O glorious St. Paul, who from a persecutor of Christianity, didst become a most ardent apostle of zeal; and who to make known the Savior Jesus Christ unto the ends of the world didst suffer with joy imprisonment, scourgings, stoning, shipwrecks and persecutions of every kind, and in the end didst shed thy blood to the last drop, obtain for us the grace to receive, as favors of the Divine mercy, infirmities, tribulations, and misfortunes of the present life, so that the vicissitudes of this our exile will not render us cold in the service of God, but will render us always more faithful and more fervent. Amen. With ecclesiastical approval
Patron Of:
Against Snakes, Authors, Hospital Public Relations, Journalists, Poisonous Snakes, Press, Publishers, Rome, Rope Makers, Snake Bite, Travel, Writers
Memorial
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 St. Peter and of St. Paul) Profile
Saul was a Jewish 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 off his horse and 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 travelling, preaacing and writing. Author of much of the New Testament of the Sacred Scriptures. He was martyred in Rome. Born
c.3 as Saul at Tarsus, Cilicia (modern Turkey) Died
A martyr, beheaded c.65 at Rome, Italy Patronage
against snakes; authors; Bath Abbey; Bath, England; Catholic Action; Cursillo movement; diocese of Birmingham, Alabama; diocese of Calbayog, Philippines; diocese of Covington, Kentucky; evangelists; hailstorms; hospital public relations; journalists; Kavala, Greece; diocese of Las Vegas, Nevada; lay people; Malta; diocese of Maralal, Kenya; missionary bishops; Münster, Germany; musicians; Naumburg, Germany; 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; saddlemakers; saddlers; snake bites; tent makers; Umbria, Italy; diocese of Worcester, Massachusetts; writers