Anything under the sun
St. Paul – Apostle of the Gentiles (2)
Missionary journeys of St. Paul
Thus, Saul began his first journey to the land of the Gentiles (47 AD to 51 AD). Starting from Antioch (Cilicia). They went to Seleucia then sailed for Salamis in Cyprus, then Pamphylia region (Attalia, Perga, Lystria and Antioch (Pesidia), then Iconium and back to Lystria and Antioch (Cilicia).
His second journey (53-57), started again from Antioch Caesaria visiting along the way at many communities he had previously organized. From Caesaria, he sailed to Rhodes, Ephesus, then Greece (Cenchrae, Corinth and Athens). In Athens, he spoke at the Areopagus confronting the Greek culture and wisdom. He spoke Hebrew and Greek.
From Athens he went back to Antioch (Cilicia) by land passing Thessalonica, Philippi, Samothrace, Antioch (Pesidia), Tarsus and back to Antioch (Cilicia).
The third journey of Saul (53-57), started from Jerusalem, then Tyre from where he sailed to Patara, Miletus, up to Neaplolis, Philippi, Corinth, Athens, Thessalonica, then crossing the Aegean Sea to Ephesus, Antioch (Cilicia).
Later, he visited Jerusalem where he was chained by the Jews and still later, was imprisoned for two years in Caesaria. Being a Roman citizen, Saul appeared to the emperor and was ordered to go to Rome.
Thus, started his fourth and last journey (58-63) by sailing from Caesaria. He passed Ceete, Malta, Syracuse in Sicily, Rhegium in southern Italy and lastly, reached Rome where although in prison, he continued preaching the Gospel.
While in prison, Saul wrote his famous Letters (13 in all) to the Corinthians, Philippians, Thessalonians, Galatians, Ephesians and Romans which are now parts of the Bible. Thru these Letters Paul wanted to maintain a living rapport with the Christian communities he founded or knew during his journeys to continue his pastoral and missionary action.
In 64 AD, there was great fire in Rome for which Emperor Nero blamed the Christians. He killed many of them including St. Peter and St. Paul. The remains of St. Paul has been preserved up to the present beneath the Papal Altar of the Basilica of St. Paul outside of the walls for 20 centuries.
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NOW AVAILABLE – Following volumes of Interesting Facts About West Visayas by this writer: The titles are, Vol. 1 – The Maragtas; Vol. 2 – Malay Civilization and Culture; Vol. 3 – Commerce & Industry; Vol. 5 – Evangelization; Vol. 10 – Tourism; and Vol. 11 – World War II in Panay. For information, write the writer in 4 Santa Ana Street, Molo, Iloilo City or call up tel. no. 337-3045.
These series are authorized as reference books in private and public schools per Regional Memorandum No. 60 dated May 25, 1993 of the DepEd Region 6.