St. Paul is one of the most influential figure in all of Christian history and his story is well-known. Born Saul in the Roman Empire, he was a Jewish Pharisee who dedicated his life to seeking out and persecuting Christians. He was present at the death of the first Christian Martyr, St. Stephen, and even encouraged his death.

In fact, he was the best at it, as he accounts in his letter to the Galatians “I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers.”

On his way to Damascus, God revealed Himself and His Son to Saul, knocking the Roman from his horse with a blinding light. For three days, Paul did not eat or drink and waited for his sight to be restored, as promised by God. A man named Ananias visited him after some time and laid his hands on Saul’s eyes, as instructed by God. Immediately and miraculously his sight was restored. Saul was filled with the Holy Spirit and became new person in Christ. This was the beginning of Paul’s ministry.

He set out to preach the Word of God to all, though he was met with many trials along the way. Time and time again he nearly escaped death and his own persecution as he traveled.

Despite this, he continued to travel and fulfill the mission assigned to him by God. He did so with great zeal and devotion, but also love. Paul’s many letters convey his sincere desire to bring people to God and the Christian faith.

Tradition holds that, upon returning to Rome, Paul was imprisoned and beheaded (rather than crucified because he was a Roman citizen). It has been passed down that, when St. Paul was beheaded, his head bounced three times and fountains miraculously sprang up at each place where it touched the ground. These three springs have been memorialized at the Church of Saint Paul at the Three Fountains in Rome, where he is said to have been beheaded.