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 Pauline Year: 2008-2009 The Conversion of St. Paul (Saul) Scott 1392 (2008) The feast for the Conversion of Saint Paul, or Saul of Tarsus, occurs on 25 January. The stamp above, from 2008 Pauline Year Issue, depicts the conversion of Saul, who was knocked from his horse and blinded by Jesus Christ on the Damascus Road. Born into a religious family of Pharisees in Tarsus (an important city in eastern Asia Minor), Saul's family consisted of artisans who were tentmakers. Saul was sent to Jerusalem to study under the famous rabbi Gamaliel. Prior to the events on the Damascus Road, Saul was a vigorous persecutor of early Christians and was present at the stoning of St. Stephen (Acts 8:1-3). One of the most dramatic events in Christianity’s earliest years is the conversion of Saul (Paul) as recorded in Acts 9:3-8ff: “Now as he journeyed he [Saul] approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed about him and he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? And he said ‘Who are you, Lord?' And he [Jesus] said, 'I am Jesus whom you are persecuting, but rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.' The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. Saul arose from the ground; and when his eyes were opened, he could see nothing; so they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.”The disciple Ananias received a vision in which he was told to locate Saul and that he would regain his sight. Ananias learned that the Lord designated Saul as “a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; for I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name (Acts 9:10-19).” Saul regained his sight and was baptized. After spending time with disciples in Damascus, Saul began preaching that Jesus was the Christ. At first Jews and others were afraid of Saul as a persecutor of Christians. This also occurred in Jerusalem when he first met Jesus’ disciples in that city. It was an early follower of Jesus, Barnabas, who brought Saul to the Apostles. Paul was to win them over by his masterly preaching, thus building up the number of Christ’s followers. By the 13th chapter, Saul is referred to as Paul (Saul is Paul in Hebrew). Based on estimates gleaned from Acts, the conversion of Saul occurred 4-7 years following the crucifixion of Christ. This meeting on the Damascus Road changed Saul from being a persecutor of Christians to its greatest missionary. He conducted three great missions as described in Acts 13-14, 15:36-18:22, and 18:23–20:38. Paul crossed Asia Minor (today’s Turkey), into Macedonia, and Greece, preaching to Jews and Gentiles. Paul was to attend the ‘Council of Jerusalem’ (ca. 50 AD) which discussed how Gentiles were to be received into Christian fellowship without following the practice of circumcision. (Acts 15ff). Saint Paul’s missionary efforts, his journey to Rome, and his martyrdom in ca. 67 are covered in the entry for the feast of Saints Peter and Paul on 29 June. In addition to the stamp shown at the top of the article, the conversion of Saint Paul is shown on two other stamps issued by Vatican City. The stamp below, from 1999 and part of the issue showing the Holy Door at Saint Peter's Basilica, depicts Saul, who has dismounted from his horse, facing the figure of Jesus Christ on the Damascus Road:  Bottom Right Panels of the Holy Door, Saint Peter's Basilica Left Panel: The Conversion of Saul, Scott 1135 (1999) Another stamp below, from 2014 from the set commemorating the 450th anniversary of the death of Michelangelo, also dramatizes the conversion of Saul:  450th Anniversary of the Death of Michelangelo The Conversion of Saul, Scott 1578 (2014) REFERENCES: 
 Minisheets: Pauline Year of 2008-2009 The Conversion of St. Paul (Saul) St. Paul Preaching The Incarceration of St. Paul Scott 1392M-1394M (2008) |
