Paul, Saint

Paul, Saint (1st century ad), Christian preacher.

St. Paul was a Jewish tent maker born at Tarsus in present-day Turkey.

As a young man he was called Saul. He went to Jerusalem to become a rabbi. At this time, the followers of Jesus Christ were preaching a new religion and Saul began to work against them. He set out for Damascus as an enemy of the Christians, but on the way, according to the Bible, he saw a vision and became a Christian himself, changing his name to Paul.

Afterwards he made three long journeys through Asia Minor and Greece preaching the new religion and setting up churches.

He had many adventures. He was often imprisoned and beaten and once he was shipwrecked.

Finally he was arrested in Jerusalem and sent to prison by the Romans. Later he was sent to Rome to be tried and he probably died there in 64 ad by command of the Emperor Nero.

Paul's story is told in the Acts of the Apostles in the Bible and his teachings are to be found in a series of letters known as the Epistles of St. Paul. He wrote these letters to people in places where he had started churches.