Berea: St Paul's Bema — Pilgrims

In the Bible

The Bereans received the message eagerly and examined the Scriptures every day; when opponents came from Thessalonica, the believers sent Paul to the coast.

Acts 17:10–14As soon as night had fallen, the brothers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went into the Jewish synagogue. Now the Bereans were more noble-minded than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if these teachings were true. As a result, many of them believed, along with quite a few prominent Greek women and men. But when the Jews from Thessalonica learned that Paul was also proclaiming the word of God in Berea, they went there themselves to incite and agitate the crowds. The brothers immediately sent Paul to the coast, but Silas and Timothy remained in Berea.

Tradition

By tradition, Paul preached from steps at this spot, and the people of Veria have long honored it.

Here today

A modern monument in the center of Veria: marble steps under a canopy, with mosaics of Paul's vision and of his preaching.

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