During the formation and spread of Christianity, many significant historical figures appeared, which made a great contribution to the common cause. Among them, one can distinguish the apostle Paul, to which many scholars of religion are treated differently.
Who is the apostle Paul, what is he famous for?
One of the most prominent preachers of Christianity was the apostle Paul. He took part in the writing of the New Testament. For many years, the name of the apostle Paul was a banner of struggle against paganism. Historians believe that his influence on Christian theology was most effective. The Holy Apostle Paul achieved great success in his missionary work. His "Epistles" became the main for writing the New Testament. It is believed that Paul wrote about 14 books.
Where was the Apostle Paul born?
According to existing sources, a saint was born in Asia Minor (modern Turkey) in the city of Tarsus in the 1st century AD. in a well-to-do family. At birth, the future apostle received the name Saul. The apostle Paul, whose biography was thoroughly studied by the explorers, was a Pharisee, and he was brought up in the strict canons of the Jewish faith. Parents believed that the son will be a teacher-theologian, so he was sent to study in Jerusalem.
It is important to pay attention to the fact that the apostle Paul had Roman citizenship, which gave a number of privileges, for example, a person could not be shackled until the court found guilty. The Roman citizen was freed from various physical punishments, which were shameful, and from the death penalty degrading, for example, crucifixion. Roman citizenship was also taken into account when the apostle Paul was executed.
The Apostle Paul - Life
It has already been said that Saul was born into a wealthy family, thanks to which father and mother were able to give him a good education. The guy knew Torah and knew how to interpret it. According to existing data, he was part of the local Sanhedrin, the highest religious institution that could conduct trials of people. In this place Saul first encountered Christians who were ideological enemies of the Pharisees. The future apostle admitted that many believers under his orders were imprisoned and killed. One of the most famous executions with the participation of Saul was the casting of St Stephen with stones.
Many are interested in how Paul became an apostle, and with this reincarnation there is one story. Saul, along with the imprisoned Christians, went to Damascus to receive punishment. On the way, he heard a voice coming from heaven, and addressed him by name and asked why he was chasing him. According to tradition, Jesus Christ addressed Jesus to Saul. After that, the man went blind for three days, and the Damascus Christian Ananias helped him restore his sight. This made Saul believe in the Lord and become a preacher.
The apostle Paul, as an example of a missionary, is known for his dispute with one of Christ's chief assistants - the apostle Peter, whom he accused of preaching insincerely, trying to arouse sympathy among the Gentiles and not incur condemnation of fellow believers. Many religious scholars claim that Paul considered himself more experienced due to the fact that he was well versed in the Torah and his preaching sounded more convincing. For this he was nicknamed "apostle of the Gentiles." It is worth noting that Peter did not argue with Paul and recognized his rightness, the more he was familiar with such a concept as hypocrisy.
How did the apostle Paul die?
In those days, the pagans persecuted Christians, especially the preachers of the faith and severely dealt with them. By his activities the apostle Paul made a huge number of enemies among the Jews. He was first arrested and sent to Rome, but there he was released. The story of how the ball was executed by the apostle Paul begins with the fact that he converted two concubines of Emperor Nero to Christianity, who refused to engage in carnal pleasures with him. The ruler became angry and ordered the arrest of the apostle. By order of the emperor Paul was cut off his head.
Where is the Apostle Paul buried?
In the place where the saint was executed and buried, a temple was built, which was named San Paolo-fiori-le-Mura. He is considered one of the most majestic church basilicas. On the day of the memory of Paul in 2009, the Pope said that a scientific study of the sarcophagus was carried out, which was located under the altar of the church. Experiments proved that the biblical apostle Paul was buried there. The pope said that when all the research is completed, the sarcophagus will be available for the worship of believers.
The Apostle Paul - Prayer
For his deeds, the saint, even during his lifetime, received from the Lord a gift that gives him the opportunity to heal sick people. After his death, his prayer began, which, according to testimonies, healed already a huge number of people from various diseases and even deaths. The apostle Paul is mentioned in the Bible and his great power is able to strengthen faith in a person and guide him to the righteous path. Sincere prayer will help to guard against demons temptations. Priests believe that any petition that comes from a pure heart will be heard by the saints.