Paul the Apostle
Early Christian apostle and missionary (c. AD 5 – c. 64/65)
Feast: 29 June (current Roman calendar, solemnity) · 29 June (1962 Missal, I class)
Also kept: 25 January (The Conversion of Saint Paul the Apostle, current Roman calendar) · 25 January (On the Conversion of St. Paul Apostle, 1962 Missal) · 22 February (Chair of St. Peter, 1962 Missal)
Who they were
Saul was a Jew of Tarsus and a Roman citizen, educated in the Jewish law at Jerusalem and at home in Greek and Latin, a tentmaker by trade like his father. He first appears at the stoning of Stephen, and set out to destroy the young Church, dragging Christians to prison.
On the road to Damascus a light from heaven threw him to the ground and he heard Jesus ask, 'Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?' Blinded, he was baptised at Damascus when Ananias laid hands on him and his sight returned. He then preached Christ to Jews and above all to the Gentiles in three great missionary journeys, through Cyprus, Galatia, Macedonia and Greece, founding churches and writing the letters that fill much of the New Testament. Arrested in Jerusalem, he appealed as a Roman citizen to the emperor, was taken to Rome, and there was beheaded; tradition places his martyrdom on the same day as Peter's, 29 June in the year 67.
The miracles
There was never a formal cause: Paul has been honoured as an apostle and martyr from the first generation of the Church. He is buried on the Via Ostiense, beneath the Basilica of St Paul Outside the Walls, and with St Peter is patron of Rome.
Why that counted as sanctity
Paul's holiness began in total conversion: the Church's fiercest persecutor became its greatest missionary. From then on he spent everything for Christ, in journeys, beatings, shipwreck and prison, so that the Gospel would reach the nations, and he sealed it with his blood in Rome.
Connected on this site
- Lydia of Thyatira Saint Pupil“Commemoration of Saint Lydia, who, a dealer in purple cloth at Philippi in Macedonia, today in Greece, listening to the preaching of Saint Paul the Apostle, was the first of all to believe in the Gospel.” — this site's research
- Thomas Aquinas Saint Influenced by them
- Timothy Saint Pupil“The New Testament indicates that Timothy traveled with Paul the Apostle, who was also his mentor.” — Wikipedia
- Abibon Saint“1st century AD), also known as Abibas, was the son of Gamaliel, the teacher of Paul the Apostle.” — Wikipedia
- Ananias of Damascus Saint“Ananias of Damascus ( AN-ə-NY-əs; Ancient Greek: Ἀνανίας, romanized: Ananíās; Aramaic: ܚܢܢܝܐ, romanized: Ḥananyō; "favoured of the LORD") was a disciple of Jesus in Damascus, mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles in the Bible, which describes how he was sent by Jesus to restore the sight of Saul of Tarsus (who…” — Wikipedia
- Barnabas Saint“He undertook missionary journeys as a companion of Paul the Apostle, evangelizing among the "God-fearing" Gentiles who attended synagogues in some of the Hellenized cities of Anatolia.” — Wikipedia
- Denis of Paris Saint“Some accounts placed this during Domitian's persecution and incorrectly identified St Denis of Paris with the Areopagite who was converted by Paul the Apostle and who served as the first bishop of Athens.” — Wikipedia
- Epaphroditus Saint“Commemoration of Saint Epaphroditus, whom Saint Paul the Apostle calls his brother and companion in work and in struggle.” — this site's research
- Eucherius of Orléans Saint“Reading the letters of Paul the Apostle led Eucherius to seek the monastic life in 714, when he retired to the Abbey of Jumièges in the Diocese of Rouen.” — Wikipedia
- Francis Xavier Saint“Known as the "Apostle of the Indies", "Apostle of the Far East", "Apostle of China" and "Apostle of Japan", he is considered to be one of the greatest missionaries since Paul the Apostle.” — Wikipedia
- Herodion of Patras Saint“Commemoration of Saints Herodion, Asyncritus and Phlegon, whom Saint Paul the Apostle greets in the Letter to the Romans.” — this site's research
- Linus Saint“Linus is mentioned in the valediction of the Second Epistle to Timothy (2 Timothy 4:21) as being with Paul the Apostle in Rome near the end of Paul's life.” — Wikipedia
15 more
- Onesiphorus Saint“Commemoration of Saint Onesiphorus, who often refreshed Saint Paul the Apostle at Ephesus and was not ashamed of his chains, but, having gone to Rome, sought him out diligently and found him.” — this site's research
- Philip Neri Saint“He is sometimes referred to as the "Second Apostle of Rome" after Peter the Apostle, and sometimes as the "Third Apostle of Rome", after Peter and Paul the Apostle.” — Wikipedia
- Philip the Evangelist Saint“Later, Philip lived in Caesarea Maritima with his four daughters who prophesied, where he was visited by Paul the Apostle (Acts 21:8–9).” — Wikipedia
- Phlegon of Marathon Saint“Commemoration of Saints Herodion, Asyncritus and Phlegon, whom Saint Paul the Apostle greets in the Letter to the Romans.” — this site's research
- Saint Acestes Saint“Saint Acestes was one of three soldiers who escorted Paul the Apostle to his death, who was later venerated by the pre-congregation.” — Wikipedia
- Saint Apollos Saint“A contemporary and colleague of Paul the Apostle, he played an important role in the early development of the churches of Ephesus and Corinth.” — Wikipedia
- Saint Stephen Saint“Saul of Tarsus, a Pharisee and Roman citizen who would later become Paul the Apostle, was also involved as a witness in Stephen's execution.” — Wikipedia
- Saint Titus Saint“Titus ( TY-təs; Ancient Greek: Τίτος, Títos) was an early Christian missionary and church leader, a companion and disciple of Paul the Apostle, mentioned in several of the Pauline epistles including the Epistle to Titus.” — Wikipedia
- Sosipater Saint“According to Latin tradition, the disciple of St Paul the Apostle died on the 25th of June in Beroea.” — Wikipedia
- Sosthenes Saint“Some historians, beginning with Eusebius, identify this Sosthenes with a companion of Paul the Apostle referred to as "Sosthenes our brother" (Greek: Σωσθένης ὁ ἀδελφός, Sōsthénēs ho adelphós, literally "Sosthenes the brother"), a convert to the Christian faith and co-author of the First Epistle to the Corinthians…” — Wikipedia
- Stachys the Apostle Saint“Stachys is mentioned just one time in the New Testament as a person loved by Paul the Apostle (Romans 16:9).” — Wikipedia
- Tertius of Iconium Saint“According to the New Testament book of Romans, Tertius of Iconium (Greek: Τέρτιος Ἰκονιού) acted as an amanuensis for Paul the Apostle, writing down his Epistle to the Romans.” — Wikipedia
- Thecla Saint“Thecla (Ancient Greek: Θέκλα, Thékla) was a saint of the early Christian Church, and a reported follower of Paul the Apostle.” — Wikipedia
- Zenas the Lawyer Saint“Zenas the Lawyer (Ancient Greek: Ζηνᾶς) was a first-century Christian mentioned in Paul the Apostle's Epistle to Titus in the New Testament.” — Wikipedia
- Isaac Thomas Hecker Servant of God“Paul the Apostle, known as the Paulist Fathers, in New York on July 7, 1858.” — Wikipedia
- Vatican News - Saint of the day (Italian): Paul the Apostle
- Wikidata Q9200 — dates, feast day and identifiers (CC0)
- English Wikipedia — Paul the Apostle (CC BY-SA)
Checked against the sources listed on 21 September 2026. Corrections welcome.