murderer because the justice of God would not let him live after he was rescued from the sea! "But Paul shook the snake into the fire without suffering any harm. People thought seeing swell and die as a result of the venom. After waiting a long time without anything happening, they changed their minds and thought they were dealing with a god.
The main character of the island, a Publius, was shipwrecked and took care of them for three days. His father, suffering intestines and fever, was bedridden. Entering his home, Paul begged the Lord, his hands on him and healed him. Thereupon the other patients on the island ran and were all cured by Paul. They stayed three months on the island, then took another ship which took them to Syracuse, and thence to Rhegium (Reggio) and Puteoli (Pozzuoli), after which they reached Rome.
Learning Paul's arrival, the brothers of Rome came to him through Forum of Appius and the Three Caves. Paul rejoiced in seeing them, and gave thanks to God. In Rome the centurion, who accompanied the prisoners from Jerusalem handed them to the strategist, who allowed Paul to live alone in the care of a single soldier. Paul lived in Rome and two years, receiving all who came to visit and preach the kingdom of God and all that concerns our Lord Jesus Christ, without hindrance and with great daring.
All we have previously told of the life and labors of St. Paul of Acts is written by Saint Luke. He himself speaks of his sufferings later in the epistle to the Corinthians: "For work, much more for strokes nay, for imprisonment, much more. Often in danger of death, five times I received forty stripes save one Jewish, three times I was beaten with rods, once stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, I spent a day and night into the abyss, and I often walked on the roads. " Just as he had surveyed the land and sea in all its dimensions during his travels, he contemplated the Divine Author of being caught up into the third heaven. For the Lord to comfort his Apostle travails borne his name, he revealed the heavenly things that eye has not seen, and it was heard unspeakable words which it is not the man to return.
Eusebius of Pamphylia, Bishop of Caesarea in Palestine, has copied the actions of the Church. He left us an account of the latest exploits of the Holy Apostle Paul. He says that after being imprisoned two years in Rome, he was eventually found innocent and released. Thereafter, he preached the Word of God both in Rome and in other parts of the West.
Metaphrastes reports that after Saint Simeon his imprisonment in Saint Paul remained some years in Rome to preach Christ, then left the capital for voyages to Gaul, Spain and Italy, illuminating light of the many pagan faith that pulled the lure idols. While he was in Spain, a noble and rich woman had heard the preaching of the Apostles wanted to see, and urged her husband to invite the holy Probus home. While St. Paul was entering their home, this woman, named Xanthippe, lives on the front of the Apostle in this inscription in gold letters: Paul, Apostle of Christ . Having seen what no one else could not see her, she threw herself with fear at the feet of the Apostle, confessed Christ as the only true God, and asked for baptism. It therefore received the , followed by her husband Probus, their whole house, the governor of the city, and many others.
After visiting these Western countries and have lit the light of the Holy Faith, Paul returned to Rome where he wrote a letter to his disciple Timothy, saying: "I am already being offered and the time of my departure. I fought the good fight, I have finished my course, I kept faith. Now for me a crown of righteousness that the Lord will give me that day! .
The torture of the Holy Apostle is described in different ways by the various ecclesiastical writers. Kalliste Nicephorus in his book of ecclesiastical history, ch.56, writes that St. Paul suffered the same year and the same day that the Holy Apostle Peter in helping it to overcome the magician Simon. Saint Simeon Metaphrastes reports, meanwhile, that St. Paul suffered several years after the death of Simon Magus, for having converted two concubines from Nero to a pure life. Other authors say that the two Apostles suffered the same day, June 29, but a year apart, the year after Paul one where Peter was crucified. It is also said that Paul was put to death for having exhorted the women and virgins to live chaste and pure.
Anyway, like Saint Paul and Saint Peter lived several years together in Rome and the West, it is quite possible that Paul has come to help Peter in Rome in its battle against the magician Simon during his first stay in Rome, then in a second residence, has again assisted in his work of salvation, teaching men and for women to live chaste and pure. These exhortations were enraged by the Emperor Nero, wicked and evil man, so he did find the two Apostles to put them to death. Peter, as a foreigner, was crucified, and Paul, as a Roman citizen, was sentenced to be beheaded because it was inappropriate for him to die so shameful. It is not known if they died the same year, but in any case, their deaths occurred both a June 29
When the sacred head was cut off Paul, it flowed blood and milk. The faithful took his holy body to deposit the same location as that of St. Peter. Thus died the elected vessel of Christ, the Master of the pagans, the preacher universal, the visionary heights of heaven and the joys of Paradise, with angels and men an amazing sight. Great-great ascetic and suffering, Paul bore in his body the marks of his lord, the Prince of the Apostles, and was again placed, this time without his body, the third heaven, to be presented to the Triune Light with his collaborator and friend, another prince of the Apostles, the Holy Apostle Peter. They left and the Church cries out to God for the Church triumphant, and fêtèrent in the cheers and joy of the witness and glorify the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, one God in Trinity, which we should sinners, we offer honor, glory, adoration and gratitude, now and ever and ever and ever. Amen.
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