Christian missionary and martyr; in the New
Testament, one of the apostles and author of
13 epistles. He is said to have been
converted by a vision on the road to
Damascus. His emblems are a sword and a book;
feast day 29 June. The Jewish form of his
name is Saul. He was born in Tarsus (now in
Turkey), son of well-to-do Pharisees, and had
Roman citizenship. Originally opposed to
Christianity, he took part in the stoning of
St Stephen. After his conversion he made
great missionary journeys, for example to
Philippi and Ephesus, becoming known as the
Apostle of the Gentiles (non-Jews). On his
return to Jerusalem, he was arrested,
appealed to Caesar, and (as a citizen) was
sent to Rome for trial about 57 or 59. After
two years in prison, he may have been
released before his final arrest and
execution under the emperor Nero. St Paul's
theology was rigorous on such questions as
sin and atonement, and his views on the role
of women were adopted by the Christian church
generally.