The Conversion of Saint Paul the Apostle

Saul of Tarsus, a Pharisee trained in Jerusalem, persecuted the first Christians. The Acts of the Apostles tells three times what happened on the road to Damascus: a light from heaven threw him to the ground, and a voice asked, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” Blinded, he was led into the city, where after three days Ananias laid hands on him, his sight returned and he was baptized.

In his letters Paul himself speaks of this as the moment when the risen Christ appeared to him and called him to preach among the nations. This happened about the year 34. The feast of the Conversion has been kept in Rome since the 8th century. Paul died a martyr in Rome, by tradition about 67.