Person
Paul the Apostle
Also called: Saint Paul, Saul of Tarsus
Apostle who carried the Christian gospel to non-Jews across the Mediterranean; his letters form part of the New Testament
Born a Jew with Roman citizenship at Tarsus in Asia Minor, he at first persecuted Christians but is said to have been converted on the road to Damascus. On three missionary journeys he founded churches across Asia Minor and Greece and preached to non-Jews, earning the name “Apostle to the Gentiles”. His teaching that salvation comes through faith rather than the law, set out in letters such as Romans, became a foundation of Christian theology. Tradition holds that he was martyred in Rome.