Holy Chief Apostles Peter and Paul. Life of the Apostle Paul

What made them different?

It happens so often in life that simple and not learned people They love church law and ritual more than theology.

It so often happens in life that learned people, having learned everything about the law, can afford to treat the law as something optional in its details. But they try very hard to adhere to the essence and meaning of this law. Here is what the Apostle Paul writes about fasting:

For some are confident that they can eat everything, but the weak eat vegetables. He who eats, do not disparage the one who does not eat; and whoever does not eat, do not condemn the one who eats, because God has accepted him.

No matter how you write the spiritual law, there will always be something that cannot be described. The essence of the law is in God, and He is infinity, which cannot fit within the narrow framework of the law.

In the Church, there are confusions or even disputes between such people. But the past persecution of Christians in the USSR showed that both of them equally laid down their souls for Christ. Together they ascended the cross, learned and unlearned, inspired and practical.

Because law and love are two wings of faith.

The Apostle Peter became such a man of the Law. Paul became such a man of the Spirit. Peter is the pillar of God's law, and Paul is the pillar of love.

Following the lives of the apostles who walked with Christ, one could expect that who else but them would leave extensive memories of this life together with God. They didn't have to write it themselves. There were literate people nearby. But…

The Gospels are amazingly small books and skimpy on details. One gets the impression that Christ was almost silent for all three years. The disciples did not consider it necessary to write down all His words, which are more precious to us than gold. The thousand days of Jesus' preaching are expressed in the text of His direct speech, which can be read in just half an hour.

But on every day of this thousand days of mission, something happened in the community of disciples that was worthy of pen and memory. And almost all of it disappeared.

What's amazing is that instead of twelve thick books of memories, we only have four thin books. One of them was written by one who did not see Christ - Luke.

It is not clear why the apostles could not or did not want to convey to us what they were called for - to record every word of the Lord. For comparison, it is worth remembering that Moses wrote down on the tablets every letter of the Law he heard. And in our Scriptures there are gaps in days and months.

Moreover, after the descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles, they were called to preach. And almost the entire text of their sermon melted into thin air.

Just two letters of the Apostle Peter! From what he said while traveling around the countries, only fragments of phrases and unverified fragments of tradition remained, such as the last words of Peter addressed to his wife on the day of their execution in Rome.

The words of the other apostles are just as meager. And there were no longer twelve of them, but an order of magnitude more.

The apostles turned out to be silent to history.

Peter and James, the strongest of them, after the main preaching work, gathered in Jerusalem and did two important dramatic things: they broke with the Jewish religious tradition and laid the foundation of a new religious entity - the Church. When it became obvious to them that the synthesis of the old and new systems impossible, they, under the influence of inspiration, developed and new scheme worship, and the new structure of the Church, and gave a forecast and vector for the development of this new Church.

This, in fact, is what two epistles of the Apostle Peter were written about: about the Church being formed and about the Church of the future.

Peter and James became the architects of the new Church. But building a temple is not enough. It must be revived by spirit, people, icons, singing, light, incense and preaching. The second part was carried out by the Apostle Paul.

"Holy Apostle Paul." Domenico El Greco, 1610-14

Considering the silence of the apostles, their lack of books and a clear emphasis on deeds, we can conclude that God needed someone who would breathe a new spirit into the law, someone who would speak a word not only for his contemporaries, but also kindle the hearts of those who would live thousands after him. and thousands of years later.

Without Paul, the Church would be in a state of silence. It is simply impossible to imagine our Church without him. Take away these messages of his, and it seems that a strange silence will reign in the church and a void will form that there will be nothing to fill.

God needed the mouthpiece or mouth of the Holy Spirit. God needed someone who could combine the teaching ministry with the prophetic ministry.

And God chose a special person for Himself to fill the silence of the apostles. The Lord chose the new apostle not at all where one would have expected - among the Pharisees. The young man Saul (Saul) was found not among the chosen, but among the called.

We are familiar with this. The Russian people were not chosen from the beginning. At the beginning of Russian history, the Kyiv princes also persecuted Christians. And we ourselves are involved in the persecution through the party, the Komsomol and the patience of statues of the idol of Lenin in our squares.

But what is important to the Lord is not the story, but the heart.

What does the snobbery of the apostles matter to God? What does He care about the ranking of importance and primacy of the Jerusalem community, which they invented for themselves? Let us remember how they asked themselves to sit down from Him right hand, and the Lord was surprised at such a strange desire to divide into varieties according to quality. Christ is still surprised by this struggle for primacy and special rights of bishops, watching how the Pope and Patriarchs are still figuring out who is the most important here on earth.

Despite everything, the Lord suddenly chose a man outside the walls of the church. Not just a stranger, but also a persecutor. The choice was paradoxical - a Pharisee. The Lord's chosen one was a small, hot-tempered, educated, rich, aristocrat and citizen of Rome - Paul.

Moreover, Paul, chosen by the Lord, behaved as if he had no need to communicate with the “real” apostles. Ananias baptized him. And after this, Paul, completely confident in himself and in his chosenness, went to preach, which the Christian community had not entrusted to him. He did not present himself to the elders of the Christian community of Jerusalem, but simply went where the Holy Spirit led him.

And not without reason. In his appearance to Paul, Christ tells him: “Rise up and stand on your feet, for for this purpose I have appeared to you, to make you a minister and a witness of what you have seen and what I will reveal to you.”

The apostles were amazed to discover another “impostor” speaking in the name of Christ.

This didn’t bother Pavel at all. Only three years later, the Apostle Barnabas found him and took him to introduce himself to the real apostles - Peter and James. Paul went, but, going to Jerusalem, he did not have a complex and was even ready to argue with Peter about his mission among the pagans. And he argued. And Peter, by inspiration from God, accepted the arguments of this strange charismatic.

Paul was so convincing and self-sufficient that the apostles... did not add anything to his charisma: neither bishopric, nor priesthood, but only extended their hand to him for communication.

And the famous ones didn’t put anything more on me. …Having learned about the grace given to me, James and Cephas and John, revered as pillars, gave me and Barnabas the hand of fellowship.

Paul was neither a priest nor a bishop. He did not accept any ordination except that of God himself. What are our rules to God?

And Paul calmly ordained the elders as a true bishop, in front of the astonished community of Christians.

This is difficult for us to accommodate.

Now, suddenly a certain young man from Moscow State University will appear and, in addition to all the seminaries and ordinations, will begin to preach in such a way that the Patriarch himself will think, bow his head and extend his hand to the impostor, and say:

- I have nothing to add to him. He received everything from God.

But the Patriarch did not see Christ the way the Apostle Peter saw Him, and yet Paul was accepted by the Church of that time. The Church of today is also saturated with the teaching of Paul.

What is the essence and power of Paul's preaching?

After Pentecost, the Apostle Peter began revising the agreement between God and humanity. He renegotiated this agreement on behalf of the Church.

And the Apostle Paul began to explain the essence of the New Testament and fill the law with new content. This is what in jurisprudence is called the development of by-laws and rules.

Love, unexpectedly for the world, became the subject of a contract. God needed a genius who could combine law with love.

We are used to throwing around this word “love”, but then it was rare. In those days, putting the word “love” into the law was completely impossible and absurd.

Even now this is not always obvious. For example, the West is amazed by the influenza of homosexuality. And the question arose about the essence of marriage. A legal conflict arose between believers and non-believers.

For Roman law, marriage is a contract relating to the share of ownership of joint property. And no more. This is a self-supporting document.

For believers, marriage is a mystical union of two different people, different genders into some new spiritual community striving for God.

The West does not understand the East: what do God and the soul have to do with it if we are talking about money? The East does not understand the West: what does property have to do with it if we are talking about a sacrament?

To put the concept of love into the Law was something incredibly crazy both then and now. But this is the basis of our faith, which “for the Greeks is madness, but for the Jews it is a temptation” - to go beyond the limits of rationality and accept the love of God.

Paul precisely defined that love is not a property or a relationship, but the essence of God. In God, love is expressed in the third person of the Trinity - God the Spirit.

Paul built a worldview as a view of God's world, describing it in the coordinate system of the Holy Spirit. It was not difficult for him. After all, he, like the other apostles, received this Spirit to the fullest. The Apostle was not only given, but so given, in thunder and lightning, that there was no room left for himself in his soul, and all the space inside his heart was given to Christ. The Lord transformed Paul by force. And Paul did not reject this power and accepted it. God put a burning coal of the Spirit into Paul's heart, and it lit up and shone like a little sun of grace.

It was easy for Paul to see the world of the Spirit. He belonged in it.

The apostle described in detail this space, this terra incognita from top to bottom, from heaven to earth, from Paradise to the slaveholding estate of a Roman patrician. Thanks to the Apostle Paul, humanity was able to see the universe of the Spirit. Humanity was able to see a real picture of the world in which God lives together with man.

From the description of Paradise, Paul went down and described the commandments to the bishops, whom he implores to imitate Christ.

Brethren, such is the Bishop who is fitting for us, reverent, kindly, without defilement, excommunicated from sinners and above Heaven.

He took the trouble to give commandments to priests, ordinary Christians and all those who love God.

Be kind to one another with brotherly love; warn one another in respect; do not slack in your zeal; be patient in sorrow, constant in prayer...

Paul devoted a whole layer of teaching to the Spirit, His properties and signs of our life in the Spirit.

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faith, meekness, self-control. There is no law against them.

Paul took a new look not only at life, but also at death. As it is written about this in the akathist:

Where are you, the sting of death, where is your darkness and fear that existed before? From now on, you are desired and inseparably united with God. The great rest of the mystical Sabbath. The desire of the imam to die and be with Christ, the Apostle cries out. Likewise, we, looking at death as if it were a path to Eternal Life, let us cry: Alleluia.

He addressed all those for whom love means something. He addressed all those for whom love and God are linked together.

The fact that God is love is not difficult for any observant person to notice. Love in its depths certainly goes into mysterious depths, where it certainly meets God. Real love always divinely sacrificial, life-giving and creative.

For us ordinary people, the most valuable thing in the message of the Apostle Paul, without a doubt, is what we now call the Hymn of Love. There is probably no Russian person who has not heard and admired the words of the Epistle to the Corinthians. This is a hymn of incredible beauty and depth. No one will write better about love, unless a new Paul appears:

If I speak in the tongues of men and angels, but do not have love, then I am a ringing gossamer or a clanging cymbal.

If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries, and have all knowledge and all faith, so that I could move mountains, but do not have love, then I am nothing.

And if I give away all my property and give my body to be burned, but do not have love, it does me no good.

Love is patient, merciful, love does not envy, love is not arrogant, is not proud, is not rude, does not seek its own, is not irritated, does not think evil, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; covers everything, believes everything, hopes everything, endures everything.

Paul understood very well that love is not just like that, but it is a gift of the Holy Spirit. Love is the essence of God, given to us from heaven and connecting us with God. She brings grace in this life and immortality after the grave.

The Apostle Paul revealed God's plan for love and explained how it can be the essence of the law, which the law approaches but never comprehends.

There is an interesting place in the Nomocanon in which the bishop complains to the clergy for looking for rules for all occasions in life, and replies that it is impossible to write a law and a rule for everything, and that what is not in the Rules must be taught to us by the Holy Spirit.

Paul does not deny the law, he only builds a hierarchy of relationships with God. The law is like baby booties for a baby in spirit. The law is like a guarantee and protection against fools. It sets a certain guaranteed level right relationship with God blessing. The law is also an educational system that trains and strengthens character. The law gives form to life in the spirit. After all, the form of faith cannot have something that would come to anyone’s mind.

But the law is only the law. There is no substance in the law itself. The form does not justify itself.

The essence is only in God, in that part of Him that we are able to accept and which He Himself gave to us - in the Holy Spirit, our good Comforter and Defender.

Apostolic ministry is the history of the ministry of the Holy Spirit in and through people. And our life with Christ is also only the story of our life in the Holy Spirit. We have the Holy Spirit within us - we live. No - all the time we spent outside the Spirit is death in reality.

The life of the Apostle Paul is so beautiful, so good, so gracious, so noble that it itself serves as the best sermon. After all, a person cannot emptyly stand on the threshold of death thirty times and rejoice, cannot drown and praise God, cannot be sick and generously trust God, if he does not have what covers all this - the grace of the Holy Spirit.

We all suffer from despondency. We always want to relax. We get offended and fight all the time. And very close by lies the world revealed to our eyes through the works of Paul - the world of Spirit and Love. The strange thing is not that we complain, but that we, standing on the threshold of the Kingdom of God, do not want to enter it, despite the testimony of such wonderful people as the Apostle Paul.

What are we waiting for?

But to whom shall I compare this generation? He is like children who sit on the street and, turning to their comrades, say: we played the pipe for you, and you did not dance; We sang sad songs to you, and you did not cry.

So why are you delaying? Arise, be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord Jesus.

Onesiphorus, who had heard about Paul from the words of Titus, meets Paul and sees a man below average height, his hair is scanty, his legs are slightly apart, his knees stick out, his eyes are under fused eyebrows and his nose is slightly protruding. He was a very sick man, as he himself writes, he was close to death, he was given a mysterious thorn in the flesh that haunted him.

Many of us are also weak. But many of us are much stronger than the apostle. So what prevents us from being like him in spirit, if in body we are similar or even stronger than Paul? We have only one flaw that distinguishes us from the apostle - our cold heart, in which the spirit of love barely glimmers.

And time passes, and we are still waiting for something:

Just as a tree loses its leaves over time, so our days become impoverished through colic. The celebration of youth is fading, the lamp of joy is extinguishing, the alienation of old age is approaching. Friends and relatives die. Where are you, young rejoicing?

The point is not that God chose the young man Saul (Saul) and forced him to work for Him. But the main thing is that Saul wanted to be with God. But for some reason we don’t like it.

But we still have time to work for love and earn it through our labor. We still have time to pray to God to give us love when we are no longer able to obtain it through labor. Living in love is quite possible.

So that they would seek God, lest they sense Him and find Him, although He is not far from each of us (Acts 17:26, 27).

I say this not because I have already achieved or perfected myself; but I strive, lest I also attain, as Christ Jesus attained to me. Brethren, I do not consider myself to have attained; But only, forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus (Phil. 3:10-14).

Why wait for God to visit us in thunder and lightning, fall from his horse and become completely blind? You can turn to God even tomorrow. There would be a desire to love and be loved by God.

Saint Paul, originally wearing Jewish name Saul belonged to the tribe of Benjamin and was born in the Cilician city of Tarsus (in Asia Minor), which was then famous for its Greek academy and the education of its inhabitants. As a native of this city, descended from Jews, who came out of slavery to Roman citizens, Paul had the rights of a Roman citizen. In Tarsus, Paul received his first education and probably became acquainted with pagan culture there, for traces of acquaintance with pagan writers are clearly visible in his speeches and letters.

Church of the Life-Giving Trinity in Listy, Moscow.

He received his subsequent education in Jerusalem, at the then famous rabbinical academy from the famous teacher Gamaliel, who was considered an expert in the Law and, despite belonging to the Pharisees, was a free-thinker and lover of Greek wisdom. Here, according to the custom of the Jews, young Saul learned the art of making tents, which later helped him earn money to live by his own labor.

Joseph-Volotsky Monastery in Teryaevo, Moscow region.

Young Saul, apparently, was preparing for the position of rabbi (religious mentor), and therefore, immediately after completing his upbringing and education, he showed himself to be a strong zealot for the Pharisaic traditions and persecutors of the faith of Christ. Perhaps by appointment of the Sanhedrin, he witnessed the death of the first martyr Stephen, and then received the power to officially persecute Christians even outside Palestine in Damascus.

Andrey Rublev. Apostle Paul (from the Zvenigorod rank). Beginning of the 15th century.

The Lord, who saw in him “a chosen vessel for Himself,” miraculously called him to apostolic service on the way to Damascus. While traveling, Saul was struck by a bright light that caused him to fall blind to the ground. A voice came from the light: “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” To Saul’s question: “Who are you?” - The Lord answered: “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.” The Lord commanded Saul to go to Damascus, where he would be told what to do next. Saul's companions heard the voice of Christ, but did not see the light. Brought by the hand to Damascus, the blind Saul was taught faith and on the third day baptized by Ananias. At the moment of immersion in the water, Saul received his sight. From that time on, he became a zealous preacher of the previously persecuted teaching. He went to Arabia for a while, and then returned to Damascus again to preach about Christ.

Apostle Paul. Icon of the Vysotsky rank. End of the 14th century Icon from the Serpukhov Vysotsky Monastery.

The rage of the Jews, outraged by his conversion to Christ, forced him to flee to Jerusalem, where he joined the community of believers and met the apostles. Due to an attempt by the Hellenists to kill him, he went to his hometown of Tarsus. From here, around the year 43, he was called by Barnabas to Antioch to preach, and then traveled with him to Jerusalem, where he brought help to those in need.

Icon of the Holy Chief Apostles Peter and Paul. Church of Peter and Paul in Prokhorovka.

Soon after returning from Jerusalem - at the command of the Holy Spirit - Saul, together with Barnabas, set off on his first apostolic journey, which lasted from 45 to 51 years. The apostles traversed the entire island of Cyprus, and from that time on, Saul, who converted the proconsul Sergius Paulus to the faith, was already called Paul. During this time of the missionary journey of Paul and Barnabas, Christian communities were founded in the cities of Asia Minor: Antioch of Pisidia, Iconium, Lystra and Derbe. In the year 51, Saint Paul took part in the Apostolic Council in Jerusalem, where he ardently rebelled against the need for pagans who became Christians to observe the rites of the Mosaic Law.

"Apostle Paul". Refectory of the Peter and Paul Church of the Great Peterhof Palace.

Returning to Antioch, the Apostle Paul, accompanied by Silas, undertook his second apostolic journey. He first visited the churches he had previously founded in Asia Minor, and then moved to Macedonia, where he founded communities in Philippi, Thessaloniki and Beria. In Lystra, Saint Paul acquired his favorite disciple Timothy, and from Troas he continued his journey with the Evangelist Luke, who joined them. From Macedonia, Saint Paul moved to Greece, where he preached in Athens and Corinth, staying in the latter for a year and a half. From here he sent two messages to Thessalonians. The second journey lasted from 51 to 54. Then Saint Paul went to Jerusalem, visiting Ephesus and Caesarea along the way, and from Jerusalem he arrived in Antioch.

Apostle Paul. Icon from the Deesis rank. Workshop of the Trinity-Sergius Monastery in Klimentovskaya Sloboda. First half of the 17th century.

After a short stay in Antioch, the Apostle Paul undertook his third apostolic journey (56-58), visiting first, according to his custom, the previously founded churches of Asia Minor, and then stopped in Ephesus, where for two years he preached daily at the school of Tyrannus. From here he wrote his letter to the Galatians (regarding the strengthening of the Judaizing party there) and his first letter to the Corinthians (regarding the unrest that arose there and in response to the Corinthians' letter to him). The popular uprising raised by the silversmith Demetrius against Paul forced the apostle to leave Ephesus, and he went to Macedonia and then to Jerusalem.

In Jerusalem, due to a popular revolt against him, the Apostle Paul was taken into custody by the Roman authorities and found himself in captivity, first under the proconsul Felix, and then under the proconsul Festus, who replaced him. This happened in 59, and two years later the Apostle Paul, as a Roman citizen, at his request, was sent to Rome to be judged by Caesar. Having been shipwrecked near Fr. Malta, the apostle only reached Rome in the summer of 62, where he enjoyed great leniency from the Roman authorities and preached freely. From Rome, the Apostle Paul wrote his epistles to the Philippians (with gratitude for what was sent to him with Epaphroditus cash benefit), to the Colossians, to the Ephesians and to Philemon, a resident of Colosse (regarding the servant Onesimus who fled from him). All three of these messages were written in 63 and sent with Tychicus. A letter to the Palestinian Jews was soon written from Rome.

The further fate of the Apostle Paul is not exactly known. Some believe that he remained in Rome and, at the command of Nero, was betrayed martyrdom in '64. But there is reason to believe that after two years of imprisonment and defending his case before the Senate and the Emperor, the Apostle Paul was released and again traveled to the East. Indications on this can be found in his “ pastoral letters" - to Timothy and Titus. Having stayed for a long time on the island of Crete, he left his disciple Titus there to ordain elders in all cities, which testifies to his ordination of Titus as bishop of the Cretan Church. Later in his letter to Titus, the Apostle Paul instructs him on how to carry out the duties of a bishop. From the same message it is clear that he intended to spend that winter in Nikopol, near his native Tarsus.

In the spring of 65, he visited the rest of the churches of Asia Minor and left the sick Trophimus in Miletus, because of whom there was an indignation against the apostle in Jerusalem, which led to his first imprisonment. It is unknown whether the Apostle Paul passed through Ephesus, since he said that the elders of Ephesus would no longer see his face, but he apparently at that time ordained Timothy as a bishop for Ephesus. Then the apostle passed through Troas and reached Macedonia. There he heard about the rise of false teachings in Ephesus and wrote his first letter to Timothy. After spending some time in Corinth and meeting the Apostle Peter on the way, Paul continued with him through Dalmatia and Italy, reached Rome, where he left the Apostle Peter, and in 66 he himself went further to the west, probably reaching Spain.

After returning to Rome, he was again imprisoned, where he remained until his death. There is a legend that after returning to Rome, he even preached at the court of Emperor Nero and converted his beloved concubine to faith in Christ. For this he was put on trial, and although by the grace of God he was delivered, in his own words, from the jaws of lions, that is, from being eaten by animals in the circus, he was nevertheless imprisoned.

After a nine-month imprisonment, he was beheaded with the sword, as a Roman citizen, near Rome in 67 after R. X., in the 12th year of the reign of Nero.

The Apostle Paul wrote 14 epistles, representing a systematization of Christian teaching. These messages, thanks to his wide education and insight, are distinguished by great originality.

The Apostle Paul, like the Apostle Peter, worked hard in spreading the faith of Christ and is rightly revered along with him as a “pillar” of the Church of Christ and the supreme apostle. They both died as martyrs in Rome under Emperor Nero, and their memory is celebrated on the same day.

For I am the least of the Apostles, and am not worthy to be called an Apostle, because I persecuted the church of God;
But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace in me was not in vain 1 Cor. 15 , 9-10).

Peter's Fast, established by the Church in memory of the holy supreme apostles Peter and Paul, continues. In the last issue we wrote about the life and works of the Holy Apostle Peter, today we will talk about the Holy Apostle Paul. This man, called to the gospel of the Gospel by the last of the apostles, worked more than all the New Testament sacred writers in explaining Christian teaching. A brilliantly educated Pharisee, he was a zealous persecutor of Christian teaching, but, miraculously admonished by the Lord, he became the “Apostle of Tongues,” a fiery preacher of the Gospel, devoting his life and strength to bringing the word of Truth to the world.

Persecutor of Christians

(Acts 8 , 3).

The Holy Apostle Paul, or Saul (the first name of the apostle is Hebrew, the second is Latin) was born and received his primary education in the Cilician city of Tarsus, famous for the Greek academy and the learning of its inhabitants. Tarsus at that time was equal in level of education to Athens or Alexandria. Paul had Roman citizenship with all rights and privileges. He continued his further studies in Jerusalem with the famous teacher Gamaliel, who, despite his belonging to the Pharisees, was a man capable of thinking and speaking boldly and independently. This can be judged by his famous speech at the Sanhedrin. When the fate of the apostles for preaching the Gospel was being decided, Gamaliel said the decisive word: I tell you, get away from these people and leave them; for if this enterprise and this work are from men, then it will be destroyed, but if from God, then you cannot destroy it; beware lest you turn out to be enemies of God(Acts 5 , 38-39). Bountifully endowed with ability, Saul succeeded in Judaism more than many of his peers... being an immoderate zealot of his father's... traditions(Gal. 1 , 14). It is likely that he was preparing for the position of rabbi and showed truly monstrous zeal in fulfilling the Pharisaic law.

After the events of Holy Pentecost, when the apostles, filled with the Holy Spirit, preached the word of God, healed the sick and raised the dead, when the Christian community was rapidly growing in Jerusalem, then the young Pharisee Saul came out to his terrible ministry. With incredible determination, he sets out to exterminate Christians. The first victim was Deacon Stefan. An angry crowd took him out of Jerusalem and stoned him. Saul approved of his murder. In those days there was a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem; and everyone except the Apostles scattered to different places...(Acts 8 , 1.) And Saul tormented the church, entering houses and dragging out men and women, handing them over to prison(Acts 8 , 3).

The church suffered losses, horror and trembling forced Christians into hiding. Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, came to the high priest(Acts 9 , 1), asked for official permission to persecute Christians even outside Palestine and went to Damascus, learning that there were also many adherents of this new, hated doctrine. The armed detachment moved towards Damascus. It seemed that nothing could stop Saul, no force could make him believe that the teaching of the One who died on the Cross the shameful death of a runaway slave was the teaching of the Truth. Nobody. Only God!

Conversion to Christ

The detachment was approaching Damascus. The sun was beating down mercilessly. The city wall appeared in the distance. There, in this city, in the synagogues, like a deadly infection, a new teaching about the risen Jesus from Galilee is spreading. Very soon, Saul thought, he would go back along the same road, and ahead of the detachment, chained Christians would go to Jerusalem for the judgment of the Sanhedrin. That's probably what he thought. ...Suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him: Saul, Saul! Why are you persecuting Me? He said: Who are you, Lord? The Lord said: I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It's hard for you to go against the grain. He said in awe and horror: Lord! what do you want me to do? and the Lord said to him: Arise and go into the city; and you will be told what you need to do(Acts 9 , 4-6).

From the radiance of this Divine light, Saul became blind. Those accompanying him brought him to Damascus, where, due to severe shock, he did not eat or drink anything for the first three days. In Damascus there lived a Christian named Ananias, whom the Lord commanded in a vision to go to Saul and lay hands on him so that he could receive his sight. God! I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he did to Your saints in Jerusalem(Acts 9 , 13), objected Ananias. But the Lord said to him, Go, for he is My chosen vessel, to proclaim My name before the nations and kings and the children of Israel.(Acts 9 , 15). Ananias went and did as the Lord commanded him. And immediately, as if scales fell from his eyes(Saul), and suddenly he received his sight; and stood up and was baptized(Acts 9 , 18). Saul's fiery spirit did not tolerate inaction, and he, having believed in Christ, with the same determination and pressure with which he had previously persecuted Christians, began to preach the Gospel in the synagogues. Now, on the basis of the Old Testament, in the knowledge of which few could compare with him, he taught that Jesus Christ was the Messiah expected by the Jews. The power of his word, based on brilliant education and enlightenment by the Holy Spirit, confused the Jews. They hated Saul as a traitor and guarded the city gates day and night so that they could deal with him without witnesses when he left the city. But Saul, who knew about the danger that threatened him, was lowered by his disciples in a basket from the city wall and thus escaped death.

Works of the Apostle Paul

...But I labored more than all of them: not I, however, but the grace of God, which is with me(1 Cor. 15 , 10).

It is difficult to imagine how the holy Apostle Paul (who is also Saul), having poor health, could endure such labor. The entire life of the apostle became a confirmation of the words: the power of God is made perfect in weakness (see 2 Cor. 12 , 9). I was much more in labor, immensely wounded, more in prison and many times at the point of death... three times I was beaten with sticks, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the depths of the sea; I have been on journeys many times, in dangers on rivers, in dangers from robbers... in labor and exhaustion, often in vigils, in hunger and thirst, often in fasting, in cold and nakedness(2 Cor. 11 , 23, 25-27), - the Apostle Paul recalls for the edification of the Corinthians. Such labors and trials cannot be endured relying only on human strength. The Apostle Paul attributes all the successes of his preaching work solely to the action of Divine grace and strives only to be worthy of the Holy Spirit.

The Apostle Paul wrote fourteen epistles, which, due to the importance of their content and the height of their theological thought, are called by some the “second Gospel.” His works reveal the dogmatic and moral teaching of the Church. The theological depth of his Epistles often confused such interpreters of Holy Scripture as John Chrysostom and St. Augustine. The expressions “to be raised with oneself,” “to put on Christ,” and “to put off the old man” belong exclusively to the Apostle Paul.

Death of the Apostle

And I will show him how much he must suffer for My name(Acts 9 , 16).

Apostle Paul

Apostle Paul

Saul is the 13th apostle Paul.

Saul was born May 25, 7 BC in the city of Tarsus in Asia Minor.
For the first time the name of Saul, the future Apostle Paul, is mentioned in the Bible in the episode associated with the execution of St. Stephen. As reported in the Acts of the Apostles, Stephen’s executioners laid their clothes at Saul’s feet and the future apostle “approved of the murder.”
Saul was indeed a Jewish priest and fought fiercely against the early Christian communities. He persecuted all of Jesus' supporters, tracking them down from house to house, arresting them, and even taking part in some executions where the condemned were stoned to death.
The death of the first Christian occurred in the year 31.

"Caning of St. Stephen." Rembrandt, 1625 (Museum of Fine Arts, Lyon). In the background, Saul is depicted sitting with the clothes of the witnesses on his lap (Acts 7:58).

Three days after the murder of Stephen, Saul, returning home along a deserted street, suddenly heard a voice coming from somewhere above: “Saul, why are you persecuting me?”
Saul turned around sharply, but saw no one. Although it was already late and it was twilight, the area around was nevertheless visible. But no matter how hard Saul peered into the darkness, he saw no one in front of him.

Frightened, Saul asked:
-Who are you, where are you from? An unknown voice answered:
- This is me talking to you, Almighty. Why do you persecute Me and My Son?
Saul was simply dumbfounded:
- Who is your son?
- The son I sent, Jesus. Why are you persecuting him? came into this world from Me, and his teaching is correct because it is just. All who oppose Jesus are breaking God's laws. If you, Saul, do not come to your senses, you will go blind.
On the one hand, Saul was greatly frightened by these words, but on the other hand, he began to convince himself that he had dreamed it all, imagined it. And, not believing that God himself spoke to him, Saul did not draw any conclusions.
Waking up in the morning, Saul found darkness before his eyes, as if the night had not yet ended. And only after some time the priest realized that the worst thing had happened - he had gone blind. Yesterday's warning came true.
Saul began to pray tirelessly and ask the Lord to forgive him. And once again he heard the voice of God: “Ask My Son, he is merciful!”
Then Saul's eldest son took him to Golgotha ​​and, at his father's request, left him there alone. For three days and three nights Saul prayed tirelessly, losing track of time, until the next morning he heard a voice:
- It is I, Jesus, that you ask!
- Forgive me, Son of God, I was mistaken. Jesus answered him:
- Everything is forgiven to you, because you have repented. It is forgiven not by me, but by our father, the Lord God. You realized your mistake, and you will be rewarded in full.
Then Saul felt before his eyes the touch of human hands.
- I name you Pavel. The time will come, and you will stand at the gates of Paradise with the keys.
For a moment Saul stood motionless, when he opened his eyes, there was no one near him, and the first thing he saw was the rising sun. It was the beginning of a new day, but for Saul it was the beginning of a new life.
After Paul received his sight, he felt great strength in himself, and from that time on his gift for healing and predictions awakened in him. More than once Jesus came to Paul in a dream in difficult moments, offering guidance and protection.
If a person sinned greatly, even if he killed, but then sincerely repented of what he had done, then all his sins will be forgiven if he follows the path of purification. The story of the Apostle Paul is a living example of this.
All sins will have to be paid for sooner or later. A person will either suffer in this life, or torment will come to him through his own children, grandchildren or parents.
All the evil that you have done to someone in life will definitely come back to you. It doesn’t matter which way, it doesn’t matter where from, but it will still overtake you. But when you have suffered in full, suffered for all your sins, then everything will be forgiven to you and you can again count on a happy life.
The main commandment in the teachings of Jesus is to love your neighbor as yourself, and never do to anyone what you do not want for yourself.
Therefore, all people who live in love, in harmony with themselves, capable of compassion for their neighbors, already in this life receive all conceivable and inconceivable rewards. Paul, who persecuted Christians, was punished by loss of sight - there is no need to explain how difficult this loss is for any person on Earth. After that, he could become embittered with the whole world, hate all people.
Saul was terribly tormented and worried, but in the end he found the strength to realize his mistakes and, approaching Jesus, humbly kneel before him. He sincerely repented, and therefore everything was forgiven to him.
His entire subsequent life is evidence of Paul’s sincere repentance.

Andrei Rublev, Saint Paul the Apostle, circa 1410

After being baptized, the Apostle Paul became one of the most tireless and significant preachers of Christianity. He made many trips to the cities and countries of the Mediterranean, the apostle organized Christian communities everywhere. Paul cast aside all doubts and instructed and taught the parishioners, telling them about the teachings of Jesus.
In 60, Paul arrived in Rome. He came at a time when there were strong persecutions against both Christians and Jews. In 61, he met Peter here, who was with his wife. The apostles began to read sermons together.
Under Emperor Nero in 64, the Apostle Paul was captured in Rome, although he was warned in advance about the danger by Peter. Not finding the Apostle Peter, they seized his wife instead and put him in prison along with Paul. When Peter returned, a trial was held for all three. No one admitted their guilt, and the court decided to execute everyone.
Paul was executed first, his head was cut off, and his headless body was hung on a cross at the entrance to the city, and the apostle's head stood nearby on a platter on a small platform.
Paul was buried not far from the place of his execution in Rome.

“However, already in the middle of the 1st century, another line in the activities of Gagtungr was outlined. Taking advantage of the fact that the mission of Christ in Enrof remained unfinished and therefore the church founded by Him, instead of a worldwide apotheosis, barely glimmers in the form of several small communities under the heavy layers of state institutions created by the Witzraors , and under the inert layers of psychologies that they involuntarily, the forces of Gagtungr begin to interfere in the life of the church itself. A highly gifted and deeply sincere in his desire for Christ, a strong-willed personality emerges, in which Jewish obsession and aggressive Jewish severity are combined with the rational and legal consciousness of a Roman citizen. the man was the bearer of a certain mission, certainly bright, but the indicated personal and hereditary traits distorted his own understanding of this mission, instead of continuing the work of Christ, instead of strengthening and illuminating the church with the spirit of love, and only with this spirit, the thirteenth apostle unfolds enormous, broad organizational activities, cementing scattered communities with strict statutes, strict unity of command and even fear, since the danger of being thrown out, in case of disobedience, from the bosom of the church gave rise to precisely spiritual fear. The fact that the Apostle Paul never met Jesus Christ during His life and was, therefore, deprived of all that grace that came directly from Jesus is no less significant than another: something that Paul did not experience like the others apostles, descent of the Holy Spirit. And yet the rest of the apostles seem to be relegated to the background, each of them narrows his activity to local tasks, to the creation of Christian communities in one country or another, and Paul, deprived of grace, gradually turns out to be a central figure, towering over all communities, uniting them all and everything dictating to them what seems to him the continuation of Christ’s work.”
Daniil Andreev - "Rose of the World"

CONNECTIONS WITH HELLENISM

Along with his knowledge of the Torah, Paul's familiarity with the commonplaces of the Greco-Roman culture of his time: philosophy, literature, religion and, above all, rhetoric, is evident from the New Testament. According to a widely accepted version, Paul's letters were written in the living, idiomatic Greek. According to another, there is clear evidence of the use of word play, versification, which appears only in Aramaic. Paul's hometown of Tarsus was one of the centers of Hellenistic learning, second only to Alexandria and Athens in this regard. True, it is not known at what age Paul left Tarsus and went to study in Jerusalem, but it is known (Acts 9:30) that after his conversion Paul was forced to return to his homeland for a long time in order to avoid persecution from his former comrades.
It was convincingly shown how widely the techniques of ancient rhetoric are used in Paul's speeches and epistles. It may also be noted that many of the quotations or allusions to the works of secular ancient authors found in the New Testament are quoted by Paul, or at least put into his mouth. Many researchers also tried to find traces of the influence of Asia Minor mystery cults in Paul's theology.

Celebration

Installed feast of the holy apostles Peter and Paul , as the two most revered apostles, called the supreme holy apostles for their especially zealous service to the Lord and the spread of the faith of Christ. U Orthodox holiday celebrated on June 29/ July, 12, for Catholics - June 29.

On the day of remembrance of the Apostle Paul on June 29, 2009, Pope Benedict XVI said that for the first time in history a Scientific research sarcophagus located under the altar of the Roman temple of San Paolo fuori le Mura. According to the pope, the sarcophagus contained “...tiny fragments of bones that were examined using carbon-14 by experts who did not know about their origin. According to the results, they belong to a person who lived between the 1st and 2nd centuries.” “This seems to confirm the unanimous and indisputable tradition that we are talking about the remains of the Apostle Paul,” the pontiff said at the ceremony marking the end of the celebrations associated with the 2000th anniversary of St. Paul. For a long time they did not dare to open the ancient find. They tried to illuminate the sarcophagus x-rays, but the stone turned out to be too thick. “In the sarcophagus, never before opened for centuries, a very small hole was made for the insertion of a probe, through which traces of precious linen cloth dyed purple, a plate of pure gold and cloth were discovered blue color with flax fibers. The presence of red incense, as well as protein and calcareous compounds was detected." The pontiff promised that when scientists complete their research, the sarcophagus with the relics will be available for worship by believers.

In 2009, many German newspapers published a “phantom portrait” of St. Apostle Paul. It was recreated by specialists from the criminal police of Dusseldorf, the administrative center of North Rhine-Westphalia. This was reported by the German news agency DRA.
The experienced criminal police specialist who completed this unusual portrait was helped with his advice by the Düsseldorf historian Michael Hesemann, who has been working on a scientific book about the Apostle Paul for several years.

Sources:
1. Daniil Andreev. "Rose of the World"
2. Lyubov Panova. "Revelations of the Guardian Angels. The Cross of Jesus."

Copyright © 2015 Unconditional love

Life

Life of the Holy Supreme Apostle Paul

The Holy Apostle Paul, before his apostleship called Saul, was a Jew by origin, from the tribe of Benjamin; He was born in Tarsus of Cilicia, from noble parents who formerly lived in Rome, then moved to Tarsus of Cilicia with the honorary title of Roman citizens, therefore Paul was called a Roman citizen. He was a relative of the holy protomartyr Stephen and (probably together with him) was sent by his parents to Jerusalem to study the Law of Moses; there he was among the disciples of the famous teacher Gamaliel in Jerusalem. His fellow student and friend was Barnabas, who later became an Apostle of Christ. Saul thoroughly studied the law of his fathers, became a great adherent of it and joined the party of the Pharisees (strict zealots of everything domestic and outwardly pious).

At that time, in Jerusalem and in surrounding cities and countries, the holy Apostles spread the gospel of Christ; Moreover, they often had long disputes with the Pharisees and Sadducees (who rejected tradition and did not believe in the immortality of the soul) and with all the scribes and teachers of the law, who constantly hated and persecuted the preachers of Christ. Saul also hated the holy Apostles, and did not even want to listen to that sermon about Christ, mocked Barnabas (who had already become an apostle of Christ), and blasphemed the Lord Christ. And when the holy First Martyr Stephen was stoned by the Jews, Saul not only did not regret the blood of his own, innocently shed, but also approved of the murder and guarded the clothes of the Jews who struck Stephen. After that, having asked for authority from the bishops and elders of the Jews, he tormented the church (the assembly of the faithful) with even greater fury, entering houses and seizing men and women, sending them to prison. Not satisfied with the persecution of the faithful in Jerusalem and continuing to breathe threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, he went to Damascus, with letters from the high priest to the synagogues, so that there he would bring whomever he found from among the believers in Christ, both men and women, to Jerusalem. This happened during the reign of Tiberius.

When Saul was approaching Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven shone around him (so suddenly, strongly and dazzlingly that he fell to the ground), and at the same instant he heard a voice saying to him: “Saul, Saul! why are you persecuting me?” Full of amazement, he asked: “Who are you, Lord?” The Lord said: “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting; it is difficult for you to go against the pricks.” Saul asked in awe and horror, “Lord, what do you have me do?” And the Lord said: “Get up and go into the city, and it will be told to you what you must do” (Acts 9:4-6).

The soldiers who walked with Saul were also terrified and, struck by the extraordinary light, stood in a daze: they heard a voice speaking to Saul, but saw no one. At the command of the Lord, Saul rose from the ground and with his eyes open he saw no one: his physical eyes were blinded, but his spiritual eyes began to see.

Saul's guides and assistants led him by the hand and brought him to Damascus; There he stayed for three days, seeing nothing, and in a feeling of repentance, he did not eat or drink, and only incessantly prayed that the Lord would reveal His will to him.

In Damascus there was the holy Apostle Ananias, to whom the Lord, appearing in a vision, commanded to find Saul, who lived in the house of a certain man named Judas, and to enlighten his bodily eyes with a touch, and his spiritual ones with holy baptism.

The Apostle answered: “Lord! I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to Thy saints in Jerusalem; and here he has from the high priests authority to bind all who call your name". But the Lord said to him: "Go, for he is My chosen vessel, to proclaim My name before the nations and kings and the children of Israel. And I will show him how much he must suffer for My name."

Saint Ananias, setting out at the command of the Lord and finding Saul, laid his hands on him: and immediately, as if scales fell from his eyes, suddenly he received his sight and, getting up, received baptism and was filled with the Holy Spirit, consecrating him to the apostolic ministry, and was renamed from Saul into Paul, and immediately began preaching in the synagogues about Jesus that He is the Son of God.

And everyone who heard was surprised (at this change in the thoughts of the persecutor of the Church of Christ) and said: Isn’t this the same one who persecuted in Jerusalem those who call on this name? and did he come here for this purpose, to bind them and lead them to the high priests? (Acts 9:21)

And Saul became more and more strengthened in faith and confused the Jews living in Damascus, proving to them that this is Christ (i.e., the promised Messiah). The Jews finally became angry with him, agreed to kill him, and kept watch at the city gates day and night so that he would not escape from them. The disciples of Christ, who were in Damascus with Ananias, learned about the meeting of the Jews who decided to kill Paul, took him and at night lowered him in a basket from the window of a house adjacent to the city wall. He, having left Damascus, did not immediately go to Jerusalem, but first went to Arabia, as he himself writes about this in the Epistle to the Galatians: “I did not then consult with flesh and blood, and did not go up to Jerusalem to those who preceded me Apostles, and went to Arabia, and again returned to Damascus. Then, after three years, I went to Jerusalem to see Peter" (Gal. 1:16-18).

Having come to Jerusalem, Saint Paul tried to join the disciples of the Lord, but they were afraid of this, not believing that he was already a disciple of the Lord. The Holy Apostle Barnabas, seeing him and being convinced of his conversion to Christ, rejoiced and, taking him by the hand, led him to the Apostles, and Paul told them how he saw the Lord on the way, and what the Lord said to him, and how he - Paul – in Damascus he preached boldly in the name of Jesus. And the holy Apostles were filled with joy and glorified the Lord Christ. Saint Paul, in Jerusalem, competed with the Jews and Hellenists about the name of the Lord Jesus and proved to them that Jesus is the Christ predicted by the prophets.

One day, while standing in church and praying, Paul unexpectedly and involuntarily went into a frenzy and saw the Lord. The Lord told him: “Hurry up and leave Jerusalem quickly, because [here] they will not accept your testimony about Me.” Paul said: “Lord, they know that I imprisoned those who believed in You and beat them in the synagogues, and when the blood of Stephen, Your witness, was shed, I stood there, approved of his murder and guarded the clothes of those who beat him.” And the Lord said to him: “Go; I will send you far to the Gentiles” (Acts 22:18-20). After this vision, Saint Paul, although he wanted to stay a few more days in Jerusalem, consoled by the meeting and conversation with the Apostles, but could not: the Jews, with whom he argued about Christ, became enraged and wanted to kill him. Having learned about this, the Jerusalem Christians escorted him to Caesarea and from there they sent him by sea to Tarsus (his homeland), where he stayed for some time, preaching the word of God to his compatriots.

Later, at the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Barnabas came here and took Paul with him to Syrian Antioch, knowing about his appointment to be the Apostle of the Gentiles; preaching here for a whole year in synagogues, they converted many to Christ and called them Christians. After a year had passed, both holy Apostles, Barnabas and Paul, returned to Jerusalem and told the holy Apostles what the grace of God had accomplished in Antioch, and greatly rejoiced the Church of Christ in Jerusalem. At the same time, they brought abundant alms from willing donors to Antioch, in favor of the poor and wretched brethren living in Judea, since at that time, during the reign of Claudius, there was a great famine, predicted, by a special revelation of the Holy Spirit, by Saint Agave, one of the 70 Apostles.

Having left Jerusalem, Barnabas and Paul again came to Antioch. When they had been here for some time in fasting and prayer, in service Divine Liturgy and in preaching the Word of God, it pleased the Holy Spirit to send them to the pagans to preach. The Holy Spirit said to the elders in the Antioch assembly: “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them” (Acts 13:2). Then the presbyter, having fasted and prayed and laid his hands on them, sent them away.

At the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Barnabas and Paul came to Seleucia and from there sailed to the island of Cyprus (the homeland of the Apostle Barnabas). Here, having been in Salamis, they preached the Word of God in the synagogues of the Jews and went through the entire island even to Paphos, where they found a certain Elimus (magician) false prophet of the Jews, named Barijesus, who was with the local proconsul Sergius Paulus, a wise man and, apparently, had influence on him. The proconsul, calling Barnabas and Saul, wished to hear the Word of God from them and listened to their sermons. And Elymas the sorcerer, resisting them, tried to turn the proconsul away from the faith. Saint Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit and fixing his gaze on the sorcerer, said: “O, full of all deceit and all evil, son of the devil, enemy of all righteousness! Will you cease to seduce from the straight paths of the Lord? And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you: You will be blind and will not see the sun until the time comes. And suddenly darkness and darkness fell upon him, and he turned hither and thither, looking for a guide" (Acts 13:10-11).

Then the proconsul, seeing what had happened, fully believed, marveling at the teaching of the Lord. Many people believed with him, and the congregation of the faithful increased.

Sailing from Paphos, Paul and those who were with him arrived at Perga, which is in Pamphylia, from Perga to Antioch in Pisidia. Here they preached about Christ, and when they had already led many to faith, the envious Jews incited the leading people in the city who were committed to paganism and, with their help, expelled the Apostles of the saints from the city and its environs. The apostles, having shaken off the dust from their feet here, went to Iconium and, staying there for quite some time, boldly preached and led a great multitude of Jews and pagans to faith, not only by preaching, but also by signs and wonders that were performed by their hands; There they also converted the holy virgin Thekla and brought her to Christ. And the unbelieving Jews incited the pagans and their leaders to resist the Apostles and stone them. Having learned about this, the Apostles withdrew to the Lycaonian cities - Lystra and Derbe - and their surroundings.

While preaching the gospel in Lystra, they healed a certain man who had been lame from his mother’s womb and had never walked; In the name of Christ they raised him to his feet, and he immediately stood up and began to walk. The people, seeing this miracle, raised their voices, saying in Lycaonian: “The gods have come to us in human form” (Acts 14:11). And they called Barnabas Zeus, and Paul Hermias, and bringing oxen and bringing wreaths, they wanted to offer sacrifices to the Apostles. But Barnabas and Paul (hearing about this) tore their clothes and, approaching the people, said: “Men, why are you doing this? And we are men like you” (Acts 14:15). And they offered a word to them about the One God, who created heaven, and earth, and the sea, and everything that is in them, and sends rains and fruitful times from heaven, and fills the hearts of people with food and joy. And saying this, they barely convinced the people not to make sacrifices to them. While they were in Lystra and teaching, some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and persuaded the people to leave the Apostles, boldly saying that they were not saying anything true, but were all lying, and they incited the gullible to even worse things, for St. Paul , as the main preacher, they stoned him and dragged him out of the city, considering him already dead.

He (with the help of the believers), getting up, entered the city again, and the next day withdrew with Barnabas and Derbe. Having preached the Gospel in this city and having acquired quite a number of disciples, they returned through Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples and begging them to continue in the faith. Having ordained them elders for each church, they prayed, observing fasting, and handed them over to the Lord in whom they believed.

Then, having passed through Pisidia, they came to Pamphylia, and having preached the word of the Lord in Perga, they went down to Attalia, and from there they sailed to Antioch in Syria, from where they were originally sent by the Holy Spirit to preach the word of the Lord to the pagans. And having arrived in Antioch, they gathered the faithful and told everyone what God had done with them, and how many pagan people had been brought to Christ.

After some time, a dispute arose between believing Jews and Hellenists in Antioch regarding circumcision: some said that it was impossible to be saved without circumcision, others considered circumcision a difficult matter for themselves. Therefore, it turned out to be necessary for the Apostle Paul and Barnabas to go to Jerusalem to the elder Apostles and elders - to ask their opinions regarding circumcision and at the same time inform them that God had opened the door of faith to the pagans; With this latest news they greatly rejoiced all the brethren of Jerusalem.

In Jerusalem, at a council meeting, the holy Apostles and elders completely abolished Old Testament circumcision, as unnecessary under the new grace, and only commanded to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from fornication, and not to offend one’s neighbor in any way, and with this decision they were released from Jerusalem to Antioch Paul and Barnabas, and with them Judas and Silas.

Having arrived in Antioch, the Apostles stayed there for quite some time and again went to the pagans, separated from each other: Judas returned to Jerusalem; Barnabas, taking with him Mark, his relative, headed to Cyprus; and Paul, having chosen Silas, went to Syria and Cilicia, and passing through the cities there, he established the faithful. Having come to Derbe and Lystra, he circumcised Timothy, his disciple, in Lystra, just to quench the murmur of the Judaizing Christians and took him with him. From there he went to Phrygia and the Galatian country, then he came to Mysia and thought about going to Bithynia, but this did not please the Holy Spirit. For when Paul was with his companions in Troas, he had the following vision at night: a certain man, apparently a Macedonian, stood before him and begged him, saying: “Come to Macedonia and help us” (Acts 16:9). From this vision, Paul realized that the Lord was calling him to preach in Macedonia. And sailing from Troas, he arrived on the island of Samothrace, the next day to Naples, from there to Philippi, the nearest city of Macedonia, which was a former colony of the Romans. In Philippi, he first of all taught the faith of Christ and baptized the woman Lydia, who sold scarlet (crimson or red fabrics and clothes); she begged him to live with her disciples in her house.

One day, when Paul was walking with his disciples to the congregation for prayer, he was met by some servant girl possessed by an unclean spirit of divination, who with her divinations brought great income to her masters. Walking behind Paul and his companions, she shouted, saying: “These men are the servants of the Most High God, who show us the way of salvation” (Acts 16:17). She repeated this for many days. Paul, indignant, turned to her and, rebuking the spirit in the name of Jesus Christ, drove him out of her.

Then her masters, seeing that the hope of their income was lost, seized Paul and Silas and led them to the leaders of the city, saying: “These people, being Jews, are disturbing our city and preaching customs which we Romans ought neither to accept nor fulfill" (Acts 16:20-21).

The commanders, tearing off the clothes of the Apostles, ordered them to be beaten with sticks, and after giving them many blows, they were thrown into prison. Here, about midnight, while Paul and Silas were praying, the prison shook, all its doors were opened, and the bonds were loosened. Seeing this, the prison guard believed in Christ, brought the Apostles to his house, there he washed their wounds, immediately was baptized himself with his entire household and offered them a meal. And the Apostles returned to prison again.

The next day, the city leaders came to their senses that they had cruelly punished innocent people, and sent ministers to prison with orders to release the Apostles to freedom - let them go wherever they want.

But Paul said to them: “We, Roman citizens, were publicly beaten and thrown into prison without trial, and now they are secretly releasing us? No, let them come and bring us out themselves” (Acts 16:37). And the messengers, returning, retold the words of Paul to the commanders; the commanders were afraid that the prisoners whom they had beaten turned out to be Roman citizens; and having come to them, they begged them to leave the prison and the city. Having left the prison, they first came to the house of Lydia, with whom they had previously lived, and brought joy to the faithful gathered there. Having said goodbye to them, we went to Amphipolis and Apollonia and from there to Thessaloniki.

In Thessaloniki, when they had already gained many with the gospel, the envious Jews, having gathered several worthless people, rushed to the house of Jason, where the Apostles of Christ were staying. And not finding the Apostles there, they seized Jason and some brothers and dragged them to the leaders of the city, slandering them as opponents of Caesar, who recognize another king - namely Jesus. And Jason was barely freed from this misfortune.

And the holy Apostles, having managed to hide from these hostile people, left Thessaloniki at night and came to Beria; but even there the evil envy of the Jews gave Saint Paul no rest; When the Thessalonica Jews learned that Paul had preached the Word of God in Beria, they came there too, stirring up and disturbing the people and inciting them against Paul. The holy Apostle was forced to leave there too, not out of personal fear of death, but at the insistence of the brethren, that he might save his life for the sake of the salvation of many, and the brethren let him go to the sea. The Apostle left his companions Silas and Timothy in Beria to confirm the converts in the faith, since he knew that the Jews were only looking for his head. He himself boarded the ship and sailed to Athens.

In Athens, Paul was troubled in spirit at the sight of the idols that filled that city, and grieved over the destruction of so many souls. He began to interpret in synagogues with the Jews and daily in the squares with the Greeks and their philosophers. The listeners brought him to the Areopagus (that was the name of the place where a public trial was held at the idol temple). They brought him there partly in order to hear from him in former meeting something new, and partly in order (as Saint Chrysostom thinks) to bring him to trial, torment and death, if we hear from him anything worthy of execution.

Saint Paul, having previously seen some kind of altar in the city, on which was written: “to an unknown god,” began his speech on this matter and began to preach to them the True God, hitherto unknown to them, saying: “This one whom you without knowing, honor what I preach to you" (Acts 17:23).

And he began to tell them about God, the Creator of the whole world, and about repentance, and about judgment, and about the resurrection of the dead. Having heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of the listeners scoffed, while others wanted to hear about it even more. And Paul left their meeting not condemned, as innocent of anything: and the Word of God preached to him was not without benefit for winning souls: for some men, having joined him, believed in Christ; among them was Dionysius the Areopagite and a certain noble woman named Damar, and many others were baptized.

Leaving Athens, Paul came to Corinth and lived there with a certain Jew named Aquila; Silas and Timothy came here from Macedonia to him and preached together about Christ. Aquila and his wife Priscilla were tent makers by trade; Paul was familiar with this craft, and he worked with them, and with his labor he acquired food for himself and his companions, as he himself says in his letter to the Thessalonians: “They ate no one’s bread for nothing, but labored and labored night and day, so as not to burden any of you" (2 Thess. 3:8). And again: “These hands have ministered to my needs and to those who were with me” (Acts 20:34).

And on every Sabbath he convinced the Jews in the synagogues, proving that Jesus is the Christ. But since they stubbornly resisted and slandered him, he shook out his clothes and said to them: “Your blood is on your heads; I am clean; from now on I am going to the Gentiles” (Acts 18:6).

And when he decided to leave Corinth, the Lord appeared to him in a vision at night and said: “Do not be afraid, but speak and do not be silent, for I am with you, and no one will harm you, because I have many people in this city.” " (Acts 18:9-10).

And Paul remained in Corinth for a year and six months, teaching the Word of God to the Jews and Greeks, and many believed and were baptized, and the ruler of the synagogue himself, Crispus, believed in the Lord with all his household and was baptized. And some of the Jews who did not believe attacked Paul in a whole crowd and brought him before the court before the proconsul Gallio (who was the brother of the philosopher Seneca), but he refused to judge Paul, saying: “If there was any offense or evil intent on his part , then I would have reason to listen to you and judge him; but in your dispute about your teaching and about your law, I do not want to be a judge."

And he drove them away from the judgment seat. After this, Saint Paul, having remained there for quite some days, said goodbye to the brethren and sailed to Syria with those who were with him. Aquila and Priscilla followed him, and on the way they all stopped at Ephesus. There, preaching the word of the Lord, the holy Apostle Paul performed many miracles, and not only were his hands miraculous, healing every ailment with one touch, but also his handkerchiefs and headbands, soaked in the sweat of his body, had the same miraculous power: for, being placed on the sick, they immediately healed them and drove out unclean spirits from people. Seeing this, some of the wandering Jewish exorcists dared to call on the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying: “We conjure you by Jesus, whom Paul preaches.” But evil spirit He answered them: “I know Jesus, and I know Paul, but who are you?”

And a man in whom there was an evil spirit rushed at them, and having overcome them, he received such power over them that he beat them and wounded them, so that they could barely escape naked from the hand of the demoniac. This became known to all the Jews and Greeks of Ephesus, and fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was glorified, and many believed in Him. And even of those who practiced sorcery, many, upon accepting the holy faith, collected their magic books, and having counted their prices, they found that they cost 50 thousand drachmas, and they publicly burned all the books. So the word of the Lord grew and became powerful.

Paul was preparing to go to Jerusalem and said: “Having been there, I must see Rome” (Acts 19:21).

But at this time there was a major rebellion in Ephesus from silversmiths who were making models of the Temple of Artemis. After the rebellion was tamed, Saint Paul, having stayed in Ephesus for 3 years, went to Macedonia, from there he came to Troas, where he stayed for seven days.

On the very first day of the week, when the faithful gathered to break bread, Paul had a long conversation with them, since he intended to leave them the next day, and continued it until midnight in an upper room illuminated by many lamps. Among the listeners, one young man, named Eutychus, sitting on the window, fell into a deep sleep and, staggering sleepily, fell down from the third floor (floor), and was raised unconscious. Saint Paul, descending, fell on him and embraced him, saying: “Do not be alarmed, for his soul is in him” (Acts 20:10).

And again Paul went up into the upper room; They brought the young man alive and were greatly consoled. Paul talked for a long time, even until dawn, and after saying goodbye to the believers, he left from there.

Having arrived at Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus to call the elders of the church to him, for he himself did not want to go there, so as not to delay his journey, since he was in a hurry to be in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost.

And when the elders of Ephesus gathered to the Apostle, he spoke an instructive word to them and among other things said: “Take heed therefore to yourselves and to all the flock, of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the Church of the Lord and God, which He purchased with His own blood” (Acts .20:28). And he predicted to them that after his departure fierce wolves would come among them, not sparing the flock. He told them about the upcoming journey: “And now I, at the attraction of the Spirit, am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will meet me there; only the Holy Spirit bears witness in all the cities, saying that bonds and sorrows await me. But I do not I do not regard my life for anything, nor do I value my life, so long as I finish my race with joy and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus” (Acts 20:22-24). Then he said: “And now, behold, I know that all of you will see my face no more” (Acts 20:25). Then they cried a lot. Falling on Paul's neck, they kissed him, especially grieving at the word he had spoken that they would no longer see his face. And they escorted him to the ship. He, having given everyone a final kiss, set off on his way.

And having passed through many cities and countries, both off the sea coast and on the islands, and having visited and established the faithful everywhere, he landed in Ptolemais; from there he came to Caesarea Stratonova, and settled in the house of the holy Apostle Philip, one of the seven deacons.

One day a prophet named Agabus came here to Saint Paul, and taking Paul’s belt, tied his hands and feet, and said: “Thus says the Holy Spirit: The man whose belt is this will be bound by the Jews in Jerusalem and delivered into the hands of the Gentiles” (Acts .21:11).

When the brethren heard this, they began to ask Paul with tears not to go to Jerusalem; but Paul answered and said to them: “What are you doing? Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I not only want to be a prisoner, but I am ready to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 21:13).

And the brothers fell silent, saying: “The will of the Lord be done!”

After this, the holy Apostle Paul went to Jerusalem with his disciples (among whom was Trophimus the Ephesian, who converted from the pagans to Christ) and was cordially received by the holy Apostle James, the brother of the Lord, and the entire assembly of the faithful.

At this time, the Jews came from Asia to Jerusalem for the feast of Pentecost, who were constantly enemies of Paul and everywhere incited rebellion against him. Seeing Paul in the city and Trophimus the Ephesian with him, they complained against Paul to the Jewish chief priests and scribes and elders, that he was destroying the law of Moses, did not order circumcision, preached the crucified Jesus everywhere, and they incited each other against Paul in order to arrest him. And when they saw Saint Paul, on a feast day, in the Temple of Solomon, they suddenly came up with a slander against him, outraged the whole people and rushed to lay hands on him, shouting: “Men of Israel, help! This is the man who teaches everywhere against the people, the law and this place (temple), finally brought the pagans into the temple and desecrated this holy place" (they thought that Paul and Trophimus brought into the temple).

At these shouts, the whole city began to move, and there was a crowd of people; The rebels, seizing Paul, dragged him out of the temple, and hastily closed the doors: they wanted to kill Paul, but not in the temple, so as not to desecrate the holy place.

At this time, news reached the commander of the regiment that all of Jerusalem was indignant. He immediately gathered soldiers and centurions and hurried to the temple; The rebels, seeing the captain and the soldiers, stopped beating Paul. Then the captain took him and ordered him to be bound with two iron chains; then he began to interrogate who he was and what he had done?

The people shouted to the captain to put Paul to death. But due to the noise and heterogeneous talk among the people, the commander was in no way able to find out what exactly Pavel was guilty of, and ordered him to be taken to the fortress. The multitude followed the captain and the soldiers, shouting that Paul be killed. When they reached the highest porch leading to the fortress, Paul asked the captain to allow him to say a few words to the people; he allowed. And Paul, stopping on the steps, turned to the people and spoke loudly in Hebrew, saying: “Men, brethren and fathers, hear now my justification before you” (Acts 22:1).
And he began to tell them about his former zeal for the law of Moses, and how on the way to Damascus he was shone with heavenly light, and how he saw the Lord sending him to the pagans.

But the people, no longer wanting to listen to him, began to shout, turning to the commander of a thousand: “Destroy such a one from the earth! For he should not live!”

Shouting in this way, they threw their clothes and threw dust into the air, carried away by rage, and insisted on killing Paul. The commander of the thousand ordered him to be brought into the fortress and ordered to scourge him in order to extort from him: for what guilt were the people so angry with him? But when they tied Paul to a post with belts, he said to the centurion standing with him: “Are you allowed to scourge a Roman citizen, and even without trial?” (Acts 22:25)

Hearing this, the centurion came up and reported to the captain, saying:

- Look what you want to do! This man is a Roman citizen.

Then the captain approached Paul and asked:

- Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?

He said:

The commander of a thousand said embarrassedly:

– I acquired this citizenship for a lot of money.

And he immediately freed him from his shackles.

The next day the captain ordered the high priests and the entire Sanhedrin to come and placed Saint Paul before them.

Paul, fixing his gaze on the Sanhedrin, said: Men and brethren! I have lived with all my good conscience before God until this day (Acts 23:1). The high priest Ananias, at these words, ordered those standing before him to strike Paul on the mouth...

Then Paul said to him:

- God will beat you, you whitewashed wall! You sit to judge according to the law, and, contrary to the law, you order me to be beaten (Acts 23:3).

Noticing that in the assembly one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, Paul cried out, saying:

- Men, brothers! I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee; I am being judged for hoping for the resurrection of the dead (Acts 23:6).

When he said this, there was a quarrel between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided: for the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel nor spirit, but the Pharisees admit both. There was a great cry. The Pharisees said:

“We don’t find anything bad in this man.”

The Sadducees argued the opposite, and the great strife continued.

The commander, fearing that the assembly would tear Paul to pieces, ordered the soldiers to take him from among them and take him to the fortress. The next night the Lord appeared to Saint Paul and said: “Be of good cheer, Paul; for as you testified of Me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome (Acts 23:11).

As daylight came, some of the embittered Jews held a council and swore not to eat or drink until they killed Paul. And it turned out that there were more than forty souls who cast such a spell. Having learned about this, the commander sent Paul, with a large detachment of armed soldiers, to Caesarea, to the governor Philip.

Having heard about this, the high priest Ananias with the oldest members of the Sanhedrin went themselves to Caesarea and slandered the governor against Paul, blasphemed him before the governor and strenuously sought his death, but they did not succeed in anything, for no guilt was found in him worthy of death. However, the governor, wanting to please the Jews, left Paul in bonds.

Two years have passed. Porcius Festus replaced Philip as ruler. The bishops asked him to send Paul to Jerusalem. And they started this with evil intent: on the road they hoped to kill the Apostle of Christ. And when Festus asked Paul if he wanted to go to Jerusalem to be judged, Paul answered: “I stand before the judgment of Caesar, where I should be judged. I have not offended the Jews in any way, as you well know. For if I am wrong and I have done something worthy of death, then I do not refuse to die; but if there is nothing of which these accuse me, then no one can hand me over to them. I demand the judgment of Caesar” (Acts 25:10-11).

Then Festus, having talked with the advisers, answered Paul: You demanded the judgment of Caesar, and you will go to Caesar. A few days later, King Agrippa came to Caesarea to congratulate Festus and, having learned about Paul, wished to see him. And when Paul, having presented himself to King Agrippa and the governor Festus, told them in detail about Christ the Lord and how he believed in Him, King Agrippa said to him: You are not convincing me to become a Christian.

Paul answered: I would pray to God, that whether little or much, not only you, but also everyone who listens to me today, would become like me, except for these bonds (Acts 26:29). After these words, the king, the ruler and those who were with them stood up; stepping aside, they consulted among themselves and decided: This man has not done anything worthy of death or chains.

Agrippa said to Festus: “It would have been possible to release him if he had not demanded trial from Caesar.”

Thus they decided to send Paul to Rome to Caesar and gave him and some other prisoners to the centurion of the royal regiment, named Julius; and he, having received the prisoners and Paul, put them on the ship, and they all set sail.

Their navigation was very unsafe due to contrary winds; when they sailed to the island of Crete and entered a place called “good landings,” Saint Paul, foreseeing the future, advised them to spend the winter there with the ship; but the centurion trusted the helmsman and the captain of the ship more than the words of Paul. When they sailed into the middle of the sea, a stormy wind rose against them, there was great excitement and such fog fell that for 14 whole days they did not see either the sun during the day or the stars at night, and did not even know what place they were in, because they were carried waves, and in despair they had not eaten all these days and were already expecting death. There were 276 people on the ship. Paul, standing in the midst of them, consoled them, saying: “Men, you should have listened to me and not departed from Crete, in which case you would have avoided these difficulties and harm. Now I urge you to take heart, because not a single soul among you will perish, but only a ship. For the Angel of God, Whom I belong and Whom I serve, appeared to me that night and said: “Do not be afraid, Paul! You must appear before Caesar, and, behold, God has given you all those who sail with you. “Therefore, men, be of good cheer, for I trust God that it will happen as I have been told” (Acts 27:21-25).

And Paul persuaded everyone to take food, saying:

- “This will serve to preserve your life; for not a hair of your head will be lost” (Acts 27:36).

Having said this and taking the bread, he thanked God in front of everyone and, breaking it, began to eat. Then everyone took heart and also took food.

When day came, they saw land, but did not recognize which side it was, and they directed the ship towards the shore. Approaching it, the ship hit a spit and ran aground; the bow got stuck and remained motionless, and the stern was broken by the force of the waves. The soldiers conferred among themselves to kill all the prisoners so that someone would not swim out and run away; but the centurion, wanting to save Paul, kept them from this intention and ordered those who knew how to swim to be the first to rush and go ashore; and looking at them, others began to swim, some on boards, others on whatever was available from the ship's things, and all came to land healthy and were saved from the sea.

Then they learned that this island was called Melitus. Its inhabitants, foreigners, showed them considerable kindness, for, due to the former rain and cold, they lit a fire to warm up those who were wet at sea.

Meanwhile, Paul gathered a lot of brushwood and put it on the fire; At this time, the viper, coming out of the heat, hung on his hand. When the foreigners saw a snake hanging on his hand, they said to each other: “It is true that this man is a murderer, when the judgment of God does not allow him, having escaped from the sea, to live.”

But Paul, having shaken the snake into the fire, suffered no harm. They expected that he would have inflammation, or that he would suddenly fall dead, but after waiting a long time and seeing that no trouble had happened to him, they changed their minds and said that he was God.

The ruler of that island, named Publius, took those rescued from the sea into his home and treated them in a friendly manner for three days. His father was lying at that time, suffering from fever and abdominal pain. Paul went in to him, prayed to the Lord, and laying his hands on the sick man, healed him. After this event, other sick people on the island came to the holy Apostle and were healed.

Three months later, all those who had escaped from the sea with the Apostle sailed from here, on another ship, and sailed to Syracuse, from there to Rigia, then to Puteoli and finally reached Rome. And when the brethren who were in Rome learned about Paul’s arrival, they went out to meet him even as far as Appian Square and three hotels. When Paul saw them, he was comforted in spirit and gave thanks to God.

In Rome, the centurion who accompanied the prisoners from Jerusalem handed them over to the military commander, and allowed Paul to live separately with the soldier guarding him. And Paul lived in Rome for two whole years, and received everyone who came to him, preaching the Kingdom of God and teaching about our Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness without restraint.

Hitherto about the life and works of Paul from the book of the Acts of the Apostles, written by Saint Luke; He himself talks about his other labors and sufferings in 2 Corinthians in the following way(in comparison with others, he was): “more in labor, immensely in wounds, more in prisons and many times at the point of death. From the Jews five times I was given forty [strikes] minus one; three times they beat me with sticks, once with stones I was beaten, I was shipwrecked three times, I spent a night and a day in the depths [of the sea]; I traveled many times" (2 Cor. 11:23-26).

Having measured the latitude and longitude of the earth by walking, and the sea by swimming, the Apostle Paul also experienced the height of heaven, being caught up to the third heaven. For the Lord, consoling His Apostle in the painful labors he endured for the sake of His holy name, showed him heavenly bliss, which the eye had never seen, and he heard there ineffable verbs that cannot be retold by a person.

How the holy Apostle accomplished other feats of his life and activity, Eusebius Pamphilus, Bishop of Caesarea in Palestine and historian of church events, tells.

After two years of captivity in Rome, Saint Paul was released as if innocent of anything, and preached the word of God first in Rome and then in other Western countries.

And Saint Simeon Metaphrastus writes that after the Roman bonds the Apostle worked for several more years in the gospel of Christ: leaving Rome, he traveled through Spain, Gaul and all of Italy, enlightening the pagans with the light of faith and turning them to Christ from the deception of idols. When he was in Spain, one noble and rich woman, having heard about the apostle’s preaching about Christ, wished to see the Apostle Paul himself and persuaded her husband Probus to beg the holy Apostle to come to their house so that they could cordially entertain him. And when Saint Paul entered their house, she looked at his face and saw the words written in gold on his forehead: “Paul is Christ’s Apostle.” And seeing this “which no one else could see), she fell at the feet of the Apostle with joy and fear, confessing Christ by the true God and asking for holy baptism. And she was the first to bring baptism (her name was Xanthippe), then her husband Probus, and their whole house, and the ruler of the city Philotheus, and many others were baptized there.

Having passed through all these countries in the West, illuminating them with the light of the holy faith, and seeing his approaching painful death, the holy Apostle again returned to Rome, from where he wrote to his disciple Saint Timothy, saying: “For I am already becoming a victim, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith; but now there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me at that day" (2 Tim. 9:6-8).

Church historiographers have different reports about the time of the suffering of the Holy Apostle Paul. Nicephorus Callistus, in the 2nd book of his history, in chapter 36, writes that Saint Paul suffered in the same year and on the same day as the Holy Apostle Peter, for the sorcerer Simon, whom he helped Peter defeat. Others say that a whole year after the death of Peter, Paul suffered on the same 29th day of the month of June, on which Saint Peter was crucified the year before. The reason for Paul's death is that he exhorted girls and women to be chaste through the preaching of Christ. pure life. However, there is no great disagreement in this news: for in the life of Saint Peter (according to Simeon Metaphrastes) it is said that Saint Peter did not suffer immediately after the death of Simon the Magus, but after several years, because of two concubines beloved by Nero, whom the Apostle Peter converted to Christ taught me to live chastely. And since Saint Paul lived in Rome and the surrounding countries at the same time as Peter, it could easily have been both, i.e. that Saint Paul helped Saint Peter and Simon the Magus during his first stay in Rome, and having come to Rome for the second time, again with Saint Peter he unanimously served the salvation of people, instructing men and women in a chaste, pure life. And thus the holy Apostles aroused the rage of the wicked and depraved king Nero, who, having condemned them both to death, executed Peter, as a foreigner, by crucifixion, and Paul, as a Roman citizen (who could not be put to a dishonorable death), by beheading, if not in the same year, then on the same day. When Pavlov's honest head was cut off, blood and milk flowed from the wound. The faithful, having taken his holy body, laid it in the same place with Saint Peter.

Thus died the chosen vessel of Christ, the teacher of the nations, the world preacher, the witness of heavenly heights and heavenly goodness, the object of wonder of angels and men, the great ascetic and sufferer, who endured the wounds of his Lord on his body, the holy Supreme Apostle Paul, and again, in addition to the body , ascended to the third heaven and appeared before the Trinity Light, together with his friend and collaborator, the holy Supreme Apostle Peter, having passed from the militant church to the triumphant church, with joyful thanksgiving, the voice and exclamation of those celebrating, and now they glorify the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, the one God in the Trinity, to whom honor, glory, worship and thanksgiving are sent from us sinners, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Iconography Akathist

Akathist to the holy chief apostles Peter and Paul

Kontakion 1

The election of the preacher of the Immaculate Lamb, slain for us, Christ God, glorification of the apostles Peter and Paul! For having illuminated the ends of the world with the knowledge of God and abundantly watered them with streams of grace, look with love now upon those who diligently honor your memory. Fill us with the spirit of wisdom, strengthen our hearts with faith, so that we may continually sing thanks to you, calling with tenderness: Rejoice, holy supreme apostles Peter and Paul.

Ikos 1

The angels of good news appeared on earth, the apostles Peter and Paul, blessed, before the author of our salvation Himself, to do your calling, the breadth of the whole earth flowed around, Christ was crucified by Jews and Greeks, God's Power and preaching God's Wisdom. In the same way, we, illuminated by the light of your teachings, cry out to you with our hearts and lips: Rejoice, bright stars, who rose from the east and showed all people the way to Christ; Rejoice, affirmation and pillars of steadfastness in the Church of Christ. Rejoice, having received the power to bind and solve our sins from Christ; Rejoice, in your holy scriptures you all call us to faith and trust in God. Rejoice, for in your life you have revealed images of conversion to those who sin; Rejoice, you who have shown us the height of true love in word and deed. Rejoice, holy supreme apostles Peter and Paul.

Kontakion 2

Seeing you, Apostle Peter, on the sea of ​​Galilee, together with your brother Andrew, sweeping away the deep waters, the Lord said to you: come after Me, and I will make you a fisher of man. And Abiye, leaving the wilderness behind, followed Him. Moreover, beauty of the universal Church, make us, by your intercession, quick to be able to do the commandments of God, but we are indifferent to sin, and, through childish malice, we will achieve everything to the measure of the age of a man perfect, singing to God: Alleluia.

Ikos 2

The Divine mind illuminated you, Paul, the chosen vessel of God, when, zealous for the traditions of your fathers, you marched to Damascus to persecute the Church of Christ. Then suddenly the radiance of the Glory of the Lord shone upon you and a voice came from Heaven: Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? But you, even if your carnal vision was darkened, yet in your spirit you saw the Power and Glory of Christ crucified, enlightening the darkness and creating His Church with love, and for this reason you were captivated by the spirit, bearing repentance and obedience and saying: “Lord, what will I do?” Therefore, let us accept the lot of apostleship from the hand of the Lord and the baptism of water and the Spirit from the blessed Ananias, who appeared in admiration as a chosen vessel of grace and a silent witness of our Savior, from the Unfit and we, who are enlightened, sing to you with skillful tits: Rejoice, lordship of the church, from the Ineffable Light on the path is wonderfully kindled in the revelation of tongues; Rejoice, you have miraculously revealed the signs of the Power of God in your life and blocked the lips of the disobedient forever. Rejoice, chosen vessel, less than the apostle and first from the sinner, calling yourself contritely; Rejoice, like the Cherub the seer of the secrets, ascended even to the third Heaven by faith and love. Rejoice, like the fiery Seraphim, constantly consumed and melted away by zeal for God; Rejoice, Paul and Peter, the sound of a loud trumpet, the foundation of the old world, like Jericho the Second, crushed the foundations of the old world. Rejoice, holy supreme apostles Peter and Paul.

Kontakion 3

The power of the Most High, known in weaknesses, was poured out on you, Paul, adamantine of faith, grace upon grace, you immediately confessed: I can do all things through Jesus who strengthens me. And truly you preached the Gospel in the manifestation of the Spirit and power, doing great and indescribable, glorious and terrible, as those who do not know God learned the knowledge of God, hardened hearts were drunk with the oil of mercy, and all the sheep scattered into the fence of the One Shepherd flocked from everywhere, and having learned to sing in accordance with Him: Alleluia .

Ikos 3

Having bold love for the Lord, you walked, O Peter, on the raised waters, as if on dry land. But even though you were terrified by drowning and overwhelmed by doubt, you were not drowned in the abyss, but you stretched out your hand and eyes to the Savior, crying out to Him from the depths of your heart: Lord, save me. And at that hour you received a helping hand from Christ, our Savior. So we too, in this vale of earth, frightened by troubles and drowned by waves of passions, looking at your current, instructing us to a quiet haven of good, sing with gratitude to you: Rejoice, much-valued stone of faith, chosen and established from the Cornerstone; Rejoice, temple of the Holy Spirit, abundantly adorned with manifold gifts from Him. Rejoice, simple fisherman, filled with the wisdom of God, which no one can resist; Rejoice, self-witness of the greatness of God, more than the kings and glorious ones of the earth, glorified by the Lord for all eternity. Rejoice, inspired charter, in the fiery writings of the word of God the word of God was inscribed; Rejoice, with Paul the Apostle a shining light of equal honor and invincibility. Rejoice, holy supreme apostles Peter and Paul.

Kontakion 4

A storm of fierce temptations was raised by the ancient murderer, who from time immemorial sought to consume the Church of God and scatter the disciples of the Savior like wheat: but the Lord prayed for you, Peter, that your faith may not fail. And so, from the Savior we enlighten and from Him we strengthen in weakness, truly you have broken the jaws of the enemy and, having turned, you have strengthened your brethren, singing to God: Alleluia.

Ikos 4

Hearing, O wise Paul, about your wondrous election, to proclaim the name of the Lord Jesus to the people and king and son of Israel, and seeing you in word, in life, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity, like a light tongue for their salvation established, the unfaithful is enlightened by faith, but the faithful, jubilant, glorify the Lord. In the same way, we, having received the commandment to rejoice, bring to you with the voice of joy this: Rejoice, faithful servant of Christ, all the glorious things of the world, counting as rubbish and dust and having enslaved everyone for the sake of Christ and the Gospel; Rejoice, good warrior of Christ, clothed in all the armor of God and subduing all languages ​​in the obedience of Christ. Rejoice, most pleasant sacrifice, crucified with Christ, accustomed to die for Christ’s sake all the days; Rejoice, sower of many tears, glorious prisoner and confessor, joyfully bearing the wounds of the Lord Jesus Christ on your body. Rejoice, glory and praise to the Ecumenical Church, who was the disgrace of the world, famine, thirst, nakedness, beating and reproach for Christ, who endured many times; Rejoice, Paul and Peter, adornment of the apostles, evangelist to the world, affirmation of the Church. Rejoice, holy supreme apostles Peter and Paul.

Kontakion 5

Thou didst appear to the God-bearing star, Paul, when thy course began, most brightly, from Damascus, even to Rome, thou didst stretch, and like before the star from the east, taught the Magi to bow to the Sun of Truth, thou also, O God-Wise One, showed the way to Christ to all who want to achieve salvation, calling with boldness to many: be imitators of me, as you were of Christ. You taught us to sing with one mouth: Alleluia.

Ikos 5

Seeing on Mount Tavorstei the Glory of the Only Begotten from the Father, clothed in Light, like a robe, wanting for us to be clothed in the robe of reproach, you said, O Peter, Jesus, seeing the unspeakable Glory of those redeemed by the Blood of the Immaculate Lamb of Christ: Lord, it is good for us to be here. For this reason, we, the distant ones, deprived of the purity of the luminous, even though we are unworthy of existence, even though by your angelic voice we are called to an incorruptible, pure, unfading inheritance, observed in Heaven, like a community that wants to open itself to Glory, we sing to you: Rejoice, blessed one, from the Everlasting One Worthy of truth, “blessed” is he who is named; Rejoice, kind bead, found from the Lord at the lake and illuminated with light from the Light. Rejoice, sent by the Redeemer of the human race to preach the Gospel; Rejoice, you who have truly appeared as a fisher of men, for you, as before, by grace draw darkened souls into the wonderful Light of Christ God. Rejoice, life-giving fountain, flowing from the Source of eternal life and watering thirsty souls from the wealth of gifts of the Holy Spirit; Rejoice, Peter and Paul, like the Seraphim of the six-crest, hovering at the Throne of the King of Glory and perceiving the light of the Mysteries of God. Rejoice, holy supreme apostles Peter and Paul.

Kontakion 6

The preacher is silent and after your death, Peter the God-bearing, you appeared from the mental sky, like mysterious thunder, reminding us of the title of Christians in many different ways. We, knowing that your love is no longer falling away and praying for us unceasingly at the Throne of God, sing with a tender heart: Alleluia.

Ikos 6

You shone forth, O great Paul, with signs and miracles, and soon the Holy Spirit in Antioch commanded him to begin the great ministry of the apostle of tongues: even when he reached Cyprus, you darkened the sight of Elymas the sorcerer, and you illuminated Sergius the proconsul with the light of truth. Grant us also, who have partaken of this light, to glorify your wondrous deeds in songs and spiritual songs and sing to you like this: Rejoice, in the light of the hearts of the meek and reasonable, who, like a milkmaid, sin and nurture with your God-inspired writings; Rejoice, you crush the rod of punishment, the vessels of lies and flattery to the end, and lift up the broken hearts onto the immovable Stone of Faith. Rejoice, you who embodied the Gospel of Christ within yourself and for this reason were exalted and glorified above all visible things; Rejoice, honey-melting lips, who proclaimed much joy to the apostle and to the faithful, for through you the Lord has opened the door of salvation with all His tongue. Rejoice, zealot for God, new Elijah, do not build on an alien foundation and flow around distant countries with your zeal; Rejoice, Paul and Peter, who have divided the whole world between you, in one way to be an apostle of the tongues, and to preach another to a chosen people. Rejoice, holy supreme apostles Peter and Paul.

Kontakion 7

Although you would establish the truth and protect the peace of the Church, you came, Paul, champion of truth, to the holy city, where at the meeting of the saints the apostle and the faithful testified, together with Peter and Barnabas, that the Holy Spirit breathes wherever He wants, bestowing His grace on the unenvied Jews and to the Greeks of the circumcision, and by faith saving all things, and not the dead works of the old law. And so, truly, all the faithful, having received freedom and peace, bound by the union of love, sing gratefully to God: Alleluia.

Ikos 7

The new Archangel, the herald of the secret hidden from time immemorial, was chosen by the Apostle Peter, the Lord, when His disciples asked: Who do you say Me to be? But you, who enlighten us from the Heavenly Father, declared that you are the undoubted foundation of our faith, saying to the Savior: you are the Christ, the Son of the Living God. For this reason, we, honoring you, as having openly confessed the Hope of our salvation, cry to you as follows: Rejoice, new Sinai, who clearly showed the tablet of salvation to people and proclaimed freedom in Christ; Rejoice, first laid by the Heavenly Architect the stone of faith and confession, on which the Church of Christ is irresistibly based. Rejoice, first placed as the gatekeeper of the entrance to heaven, to whom the Lord first promised to give the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven; Rejoice, righteous judge, who judged with the rest of the apostles of the deceived tenth tribe of Israel. Rejoice, for thy blessed one has combed and scoured Christ our Savior, Whom the prophets fervently desired to see, having seen and heard in the flesh on earth; Rejoice, Peter and Paul, who have the most beautiful feet of the gospel and sanctified hearts, for you will serve the Gospel and live the Gospel. Rejoice, holy supreme apostles Peter and Paul.

Kontakion 8

A strange miracle and inconvenience of understanding, you appeared, Peter, to the wise of the earth, as the Lord has chosen you unknown and humiliated, and you confounded the wise, you overcame kingdoms, you brought hosts of the darkened to the Light of Truth, and to this day, like a pillar of fire, you have illuminated all earthly beings, indicating the undoubted path to the blessed fatherland. For this reason, marveling at the wealth of grace in you, we sing to God: Alleluia.

Ikos 8

You were everything to everyone, Paul, embracing everyone with love, achieving the salvation of those far and near with the word, overcoming everything by faith: before and in Philippe, you preached peace, even if you were beaten with clubs and thrown into prison in chains, but you sang there together with With the power of a wondrous song of praise and thanksgiving to God, Who also roared with His great cowardly servant, as the foundations of the prison were shaken and the doors were opened. We, seeing you, the wise one, illuminating the darkness of the prison with the light of God and giving freedom in Christ to the prisoner, sing to you: Rejoice, prisoner of Christ, who transformed the prison into a temple and with your bonds loosed the chains of demons to people; Rejoice, O mighty one, having borne the infirmities of the weak, seeking not to please yourselves, but your neighbors. Rejoice, most wonderful, who boasted in bonds and sorrows, who taught you to rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep; Rejoice, dead to sin, but ever alive to God, for to you is life Christ and death gain. Rejoice, in the image of unceasing activity, forgetting what is behind, reaching out to what is before and flowing with all your thoughts to the honor of the highest calling; Rejoice, Paul and Peter, who served the Lord as martyrs even to death and crowned your feat as a crown. Rejoice, holy supreme apostles Peter and Paul.

Kontakion 9

Bringing everyone to Christ, you proclaimed, O Paul, in Athens, to those who think they are wise, the Wisdom that comes from above, so that, knowing vain things, they will lead from here to God, invisible to them, and will grasp Him, for in Him we live and move and we are. In the same way, we too, by ineffable grace, the mind has received the truth and the heart is not false, for the Lord is good, having comprehended it, we sing to Him with firm faith, like the finger of Thomas, to the tangible: Alleluia.

Ikos 9

It is not possible for a human tongue to veto, when the Lord of Powers has washed His servant with His lips and wiped them with laziness. But you, Peter, are conquered by fear, even if you cried out: “Thou shalt not wash my foot forever, but thou didst bow down entirely in obedience, when thou heardest the word spoken from the Lord: Unless I wash thee, thou shalt have no part with me.” And so you cried out with all your heart: Lord, not only my nose, but also my hand and head. We, leading you in these, like gold into the fires of temptation, purified and knowing from humility to obedience your ascent, worshiping the mystery of God's Providence, we sing to you with a humble heart: Rejoice, Peter, eagle's eye, in whose image you saw the Sun of Truth - Christ God , Judas washed his face and was betrayed from him with a wicked kiss; Rejoice, forever ignorant of Christ, for you, following the Immaculate Lamb, like a lamb, have remained faithful to your slaughter. Rejoice, unquenchable coal, constantly embraced by the fire of Divine love from the Heavenly altar; Rejoice, lamp that burns and shines, illuminating childbirth with the light of truth. Rejoice, abundant grapes of Christ, brought back to the joy of a much-sad world; Rejoice, Peter and Paul, who have truly imagined Christ God within themselves. Rejoice, holy supreme apostles Peter and Paul.

Kontakion 10

You showed salvation in Christ, the unsearchable abyss and great power of repentance in yourself, Peter, when three times, according to what was foretold, you rejected the Lord: we do not know this Man! When you swore and tossed around in the courtyard of the bishop, but abiye, remembering the verb of Jesus, you flowed outside, crying bitterly. We, looking with tenderness at this most radiant image of contrition, given for the teaching and reproof of our stiff-necked hearts, sing to the Lord, who has wonderfully magnified you: Alleluia.

Ikos 10

You were a wall and an invincible weapon, Paul, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, as you destroyed their kingdom in Corinth, Ephesus and other cities of the universe, dispelling the darkness of polytheism and establishing the mind of truth. You have unfailingly shown yourself to be God’s servant in many patience, in sorrows, troubles, in cramped conditions, in wounds, in prisons, in disorder, in labor, in vigils, in fasting, as our mind is perplexed to express the wealth of your kindness, day-night exploits with many tears . For this reason, seeing the sea of ​​your love, we boldly pray: hear us, poor sinners with mouths that say: Rejoice, invincible evangelist who died to sin, for in you, having conquered first the old man, you have been crucified with Christ; Rejoice, full-fruited teacher and denouncer of ravenous wolves, for by you you showed an image to the faithful, being ever vigilant and teaching everything strictly: by word and by living according to the word. Rejoice, O enricher of all, for, having previously become poor and insignificant, you supported everything; Rejoice, ardent zealot of Christians, betrothed to Christ like a pure, immaculate bride. Rejoice, who was in the womb of much pain for your children in the pangs of birth, until Christ is imagined in them; Rejoice, Paul and Peter, in Dus, the one united in one city who sealed fidelity to Christ with their blood. Rejoice, holy supreme apostles Peter and Paul.

Kontakion 11

Sing and bless your bonds and sufferings, Paul, long-suffering, it is worthy to eat, as only in the patience of many, but with joy you received the bonds foretold by Agabus the prophet, and you testified to the Church of Caesarea: not just bound to be ready for the name of the Lord Jesus . To Him also, who is wondrous in His saints, we sing a song: Alleluia.

Ikos 11

The light of unspeakable joy and Divine love shone upon you, Peter, when the Lord, after the resurrection, was the first to appear to you, the apostle, who grieved. Yet again the Lord of Life appeared and asked you three times: Simone Ionin, do you love Me? You, who are scorched by the fire of Divine love, answered warmly: Lord, You weigh as much as I love You. For this reason, we, impoverished in spirit, remembering the abundant currents of tears and your love, for the sake of which the Lord called you to the former degree of apostleship, reverently cry out to you: Rejoice, teacher of repentance, who through bitter tears acquired the height of humility and rose from the grave to joy ineffable forever. introduced; Rejoice, depth of wisdom, height of humility, flame of love, revealed to all who are true to themselves a way of life. Rejoice, friend of the Lord Jesus, who zealously bore the yoke of the gospel, who did not desire to dominate the inheritance of God, but who taught obedience to authority; Rejoice, Apostle of Christ, who combined the wisdom of the serpent and the purity of the dove in yourself and showed extreme humility in the image of your death on the cross. Rejoice, faithful servant of the Lord, having multiplied the talent given to you and entered into the joy of the Lord; Rejoice, Peter and Paul, who did not cramp your hearts, who embraced the whole world with love and enlightened the ends of the universe. Rejoice, holy supreme apostles Peter and Paul.

Kontakion 12

The grace of the Comforter Spirit, poured out on the heads of the faithful in the form of tongues of fire, is soon poured out from your mouth, Peter, with a word of fire, in order to preach with much power Christ was crucified, not just to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, but also to the pagans of the barren church, so that this God-given one may also bear fruit. imperishable crystal of purity and repentance. Ask us too, most blessed apostle, for the mercy of the Lord, who through you does great and wonderful things, by your hand raising the dead and by your death on the cross igniting our deathly love, so that we may unceasingly sing to Him: Alleluia.

Ikos 12

Singing your blessed memory, Paul, we worthily honor the unspeakable deeds, illnesses and labors that you endured in vigils, in hunger and thirst, in fasting, in winter and nakedness. Who can count your wounds, sorrows and troubles in cities, in the desert, in the sea, troubles from robbers, troubles from relatives, troubles from tongues and false brothers? Who is like you? Thou hast labored more than all others. We also pray: do not disdain us, sinners, who pray to you, but as you were all, and now hear the weak voice offered by you: Rejoice, prisoner of Christ, spreading light from prison, having labored much in word and message in chains, for truly the word of God doesn't fit; Rejoice, unsearchable abyss of love, who, according to your brethren, was excommunicated from Christ with sincere desire. Rejoice, wonderful ascetic, who fought a good fight, who completed his course and adorned the Church with your blood; Rejoice, you who exude a sea of ​​miracles, for I have healed your ailments and driven away your chieftains and Ubrists. Rejoice, inseparable participant in the love of God, who has thought above and not earthly, who has already been separated from the flesh and has desired to be with Christ; Rejoice, Paul and Peter, planters of the Christian faith, drinkers of piety with waters and guides to the haven of eternal faithfulness. Rejoice, holy supreme apostles Peter and Paul.

Kontakion 13

O all praise of the evangelist Peter and Paul! Listen to the sighing of our hearts, praying for us, for the prayer of the righteous before God can do much: strive now to remember for us the heavenly calling and the end of our life as Christians, draw us to the sweetness of the Gospel truth, bind us with the bonds of the love of Christ, so that we may all reject ungodliness and worldly lusts, let us enter into the joy of our Lord, singing to Him from the Angels and from the faces of the saints: Alleluia.

(This kontakion is read three times, then ikos 1 and kontakion 1)

Prayers to the Holy Chief Apostles Peter and Paul

First prayer

O glorification of the apostles Peter and Paul, who gave up their souls for Christ and fertilized His pasture with your blood! Hear your children's prayers and sighs, now offered by your brokenhearted hearts. Because we are darkened by lawlessness and for this reason we are covered with troubles, like clouds, but with the oil of a good life we ​​are greatly impoverished and we are not able to resist the predatory wolf who is boldly trying to plunder the heritage of God. O strength! Bear our infirmities, do not separate from us in spirit, so that we may not be separated in the end from the love of God, but protect us with your strong intercession, may the Lord have mercy on us all, for your prayers for the sake of your prayers, may He destroy the handwriting of our immeasurable sins and may He be honored with all the saints of the blessed The Kingdom and Marriage of His Lamb, to Him be honor and glory, and thanksgiving and worship, forever and ever. Amen.

Second prayer

O holy apostles Peter and Paul, do not be separated in spirit from us, sinful servants of God (names), so that we may not be completely separated from the love of God, but protect us with your strong intercession, may the Lord have mercy on all of us for your prayers for the sake of, and may He destroy the handwriting of immeasurable sins ours, and may he, together with all the saints, be worthy of the blessed Kingdom and marriage of His Lamb, to whom be honor and glory, and thanksgiving and worship forever and ever.

Prayer three

About the supreme Apostle: Peter, the steadfast exponent of the faith of Christ, and Paul, the sweet-talking gusset of the teachings of the Lord! We see you, like a multi-flowing river of the legends of Christ’s words, flowing from the true bowels of God and revealing the entire depth of the well of God-revealed truths to us, who thirst for them. We see you, like luminaries, from the sky currents of warmth of divine love that make clear to us: we please you, who have accepted labors and sweats, in the hedgehog of all the divine teachings of the seeds: we kiss your feet, flowing around the ends of the earth, and in the trembling of sin we see your heads, humbly bowing to to the most pure feet of the Lord: one by the way of the cross (by hanging) and the other by beheading with a sword. We tenderly ask you, holy Apostles, to make us, in our rage of sin, bow before our Teacher the Lord, to cut off the pride of our head with the revealed teaching: may the Lord satisfy our spiritual hunger with the food indicated from heaven itself, like Peter: - but you, Paul, are saturated with God Christ’s words, strive to raise us to the third heaven with your unceasing prayers for us to the Lord, so that we there too may glorify from the faces of the angels and apostles the wondrous Father of all in our saints, and He who was sent into the world to save and guide us to eternal life, the Lord Jesus Christ , and the Holy Spirit consubstantial with Him. Amen.

Prayer Four

Holy Supreme Apostle Peter, the rock of faith, on Christ, the cornerstone, established in the Church by confession! Pray, and I, always shaken by intelligent thoughts and carnal lusts, on that same Christ, the living, chosen, honest Stone, ordained by faith, I am always fulfilled by love in a spiritual temple, in a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices to God to Jesus Christ. Holy Supreme Apostle Paul, chosen vessel of Christ, full of the grace and glory of God! Pray to the Creator who has power over creation, that I, now a destroyed vessel, will create for Himself a vessel in honor, sanctified and useful, prepared for every good thing. Amen.

Troparion to the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul

Troparion, tone 4

The first apostles and universal teachers, pray to the Lord of all to grant peace to the universe and great mercy to our souls.

Kontakion, tone 2

Firm and divinely preached preachers, the top of Thy apostles, O Lord, Thou didst accept into the enjoyment of Thy good things and peace: for Thou didst accept sickness and death more than all fruitfulness, the One who knows the heart.

Greatness

We magnify you, Apostles of Christ, who enlightened the whole world with your teachings and brought everything to Christ.