44. Returning to the Acts of the Apostles, we see that in verses 26 and 27 of chapter IX Saint Luke tells us of the general suspicious attitude shown by the Christians of the holy city to receiving Paul amongst them, and of how Paul was presented to Peter by Barnabas: «And when he was come into Jerusalem, he essayed to join himself to the disciples: and they all were afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the Apostles and told them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how later in Damascus he had preached freely in the Name of Jesus» (Acts IX, 26-27). We teach that on the 25th of January of the year 40, the 4th anniversary of his conversion, Paul knocked at the door of the Cenacle. His unexpected arrival instilled in all a certain amount of fear, and Peter’s immediate reaction was that of denying him entry, which the disciples were very quick to comply with. For even though Paul’s conversion was a fact well known to the majority of the Christians of Jerusalem and other places, given that the Virgin Mary, too, had informed them of it at the suitable time, four years had then passed since that extraordinary event and Paul had been forgotten by many because of his long retreat in the desert of Arabia Petrea. Nevertheless, news had reached Jerusalem of the public defence of Christ that Paul had been making at Damascus on his return from the desert. But these rumours had as yet not been confirmed by any trustworthy witness, and doubts had always remained as to whether Paul had truly persevered in the grace of his conversion and conducted himself like a true Christian. Besides, before leaving for Ephesus the Most Holy Virgin Mary had not seen fit to disclose Paul’s impending arrival to those in the Cenacle, in order that Peter might act according to his authority and prudence; and also so that Paul, after first being rejected, might exercise humility, in expiation of the enormous harm he had done to the Church when he had promoted persecution against her. But Paul, seeing with bitter desolation how the door of the Cenacle was shut in his face, went to Lazarus’ house in Jerusalem, where there was another community of disciples. Providentially the disciple Barnabas was at that convent, having been summoned by Peter to carry out certain missions at the Apostolic See. As the disciple knew that the convert Paul wished to communicate with them, he went out to receive him; for, in addition, years before when they were pupils at the same school of Gamaliel the two had been bound by ties of the closest friendship. Barnabas, then already a bishop, received light to see Paul’s sincerity as a member of the Church’s faithful, contributing thereto in no small degree his having known him in the past as a man most loyal to his convictions and opposed to lying. So given Paul’s difficulties at the Cenacle, Barnabas accompanied him there to present him to Pope Peter, and in order that the latter might accept him without any distrust. On the way, Barnabas tried to find out yet more about his friend’s conversion, his retreat in the desert and recent apostolate in Damascus. Meanwhile Peter, James the Less and the rest at the Cenacle prayed incessantly to the Lord for light as to what should be done with Paul. At about 12 o’ clock midday on Wednesday the 25th of January of the year 4O Barnabas arrived at the Cenacle with Paul and brought him before Peter. Such was Paul’s supernatural emotion when for the first time he beheld the Vicar of Christ that, profoundly moved and weeping profusely, he cast himself at Peter’s feet. His attitude dispelled in all the human suspicions they had concerning him. While Paul remained prone on the ground, Barnabas, deeply stirred, stressed Paul’s greatness of spirit, his penance in Arabia and the persecution he had afterwards suffered in Damascus for his peerless courage in Christ’s defence. But as we said before, Peter and the rest were already aware of many of these things, though not without certain doubts - now finally dispelled. With unspeakable jubilation, Peter most paternally and willingly received him who was to become the second pillar of the Church. At the same time all gave humble and fervent thanks to the Lord for the marvels He had wrought in the convert. Peter, supernaturally inspired, saw that the time had come to confer Holy Orders on Paul, who gave his consent. To do so Peter celebrated with great solemnity the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass in the Cenacle, and during the Mass, imposing his hands on Paul’s head, conferred on him the diaconate, presbyterate and episcopate. Paul received Holy Orders with supreme joy of soul, since he had been longing for them intensely. Besides, in his emotive sermon the Vicar of Christ urged Paul to preach at Jerusalem in testimony of the truth he had in the past persecuted, and very especially charged him to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles, a mission which Paul soon began to accomplish with that vehement zeal which was to earn for him in the Church the exalted title of Apostle of the Gentiles. Saint Luke goes on to say, as we interpret, that Paul «was with them in Jerusalem, coming in and going out» (Acts IX, 28a), a text which demonstrates the affectionate familiarity that existed between the intrepid Paul of Tarsus and the two Apostles, the disciples and other followers of the Gospel Law.
45. We teach that with the reception of Holy Orders, Bishop Paul’s apostolic impetus became yet more ardent and exalted, so that he gave lively testimony to the Gospel Faith in all Jerusalem, not now solely to the Christians, but above all to Jews and even to Gentiles, as we interpret from the following texts of the Acts of the Apostles which refer to Paul, saying that he went about «speaking freely in the Name of the Lord» (Acts IX, 28b), and that «he spoke also to the Gentiles and disputed with the Greeks» (Acts IX, 29a), by which last term they allude to Jewish proselytes of Gentile origin born in Greek-speaking provinces. Regarding Paul’s preaching, Saint Mary of Jesus of Agreda is most correct in saying that his words were like fiery arrows that penetrated the hearts of all who heard him, and that in two days all Jerusalem was in ferment. Paul remained fifteen days in the city, as he says in the Letter to the Galatians (Gal. I, 18b). In the Acts of the Apostles we see the reason for so short a stay, for when Saint Luke recounts, as we interpret, Paul’s tireless labour in Jerusalem on behalf of Christianity, he adds: «But they sought to kill him» (Acts IX, 29b), referring to the Jews. Paul was warned of the danger in a vision he himself was to relate publicly years later, the words of which are transcribed by Saint Luke in chapter XXII: «And it came to pass, when I was come again to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, that I was taken up out of myself and I saw Him that said unto me: make haste and quickly leave Jerusalem, because they will not receive your testimony concerning Me. And I said: Lord, they know that it was I who cast into prison, and scourged in the synagogues those that believed in You. And when the blood of Stephen Your witness was shed I was there and consented, and minded the garments of them that killed him. And He said to me: Go, for unto the nations afar off will I send you» (Acts XXII, 17-21). In accordance with this last text of the Acts of the Apostles we teach that on the 8th of February of the year 40, it came to pass that, while Paul was alone in the chapel of the Cenacle of Jerusalem - identified in the sacred text by the term `temple’ - and celebrating Holy Mass, as he elevated the Most Sacred Eucharistic Body, Our Lord Jesus Christ filled with glory and majesty appeared to him and urged him to leave the city, for the Jews not only rejected his preaching but also sought to kill him. Besides, the Lord gave Paul to understand that by this blindness of theirs the Jews did not deserve that he should stay to preach to them, particularly since elsewhere there were countless souls who would listen to his words with goodwill, and that, therefore, there was no time to lose. That is why the Lord told Paul to leave Jerusalem, because He would send him to nations afar off. Saint Mary of Jesus of Agreda says that Paul reported the vision to Peter as Head of the apostolate and that the Pope, considering the danger to Paul’s life, sent him out of Jerusalem to preach to the Gentiles, for thus must be interpreted the following verse of the Acts of the Apostles: «Which when the brethren knew - referring to the risk Paul ran - they accompanied him to Caesarea and sent him to Tarsus» (Acts IX, 30); for we teach that he wished to rejoin the members of his family to convert them to the Gospel faith, and was waiting also for the Lord to make known to him what afterwards he should do. On the 9th of February of the same year 40 Saul left Jerusalem for the Mediterranean, and along the way preached to Jews and Gentiles `throughout the country of Judea’, as we interpret from verse 20 of chapter XXVI. In the Letter to the Galatians, he himself says that from Jerusalem «I went into the country of Syria and Cilicia. And I was unknown by sight to the churches of Christ which were in Judea; but they had heard only: he who persecuted us before, now preaches the faith which once he combated. And they glorified God in me»(Gal. I, 21-24); by which he gives us proof that after leaving Jerusalem he preached through Judea, though also through Samaria and Galilee. Once in Caesarea Philippi he headed for Syria, and thence to Tyre to take a boat to Tarsus of Cilicia, where he gained not only his family for Christ, but many other fellow-citizens too.
46. It is now our task to consider here verses 22-30 of chapter XI of the Acts of the Apostles. The considerable propagation of the Faith of Christ among the Gentiles at Antioch of Syria mentioned above became very widely known in, among other places, Asia Minor and Palestine. And therefore in verse 22 Saint Luke says that «the news came to the ears of the Church at Jerusalem» (Acts XI, 22a), here referring to the Apostolic See, for as we know the Cathedra of Peter was then still at the holy city. In view of the happy and encouraging progress of Christianity in the city of Antioch, the first Pope decided to send a legate there to become informed personally of the favourable response of the Gentiles to Christianity. The sacred text goes on to say that «they sent Barnabas to Antioch» (Acts XI, 22b), that is, that he it was whom Peter chose to fulfill the mission; wherefore Barnabas, accompanied by other disciples, left Jerusalem on the 25th of March of the year 40 and in a few days reached Antioch. As verses 23 and 24 relate, «Who, when he was come and had seen the grace of God, rejoiced. And he exhorted them all to continue in the Lord with purpose of heart. For he was an excellent man and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith. And a great multitude was added to the Lord» (Acts XI, 23-24); that is, by way of Barnabas’ apostolate in Antioch, the Church grew still more through an extraordinary increase in the number of faithful in that city. The sacred text goes on to say that from there «Barnabus wentto Tarsus to seek Saul: whom, when he had found, he brought to Antioch» (Acts XI, 25). We teach that a month after Barnabas arrived at Antioch, namely the 30th of April of the year 40, he sent some to inform Pope Peter of the extraordinary progress of Christianity among the Gentiles of the Syrian city, and of the expedience that someone else with missionary experience assist him in that promising apostolic work. As Barnabas inclined towards Paul for the mission, he proposed this to the first Pope who, in turn, sent him a message of approbation and moreover directed him to seek out Paul, who at the time was in Tarsus, to which city he had gone after his brief visit to Peter in Jerusalem as we know. Hence on the 10th of May that year Barnabas set out for Tarsus in search of Paul, who when the disciple arrived was not at his parents’ home but had retired to a grotto on the city’s outskirts where he was wont to devote himself to contemplation. Five days after Barnabas’ arrival, that is on the 20th of May of the year 40, he and Paul left for Antioch of Syria, which they reached on the 25th of May that year. As we interpret from verse 26 of chapter XI, both «stayed in that Church the whole year; and they taught a great multitude, so that at Antioch the disciples were first named Christians» (Acts XI, 26). The proliferation of the Gospel in the Asia Minor metropolis was such that, by Pope Peter’s command, there went to the city with the object of collaborating in the apostolate, among others the disciples Agabus, Judas Barsabas and Silas, who, as well as being bishops, had the gift of prophecy and who some time before had come from their missions to Jerusalem to serve at the Apostolic See. Thus Saint Luke says in the Acts of the Apostles that «in those days there came prophets from Jerusalem to Antioch» (Acts XI, 27), whose time of arrival at the Syrian city should be understood as towards the end of May of that year 40. We see, besides, how in the Acts of the Apostles the prophetic spirit of the saintly man Agabus is mentioned when he foretells the famine that was to come four years later, as we interpret from the sacred text, according to our doctrinal translation: «And one of them named Agabus rising up, enlightened by the Holy Ghost, signified that there should be a great famine over the whole world, which came to pass under Claudius. And the disciples, everyone according to his means, purposed to send relief to the brethren that dwelt in Judea. Which also they did, sending it to the ancients by the hands of Barnabas and Paul» (Acts XI, 28-30), the term `ancients’ here referring to the bishops and presbyters at the head of the different missions. We teach that the shortage of food foretold by Agabus occurred during the years 44-48, and that although it scourged a great part of the Roman Empire, Judea was the region most affected, and in particular the Christian communities there. Therefore from other regions the missionaries sent economic help to the bishops and priests of Judea, and it was Barnabas and Paul who were principally entrusted with taking that assistance, in their different journeys, to Jerusalem and other cities of the region.
47. We take this opportunity to teach the following: sadly the holy and honourable name of Christian is employed by not a few bodies of the different heretical and schismatic sects that have in time separated from the flourishing Tree of Holy Mother Church, founded by Our Lord Jesus Christ. And while the True Church has from old distinguished herself unmistakeably by the title ‘Catholic’, without displaying the title ‘Christian’, many of the false Churches have, in their appellations, fraudulently and sacrilegiously usurped the name of Christ calling themselves ‘Christian’. But we teach that, by divine right, only members of Christ’s Mystical Body are Christians: namely the faithful of the true Church, today the One, Holy, Catholic, Apostolic and Palmarian; for all outside her, rejecting the authority of the Pope, are not Christians but antichristians, as Christ Himself says in the Gospel: «He that is not with Me is against Me « (Matt. XII, 30) - for we make clear that as long as heretics and schismatics are not converted to the Catholic Faith, they continue to be pagans, children of Satan and precursors of Antichrist. And while the true Vicar of Christ, His Holiness Pope Gregory XVII, officially retains in the true Church the title of ‘Catholic’, since in his writings and sermons he denominates her the One, Holy, Catholic, Apostolic and Palmarian Church, nevertheless it is also to our honour and glory as Palmarian faithful and children of the true Church founded by Our Lord Jesus Christ that she bear in addition the title of ‘Palmarian Christian Church of the Carmelites of the Holy Face’; for thus is it made evident that the name Christian belongs exclusively to us, those who profess the True Faith, namely the Palmarian Catholic Faith. In short, in these last times, just as at the beginning, the true Church of Christ is called ‘Christian’ and her followers ‘Christians’. Regarding the title ‘Orthodox’ generally usurped by the Eastern Churches when they separated from the Pope’s authority, neither does this pertain to them, since they are heretics, for whoever rejects the Primacy of Peter in his legitimate successors, the Popes, is denying a truth of faith: namely that of the Papacy instituted by Christ as guarantee of all other truths, by virtue of infallibility. Wherefore the appropriate title for those Oriental Churches is heterodox Churches, since the appellation ‘Orthodox’ belongs, by divine right, only to the Church founded by Our Lord Jesus Christ: for orthodoxy signifies possession of the truth, and heterodoxy the possession of error.
Very appropiately we present here the following dogmatic Definitions of His Holiness Pope Gregory XVII:
«It is infallible doctrine that to say `Palmarian Christian Church of the Carmelites of the Holy Face’, or `Palmarian Christian Church’, or `Palmarian Church’, is in essence exactly the same as saying `the One, Holy, Catholic, Apostolic and Palmarian Church’».
«It is infallible doctrine that the One, Holy, Catholic, Apostolic and Palmarian Church, or Palmarian Christian Church of the Carmelites of the Holy Face, or Palmarian Church, which flowed cleansed and renewed from the transpierced right Side of Christ on Calvary, at the present time and in union with Her Divine Founder Our Lord Jesus Christ, Eternal High Priest, rejects, detests and abominates the name `Roman’, because today Rome, or what is the same, the city of the seven hills, is the great Harlot of the last times and the see of the prophet of the Antichrist, and therefore see of Satan»,
«It is infallible doctrine that to say `Father Gregory XVII’ is in essence exactly the same as saying `His Holiness Pope Gregory XVII’, since in the early days of Christianity the Church used the word `Pope’, which in Greek means `father’, to denominate the Supreme Pontiff or Vicar of Christ».
48. But let us now consider how the Apostle James the Greater fared, according to the admirable teaching of Saint Mary of Jesus of Agreda, in harmony with our interpretation. The Mystical Doctor says that some months after having constructed the chapel on the banks of the Ebro in Zaragoza that Mary Most Holy had requested him in Her honour, the Apostle James interiorly felt that his task in Spain was almost at an end. Wherefore, leaving a bishop and several disciples in Zaragoza, he again toured a large part of the Iberian Peninsula, especially Galicia, until, accompanied by some of his disciples, on the 8th of December of the year 40 he embarked at the port of Tarragona bound for Italy; and from there, without stopping much to preach, continued thejoumey by sea to Ephesus, since he most ardently desired to see Mary Most Holy, his Lady and Refuge. On the 25th December that year James the Greater was comforted by the immensely good fortune of being once again in the presence of the Queen of Heaven and Earth. The Doctor of Agreda says that once at Ephesus he fell at the feet of the Mother of his Creator, shedding copious tears of joy and veneration; and that with these humble sentiments he thanked Her for the incomparable favours that through Her mediation he had received from the divine bounty in his travels and preaching in Spain. The Mystic moreover adds that the Divine Mother raised the Holy Apostle from the ground and said to him: Sire, bear in mind that you are the Lord’s anointed, and His minister, and I a poor worm; and with these words the great Mistress knelt and requested James’ blessing as Priest of the Most High. James the Greater was also filled with much joy and consolation as he embraced Mary Salome his own mother, his aunt Mary Cleophas and his brother John. The Apostle of Spain remained at Ephesus with Mary Most Holy for a month, since he longed intensely to be at Her side to give an account of the mission he had carried out and moreover to be strengthened for the future one. Before leaving Ephesus, James learned in confidence from the lips of the Most Holy Virgin Mary that soon he would crown his apostolic life by shedding his blood in Jerusalem. As the Mystic of Agreda states, the Apostle besought Mary Most Holy’s blessing to go and receive martyrdom for Her Divine Son. On the 25th of January of the year 41, James the Greater left Ephesus by sea for the port of Jaffa (by present-day Tel-Aviv), arriving in Jerusalem on the 8th of February that year. After reaching the Cenacle he humbly prostrated himself at the feet of Pope Peter to receive his blessing and then gave him an account of the apostolic work accomplished in Spain; and he also embraced with fraternal affection his cousin James the Less. His visit to the Most Holy Virgin Mary in Ephesus and the knowledge he now had of his impending martyrdom, caused James the Greater’s soul to burn with most intense desire for the consummation of his evangelical mission now in Jerusalem. If at the beginning of the previous year the city had been spiritually set on its head by Paul’s fiery speech, no less was it now by James the Greater’s most vehement preaching, for neither Jew nor Gentile could resist the heavenly wisdom and the ardent apostolic flame that consumed the soul of this ‘son of thunder’. Thus James the Greater’s labours in Jerusalem until his death drew many to the Faith of Christ, resulting in the animadversion of the Sanhedrin which saw how the Church of Christ swelled ever more with faithful. We further enrich this paragraph with the following teachings of His Holiness Pope Gregory XVII: (a) «The bishop whom James the Greater left in Zaragoza was called Athanasius». Athanasius was a native of Zaragoza, was converted by James the Greater in that city and nominated its bishop. (b) «The Most Holy Virgin Mary appeared to the Apostle James the Greater in Zaragoza upon the ruins of a temple dedicated to Minerva, the goddess of wisdom’. As we know, that apparition took place on the 2th of January of the year 40.
49. Chapter XII of the Acts of the Apostles relates, as we interpret, the fourth persecution suffered by the Church in Jerusalem, instigated by the Sanhedrin and executed by King Herod Agrippa I. However, before making a profound study of the matter, it is well to bear in mind that that fox of a king Herod Antipas, before whom Christ had appeared in the proceedings of His Passion, was now exiled to Gaul in company with the vicious Herodias. In turn Herod Agrippa I, son of Aristobulus and hence grandson of the beheader Herod the Great, with the title of king ruled the tetrarchy of his deceased uncle Philip, as likewise the territories forfeited by his uncle King Herod Antipas. Towards the end of January of the year 41, Herod Agrippa I, who was in Rome at the time that Caligula was assassinated and the Emperor Claudius proclaimed his successor, was favoured by the latter - a great friend of his - with the title of King of Judea; wherefore his crown henceforth also embraced Judea, and all Palestine was then subject to him; for it is well to point out that the Emperor Claudius abolished in Judea the post of Procurator, then held by Marallus, whose predecessor had been Marcellus, and previously Pontius Pilate deposed in the year 36 by the Emperor Tiberius. Named as King of Judea, Herod Agrippa I established his court at Jerusalem towards the end of February 41. And as he had always been a supporter of the Pharisees and defender of Jewish observances and traditions, the High Priest that year, Abiatar by name, saw the opportunity to obtain from the King-elect a fresh persecution of the Christians of Jerusalem, since they were continually growing in number, owing especially to the apostolic zeal of James the Greater in the city. Saint Luke, in the Acts of the Apostles, begins his account of the new persecution thus: «And at the same time Herod the king set his hand to the matter of persecuting some of the Church» (Acts XII, 1); in other words, he actively collaborated with the Sanhedrin by providing soldiers. That is why Saint Luke holds the monarch responsible for the martyrdom of James the Greater: «And he killed James, the brother of John, with the sword» (Acts XII, 2). Saint Mary of Jesus of Agreda very correctly says, as we interpret, that while James was preaching to the people of Jerusalem, reaping a great harvest of conversions, he was arrested by Roman soldiers at the behest of the High Priest Abiatar, who was listening amid the crowd. After a rope was fastened about his neck, the Apostle was publicly accused of sedition, of being an enemy of the Roman Empire and of perverting the people. To face these and other charges he was brought before Herod Agrippa I who, to gratify the bloodthirsty desires of the Jews, condemned James the Greater to be beheaded without trial. From Herod’s sumptuous palace, which we know to have been near the east wall of the Temple and some 400 metres from the Fortress Antonia, the Apostle was led to the market place, which was near the present-day gate of Sion, and where there now stands a church called Saint James’ Cathedral, which we teach was built by the Crusaders in honour of the two Apostles of the same name. For the spot where James the Greater was beheaded lies within the church enclosure; and, besides, centuries later the body of his cousin, the other Apostle of the same name, was taken there. The Mystic of Agreda says that at the moment of martyrdom James the Greater invoked Mary Most Holy in order that She assist him at his death, and that from Ephesus She became present at the same time at Jerusalem to comfort the Apostle in his supreme immolation; and that when the Apostle knelt on the ground to receive the stroke of the sword upon his neck and to offer the sacrifice of his life to God, on high he perceived the Queen of Heaven, Whom he invoked thus in his heart: «...let today Thy most pure and spotless hands be the altar of my sacrifice, in order that it may become acceptable in the eyes of Him Who died for me upon the Cross. Into Thy hands, and through them into the hands of my Creator, I commend my spirit...». His prayer ended, the Apostle was lost in beatific vision for some instants, and then beheaded. The arrest and martyrdom of James the Greater took place on the 25th of March of the year 41, when he was 32 years old, since he had been born in December of the year 8. It is well to record that when James was being led to martyrdom, a paralytic was presented to him whom the Apostle cured. This miracle caused the conversion of Josias, one of the executioners who had most directly taken part in the arrest of James, who, embracing the convert, invited him to be his companion in martyrdom; and Josias too shed his blood for Christ. After James the Greater’s death, some of the disciples who had witnessed the event took his body, and likewise his head - which had been separated from it - and conveyed both secretly to the port of Joppe, beside present-day Tel-Aviv, where there was a Christian community. From there he was brought by ship to Spain, entering at the Galician port of Padron, and was buried at the place in Galicia chosen by him, known today as Santiago de Compostela. Thus was it recorded that the Faith of Christ had reached what was then deemed to be the end of the earth.
50. In verses 3-19 of the same chapter XII of the Acts of the Apostles, as we interpret, Saint Luke relates the arrest of Pope Peter by King Herod Agrippa I, as likewise the miraculous freeing of the Apostle while held in the dungeons of Fortress Antonia. The narrative begins: «And seeing that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to lay hold of Peter also. Now it was in the days of the Azymes» (Acts XII, 3). We teach that on Friday the 12th of April 41, which then coincided with the days of the celebration of the Jewish Passover or Azymes, while the Apostle was speaking in a public place in Jerusalem giving testimony of Christ, he was arrested by a detachment of sixteen soldiers sent by Herod at the request of the iniquitous High Priest Abiatar. As the Sanhedrin considered it better to judge him before the people once the days of the Passover were passed, Peter was bound with two chains and led to the Praetorium, and there imprisoned until after the celebrations, for thus must the following sacred text be interpreted: «And when he had apprehended him, he cast him into prison, delivering him to four pickets of four soldiers each to be kept, intending after the Pasch to bring him forth to the people» (Acts XII, 4). During Peter’s imprisonment, the sixteen soldiers took turns in watch duty as follows: one at either side of the Apostle within the dungeon; another two keeping watch outside the door to the dungeon; and there were a further four soldiers at the main gate through which access was had to the prison from the Praetorium. Hence the sixteen took turns eight at a time. Such extreme vigilance was due to the fear that Peter might be freed mysteriously, as on another occasion. The sacred text goes on to say: «Peter therefore was kept in prison. But prayer was made without ceasing by the Church unto God for him» (Acts XII, 5); in other words, the Apostle James the Less, who was in Jerusalem, the other religious of both communities in their respective convents, and the lay faithful, implored divine protection for the Pope untiringly, and obtained his being miraculously freed from prison. The miracle is described in the sacred text: «And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison. And behold an Angel of the Lord stood by him and the cell shone with light. And he, touching Peter on the side, awoke him saying: Arise quickly. And the chains fell off from his hands. And the Angel said to him: Gird yourself (and put on your sandals. And he did so. And he said to him: Cast your garment about you and follow me» (Acts XII, 6-8); that is, he told Peter to gird his tunic and to put on his sandals and cloak. As we interpret from the sacred text, at 12 o’clock midnight at the start of Sunday the 14th of April 41, the day they had thought to judge and kill Peter, he was miraculously freed from prison before the order was given to have him brought
before the people. For as we interpret from Saint Mary of Jesus of Agreda, the Divine Mary, supporting the incessant prayers of the Christians, besought Her Divine Son to send the Archangel Saint Michael to the prison to carry out the lofty mission of freeing the Pope from his enemies. The sacred text goes on to say: «And going out, he followed him. And he knew not that it was true what the Angel had done: but thought he saw a vision» (Acts XII, 9); a text in which there is indicated to us Peter’s bewilderment at the extraordinary event, which seemed to him more illusion than reality. Saint Luke adds: «And passing through the first and the second guard they came to the irongate that leads to the city, which of itself opened to them. And going out, they passed one street. And then the Angel departed from him» (Acts XII, 10). We teach that the presence in the prison of the Archangel Saint Michael, full of heavenly splendour, deprived the eight guards on watch of all sensory perception, in suchwise that they heard and saw nothing. So when the celestial hierarch awoke Peter, he, ever contemplating the glorious radiance of his angelic guide, followed Saint Michael’s steps, miraculously passing through the closed door of his own dungeon and the gate of access between the dungeons and the courtyard of the Praetorium; in such a way that both were perceived neither by the two guards keeping watch on Peter inside the cell, nor by the other two soldiers guarding the cell behind the door, nor by the four stationed at the entrance to the cellars used as dungeons - all of whom comprised the first guard mentioned in the sacred text. When Saint Michael and Peter had emerged from the cellars, miraculously unperceived by the second or official Praetorium guard of which the sacred text speaks, they crossed the rectangular courtyard or Lithostrotos, where as we said Pilate was accustomed to give judgement, until they reached the central gate of the main entrance, which they also passed through without its opening. When they reached the porch where Christ had been judged, the great iron or lattice-gate miraculously opened and they both descended the well-known `Scala Sancta’. The heavenly guide then vanished, leaving Peter on a street of the city, exactly at the same spot where Christ bearing the Cross had met His Most Holy Mother. It was then that the Apostle, «coming to himself said: Now I know in very deed that the Lord both sent His Angel and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews» (Acts XII, 11), That is to say that Peter, emerging from the heavenly ecstasy caused by the contemplation of the Archangel, and he now in his normal state, wondered at all that had happened to him. Then he, `considering’ (Acts XII, 12a), that is pondering the marvellous protection of the Lord, «came to the house of Mary the mother of John, who was surnamed Mark where many were gathered together and praying» (Acts XII, 12b), here reference being made to the Cenacle, which as we know had some time before been in the custody of the spouses Obed and Mary and their son Mark, without being their property on that account. The sacred text then goes on to narrate Peter’s arrival at the Cenacle and the jubilant astonishment with which he was received (Acts XII, 13-16). As we interpret from verse 17 of Saint Luke, in the face of those manifestations of rejoicing, «he, beckoning to them with his hand to hold their peace, told how the Lord had brought him out of prison. And he said: Tell these things to James and to the brethren» (Acts XII, 17a). We teach that when in the Cenacle, Peter prayed before the Most Blessed Sacrament beseeching light as to what he ought to do, and understood that it was the divine will that he should leave Jerusalem and establish the Cathedra of the Church in Antioch of Syria, for thus must the following words be interpreted: «And going out, he went to another place» (Acts XII, 17b). Wherefore he appointed twelve disciples and prepared everything necessary to journey with them. And as the Apostle James the Less was not there because of the persecution, for he was hidden in the city at the mansion of a Christian family, Peter directed that after his departure the miraculous freeing be told to the Apostle, as likewise to the rest of the faithful in Jerusalem whom the sacred text calls `brethren’. At 3 a.m. on that Sunday the 14th April of the year 41, the Vicar of Christ with his 12 companions left the Cenacle, headed for Antioch of Syria, and visited some of the Christian communities on the way. Saint Luke concludes the episode of the persecution of Peter thus: «Now when day was come, there was no small stir among the soldiers, what was become of Peter. And when Herod had sought for him and found him not, having examined the guards, he commanded they should be put to death» (Acts XII, 18-19a). That is to say that the wicked monarch, seeing himself thwarted of the pleasure of killing Peter, cruelly wreaked his fury on the sixteen soldiers specially charged with his custody, who as we know were not to blame for the Apostle’s flight; and they, though astonished at what had occurred, being unable to give any explanation were executed without further ado.
51. In the Acts of the Apostles, Saint Luke speaks yet again of the day by day expansion of the Church: thus he says that «the word of the Lord increased and multiplied» (Acts XII, 24), to record the prolific missionary labour carried out by the Apostles and disciples, made wonderfully fruitful by the sufferings and bloodshed of Christians in the persecutions. Whilst Peter and his twelve companions, en route to Antioch of Syria, visited some of the Christian communities, there came to pass as the sacred text goes on to relate: «and Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, having fulfilled their ministry, taking with them John who was surnamed Mark» (Acts XII, 25). It is well to recall that the holy prophet Agabus had foretold that many regions, and especially Judea, would be affected by a great famine; and how Paul and Barnabas had undertaken to collect alms and afterwards convey them to the poorest places, especially Jerusalem. Though the scourge of famine was not to reach its peak until the year 44 onwards, everyone was making provision, uncertain when it would come; hence Paul and Barnabas, at the same time as they preached at the different missions, collected alms and distributed them amongst the most needy. As we interpret from the sacred text already mentioned, both missionaries had come to Jerusalem at the beginning of May 41 to visit Peter, who had already departed, and to supply victuals to the Christian communities resident there. After a brief stay in the city Paul and Barnabas decided to go back to Antioch, aware that Peter was on his way there. On their return they took with them the disciple, and later evangelist, John Mark, who desired to be again at the side of the Pope, with whom he had been for so long. The three reached Antioch at the beginning of June 41, that is, when the Apostolic See had already been established there, as we shall now see.
52. Pope Peter arrived at Antioch of Syria on Friday the 3rd of May of the year 41, on which day he established there his Cathedra. The translation of the Apostolic See took place seven years after Peter had established it in Jerusalem, which had been on the 3rd of May of the year 34. We interpret that the Cathedra of Peter in Antioch of Syria is referred to in the following sacred text: «Now there were in the Church which was at Antioch Prophets and Doctors, among whom were Barnabas and Simon who was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene and Manahen who was the foster brother of Herod the Tetrarch, and Saul» (Acts XIII, 1). Even though the verse does not mention Pope Peter textually, it does so implicitly, since the expression «now there were in the Church which was at Antioch...», affirms that the Apostolic See was then there, translated from Jerusalem by Peter. Besides, Saint Luke mysteriously points to the Curia which assisted the Vicar of Christ. Thus he speaks of Prophets, Doctors, etc., among whom he mentions Barnabas, Simon Niger the Cyrenian of the Lord’s Passion, Lucius of Cyrene, Manahen the spouse of Joanna Chusa, and Paul of Tarsus. The following verses 2 and 3 of chapter XIII of the Acts of the Apostles, as we interpret, refer to the moment at which Pope Peter solemnly nominated Paul an Apostle, so to complete the number of the Twelve, since James the Greater was dead; and, besides, he raised him to the rank of Sub-Vicar and second Pillar of the Church. This triple nomination of Paul was on the 16th of July of the year 41, anniversary of the foundation of the Order of Carmel. Let us consider the sacred text: «And as they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Ghost said to them: Separate Me Saul and Barnabas for the work where unto I have appointed them. Then they, after having fasted and prayed, imposed their hands upon them and sent them away» (Acts XIII, 2-3). We teach that the ceremony of Paul’s triple nomination by the first Pope, on the feast of Carmel, was preceded by nine days of special fasting and prayer. As is also gathered from the sacred text, Peter nominated Barnabas an Apostle as well, without his for that reason forming part of the official Apostolic College instituted by Christ. But it behoves us to make clear that this treatment of Paul and Barnabas by Peter was by command of the Holy Ghost, for thus must be interpreted these words of the sacred text: «The Holy Ghost said to them: Separate Me Paul and Barnabas for the work whereunto I have appointed them»; in other words, the Paraclete’s will was communicated to all through Peter. By this disposition the divine plan of evangelization of the Gentiles was confirmed anew, and Paul and Barnabas were more especially entrusted with the task. Peter sent both Apostles to fulfil their apostolate after imposing his hands on them in blessing; and in like manner did they receive the blessing of the other members of the papal Curia. Be it understood that the rank of Sub-Vicar is always inferior to the Papacy. Therefore Paul was Peter’s Vicar and not Christ’s, since the Pope is the sole Vicar of Christ on earth.
53. Continuing our interpretation of the already mentioned chapter XIll of the Acts of the Apostles, with regard to Paul and Barnabas Saint Luke goes on to say: «So they, being sent by the Holy Ghost, went to Seleucia: and from thence they sailed to Cyprus. And when they were come to Salamina, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. And they had John also in the ministry» (Acts XIII, 4-5). We teach that on Tuesday the 16th of July of the year 41, the very day that Peter, by will of the Most Divine Paraclete, had commanded Paul and Barnabas to go out to preach, these, accompanied by John Mark, then a presbyter, left Antioch of Syria for the nearby port of Seleucia, whence they embarked the following day for the island of Cyprus, reaching the town of Salamina on Friday the 19th of the same month and year. As the principal mission the Pope had entrusted to the two Apostles was to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles, on the same day they arrived at the town Paul addressed the multitudes in an open square, causing the great astonishment of many by the new and edifying doctrine; for though, as we know, Christ had visited the island of Cyprus eight years before producing fruits of conversion, and disciples had come forth from there, as likewise the disciple martyr Mary Mercuria, and missionaries had also recently preached the Gospel there, all these labours had been more especially directed at the Jews. That is why when Paul arrived and openly proclaimed the Gospel to the Gentiles, great was the expectation of the crowded audience. Hence Paul and Barnabas’ labours among the Gentiles of Salamina, and in general of all Cyprus, were very fruitful in conversions. But as Paul also wished to give the Jews a chance to benefit from his apostolic ministry, the next day, Saturday the 20th of July, with Barnabas and Mark he entered the principal synagogue of Salamina, where he ably proclaimed that in Christ all the prophecies of the Old Testament were fulfilled, arousing great interest and not a little controversy among many of those fanatics of Judaism, whom also Barnabas had forcefully to reproach for their absurd blindness in rejecting Christ as the Onlybegotten of God and the Messias sent. But in view of the heartening apostolic fruits among the Gentiles, Paul with his two companions remained for about two months in Salamina, mainly devoted to the Gentiles, who for their simplicity of heart were more docile in the acceptance of the truths of the Gospel; although on Saturdays he would also preach in the various synagogues so that neither might the Jews be lacking the word of God. After Paul and Barnabas had made the ranks of the Christian community of Salamina more replete with faithful and placed in charge three presbyters ordained by Paul, they departed thence on the 23th of September of the year 41 and headed for the town of Paphos at the opposite end of the island, arriving on the 20th of October that year. Thus Saint Luke says: «And when they had gone through the whole island, as far as Paphos...» (Acts XIII, 6a). But Paul took advantage of that journey to pass through many other towns, principally those previously visited by Christ, such as Chytrus, the Apostle Barnabas’ hometown; Mallep and Cyrine. Verses 6b-12 of the same chapter XIII of the Acts of the Apostles present us with the episode of «a certain man, a magician, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Barjesu» (Acts XIII, 6b), known too as Elymas, which in Arabic means magician. The sacred text also describes the conversion of «the Proconsul Sergius Paulus, a prudent man» (Acts XIII, 7a), with regard to whom we spoke in chapter XXXII on telling of his interview with Christ during His visit to the city of Salamina, and of how Sergius Paulus was deeply impressed by the doctrine of the Gospel. We see in the sacred text that as the Proconsul asked of Paul and Barnabas to hear the word of God, the magician sought to hinder them. Paul, therefore, cursed him with blindness in these words: «And thou shalt be blind, thou shalt not see the sun for a
time» (Acts XIII, 11a). Saint Luke says that «then the Procounsul, when he had seen what was done, embraced the faith, astonished at the doctrine of the Lord» (Acts XIII, 12). The Proconsul, Sergius by name, when baptized by the Apostle of the Gentiles received the name Paulus. Years later, when Lazarus of Bethany was the first Bishop of Marseilles (France), he conferred the diaconate, presbyterate and episcopate on Sergius Paulus, who came to be the first Bishop of Narbonne, and better known by the name of Paul. We conclude this passage concerning the town of Paphos by teaching that the magician Barjesu or Elymas embraced Christianity on the 25th of December of the same year, and on being baptized by Paul, at the same time as he received life of soul, he regained his sight. Some years later, sadly, he apostatized and was to be the cause of the Apostle Barnabas’ death.
54. Saint Luke continues: «Now when Paul and they that were with him had sailed from Paphos, they came to Perge in Pamphylia. But John separating from them, returned to Jerusalem. And they, passing through Perge, came to Antioch in Pisidia» (Acts XIII, 13-14a). We teach that Paul and his two companions left the port of Paphos on the 1st of January 42, and after reaching the coast of Pamphylia in what is today Turkey, they navigated the river now called Ak-su to reach the city of Perge, arriving on the 6th of the same month and year. The city was famous for its temple dedicated to the goddess Artemisa. There John Mark, separating from Paul and Barnabas, decided to return to Jerusalem, availing himself of two disciples who were going there to convey provisions for the Christian communities; wherefore he embarked with the latter as far as Caesarea Maritime, thence to continue by land. John Mark, by this curious action of his quite contrary to the will of God, once again displayed his at times inconsistent behaviour. For though the future Evangelist, as we have said, had wished to go with Paul and Barnabas from Jerusalem to Antioch of Syria to be beside Pope Peter, he later asked to accompany the former in their apostolic journey, for Barnabas was Mark’s uncle. But weary of Paul’s demanding character, he returned to Jerusalem at his own wish. After John Mark had embarked for Palestine, Paul and Barnabas set out from Perge for Antioch of Pisidia. Concerning their stay in this city of Antioch, situated further within present-day Turkey, the sacred text presents us with the episode of Paul preaching at the synagogue there. That sermon, delivered on Saturday the 25th of January of the year 42 (Acts XIII, 14-42), Paul began thus: «Ye men of Israel and you that fear God, give ear. The God of the people of Israel chose our fathers; and he exalted the people when they were sojourners in the land of Egypt, whence He brought them out with a mighty arm» (Acts XIII, 16b-17). Paul then gave a brief account of the Chosen People and the course of its history, concluding his sermon with a courageous defence of Christ in which he demonstrated that the pact of salvation which God made with Abraham culminated in Him. Finally he proclaimed before that Jewish audience that Christ, the Onlybegotten of God and Victim of His people’s iniquity, had conquered death by His glorious Resurrection. Paul ended his sermon saying: «Beware, therefore, lest there come upon you that which is spoken in the prophets: Behold, ye despisers, and wonder and perish: for I work a work in your days, a work which you will not believe if any man shall tell you» (Acts XIII, 40-41). The teaching set forth by the Apostle Paul so impressed the Jews that, as we interpret from the Acts of the Apostles, when Paul and Barnabas left, «they desired them that on the next Saturday they might speak unto them these words» (Acts XIII, 42); and as is also seen in the following verse: «And when the synagogue was sent away, many of the Jews and proselytes who feared God followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God» (Acts XIII, 43); in other words, not a few of the Jews and Jewish proselytes that had been listening to Paul’s sermon followed the two Apostles, and some were as well converted and baptized that day. We conclude this episode by clarifying the following phrase of verse 20 of chapter XIII, which says: «after about four hundred and fifty years» (Acts XIII, 20a), referring to the lapse of time from the establishment of circumcision ordered by God to Abraham in the year of Creation 3283, till Josue divided the Promised Land among the twelve tribes in the year 3736; since 453 years separated the two events, that is to say about 450 years, as verse 20 states. Thus is clarified the chronological problem posed by the sacred text. To satisfy the desire of many of the Jews, Paul and Barnabas returned to the synagogue on Saturday the 1st of February that year. The sacred text in this respect says: «But the next Saturday, almost the whole city came together to hear the word of God» (Acts XIII, 44). For we teach that while Paul with great force preached inside the synagogue, a great multitude of Gentiles listened from without. This so exasperated the levitical hierarchs that they rabidly contradicted Paul’s doctrine, insulting both Apostles and blaspheming against Christ (Acts XIII, 45). We teach that this had been planned beforehand by the perfidious rulers of the synagogue, opposed to Paul and Barnabas’ presence in the city. But with incredible firmness Paul and Barnabas told them: «To you it behoved us first to speak the word of God but because you reject it and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life from this moment on we turn to the Gentiles. For so the Lord has commanded us: I have set you to be a light to the Gentiles, that you may be for salvation unto the ends of the earth» (Acts XIII, 46-47). As is seen in the sacred text, «the Gentiles hearing it were glad and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to life everlasting believed. And the word of the Lord was published throughout the whole country» (Acts XIII, 48-49); that is, in view of the rejection of Christ’s doctrine by the majority of Jews and the favourable reception given it by the Gentiles, Paul and Barnabas devoted the remainder of their stay in Antioch of Pisidia to preaching the Gospel almost exclusively to the Gentiles, not only to those of the city but also to those of the whole region of Pisidia and neighbouring territories, since many came from distant parts to that city of Antioch to hear Paul and Barnabas’ teaching, with abundant fruits of conversion and the healing of many sick. While Paul and Barnabas were engaged in preaching the word of God in Antioch of Pisidia (now Turkey), Pope Peter translated the Apostolic See from Antioch of Syria to Rome, as we shall now see.
55. The transcendent event of the translation of the Cathedra of Peter from Antioch to Rome was by divine decree, as the Palmarian Creed affirms and as previously defined in this chapter when we stated that on the day Our Lord Jesus Christ conferred the papacy on Peter, He secretly announced to him that in due course he would have to effect that move. The mystery that, in the divine plan, Rome be the city chosen for the Apostolic See and centre of universal Catholicism was due, among others, to these principal reasons: (1) There were many Jewish communities in Rome, and it was very desirable that the Church of Christ should establish there her Cathedra in order to give those numerous partisans of Judaism an opportunity for conversion. (2) Rome was, besides, the centre of Paganism, and it was very desirable that the Cathedra of the Church be established there in order to give greater stimulus to the evangelization of the gentiles, and to spread Christian civilization more effectively through all the provinces of the Roman Empire. (3) Geographically Rome was the centre of the ancient world and the hub of important land and sea routes, which enormously facilitated the propagation of Christianity. (4) It was the divine plan that pagan Rome should yield to the irresistible impulse of the Holy Empire, that of the Church, and in this way it become patent that Satan’s baneful power succumbed to the supernatural and vivifying power of divine grace. We have proof of this in that while the primitive pagan civilization of Rome and of her provinces yielded as victim of her own corruption, Christian civilization gloriously and majestically established itself upon the ruins of that decadent and destructive paganism. In short, while Christ’s Immaculate Spouse, namely the Church He founded, has remained invincible and indestructible, all other powers opposed to her have perforce succumbed and will succumb in the face of God’s infinite power, by virtue of which solely and exclusively the Truth will shine forth. We teach that on the 4th of May 42, that is, the day after the first anniversary of the establishment of the Apostolic See in Antioch of Syria by Pope Peter, Our Lord Jesus Christ appeared to him whilst in prayer and commanded him to translate now the Cathedra of the Church to Rome. Desiring to fulfil the Lord’s command as quickly as possible, from among the members of his Curia and the other religious residing at Antioch, the first Pope chose 24 disciples, among whom were Linus, Cletus, Clement, Simon the Cyrenian, Lucius of Cyrene, Chusa Manahen and Gerontius. He entrusted the large community at Antioch of Syria to Bishop Evodius, a native of that city and one of the first to be converted there, upon whom Peter had conferred the diaconate, presbyterate and episcopate; leaving, moreover, some presbyters and deacons with him. The next day, May the 5th, Peter and his entourage of 24 went to the nearby port of Seleucia and embarked for Mira of Lycia, now in Turkey. Since before going to Rome Peter wished to visit the Most Holy Virgin Mary, he journeyed on by ship to Ephesus, which he reached on the 15th of May of the year 42. The joy that inundated Peter’s heart at finding himself once again before the Queen of Heaven and Earth was such that, prompted by an overwhelming interior impulse, weeping profusely he cast himself at the Divine Lady’s immaculate feet, kissing them with unspeakable love and veneration, and at the same time imploring Her blessing. This gesture of the first Pope so consoled the most sweet Mother’s Immaculate Heart that with Her Divine Hands She raised Peter from the ground, embraced him with indescribable maternal tenderness and then knelt before him to ask his blessing. Peter and his 24 companions stayed at Ephesus for fifteen days, and he made use of this time to consult the Most Holy Virgin Mary on several matters related to the government of the Church, and to seek from Her greater clarification of some mysteries of the Faith. He also visited the Christian communities in the city and neighbouring places, consequently strengthening the Faith of those children of the Church. Peter obtained as well many conversions by his papal Magisterium, accompanied at times by miracles. Hence the first Pope’s sojourn at Ephesus was for him an efficacious preparation for his future establishment at Rome, for his soul was greatly comforted and strengthened by his stay with the Mother of the Church. He also received great consolation from Most Holy Mary’s sisters Mary Cleophas and Mary Salome, as likewise from the Apostle John. During the Pope’s sojourn at Ephesus the Divine Mary manifested to him as well the desirability of soon holding a second Council, since it was ever more advisable to set down the doctrine and discipline of the Church, given the prospect of an ever growing number of faithful. Moreover the Most Holy Virgin Mary assured Peter that She would also be present at the future Council to assist him in that laborious task.
56. On the 30th of May that year the first Pope and his entourage of 24, after receiving the Most Holy Virgin Mary’s maternal blessing, left Ephesus by ship for Corinth, and arrived on the 5th of June. They stayed there until the 12th, carrying out a great apostolate and converting many. From Corinth they embarked for the Sicilian port of Syracuse, which they reached on the 20th of June that year and where they remained for three days, employed by the Pope to spread the light of the Gospel. Finally, from Sicily they embarked for the port of Ostia, arriving at Rome on the 29th of June of the year 42, on which day took place the translation of the Cathedra and the establishment in Rome of the Apostolic See. Claudius was then the reigning Emperor. It is well to add that during that long journey, wherever there trod the sandals of the great fisher of souls, the people were given to know the light of the Gospel. When the first Pope arrived at Rome, he found some Christian communities of Jews and converted proselytes, who had embraced the Christian faith after having been present at Pentecost at the Cenacle of Jerusalem. Among the Christians Peter met when he arrived were Aquila and his wife Priscila, of Jewish origin, of whom the Acts of the Apostles speak as we shall see, and who lived on the hill called Aventine. It was at this house that the first Pope more usually stayed, for on account of its spaciousness many faithful could gather there for worship. The fact that Peter established his Cathedra at Rome does not mean that he was always there. Since, as His Holiness Pope Gregory XVII teaches, «Saint Peter was frequently absent from the City of the seven hills due to his tireless and indefatigable apostolic mission to the different nations of the then known world; for Saint Peter’s glorious sandals blessed, with resolute tread, all nations that had Christian communities. He was an eminently travelling Pope, who carried out a very intense apostolate, and who continually preached everywhere. He had no need to write many epistles; he preached firmly very much. Thus it should not cause surprise that the very courteous Saint Paul, so given to sending greetings, did not greet Saint Peter in his Epistle to the Romans; for Saint Paul knew that Saint Peter was absent at the time, fulfilling a great apostolic mission in different parts of the known world.»
57. Continuing our interpretation of the Acts of the Apostles we teach that Paul and Barnabas, who as we said were in Antioch of Pisidia (Turkey) since the month of January of the year 42, remained yet there consolidating the Christian community of the city. Observing the ever-growing advance of Christianity, the Jews planned to drive Paul and Barnabas away from there. Thus the sacred text says: «the Jews stirred up pious women of distinction and the chief men of the city: and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas: and cast them out of their domains» (Acts XIII, 50). We teach that the astute Jews, in order to achieve their designs, availed themselves of some women of certain prestige in the city for their high social rank as well as for the scrupulous practice of Judaism for which the people reputed them as virtuous. As they in turn had husbands in the civil authority, they exerted strong pressure on them to have Paul done away with, deeming him more dangerous. Though both Apostles were imprisoned, their enemies raged more against Paul, who from the Jews received forty lashes less one. But as they later considered it undesirable to kill the two, for the prestige of both had spread beyond the city as well, they restricted themselves to banishing them. Saint Luke goes on to say that Paul and Barnabas, «shaking off the dust from their feet against them, came to Iconium» (Acts XIII, 51), which was on the 13th of July that year, 42. The heroic example of the two Apostles had so edified the faithful of the Christian community of Antioch of Pisidia, that the souls of these latter overflowed with heavenly strength and consolation, for thus must the following verse be interpreted: «And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Ghost» (Acts XIII, 52).
58. Paul and Barnabas reached the city of Iconium of Lycaonia two days later, that is, on July the 15th of that year 42. As we see in verses 1-5 of chapter XIV of the Acts of the Apostles, their apostolate in that city, now known as Konya in present-day Turkey, also met with not a few adversities. For though with their preaching both Apostles converted a good number of Jews and Jewish proselytes of the Greek tongue, and Gentiles, nevertheless Jews and Gentiles who continued to reject the word of God conspired against the two Apostles, who were forced to flee the city on the 23rd of September that year to escape the outrages menacing them. We record that Paul converted there a woman of Gentile origin who afterwards became the martyr Saint Thecla. In verse 6 of chapter XIV Saint Luke relates that from Iconium both Apostles «fled to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and to the whole country round about: and were there preaching the Gospel» (Acts XIV, 6). That is to say that the two Apostles stayed first at Lystra and then at Derbe; and covered as well a great part of Lycaonian territory. On the 25th of Septemper of the year 42, that is two days after fleeing Iconium, while Paul and Barnabas were at Lystra there occurred the healing of the man crippled from birth, recounted in verses 7 to 9 of chapter XIV of the Acts of the Apostles; a miracle of divine power wrought through Paul. And as seen in the sacred text, the people of the city, mainly Gentiles, at the sight of the prodigy took Paul and Barnabas to be two gods, and even attempted to offer them sacrifice; on account of which the two Apostles tried to undeceive them by speaking of the true God and exhorting them to conversion (Acts XIV, 10-17). In Lystra Paul became acquainted with a Jewish family comprising an elderly lady named Loida, her daughter Eunice and the latter’s son Timothy, a youth of 15 years, whose Gentile father had died some time ago. The two women not only received Paul and Barnabas well but were also converted to the evangelical Faith and baptized; thus they came to constitute the first Christian community in that city. After Paul’s departure, the two gained Timothy for the Christian faith. This doctrine follows from chapter I, verse 5 of the Second Epistle of Saint Paul to Timothy, and from chapter XVI, verse 1 of the Acts of the Apostles. On Thursday the 25th of January of the year 43, in the city of Lystra, according to our interpretation, Paul was stoned by the people, who were instigated by the Jews of the nearby cities of Antioch and Iconium that he had visited shortly before (Acts XIV, 18a). The Apostle refers to that stoning in his Second Epistle to the Corinthians, when he says: `once I was stoned’ (2 Cor. XI, 25); which was done with such fury that his enemies dragged him out of the city and left him for dead (Acts XIV, 18b). Saint Luke goes on to say: «But as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up and entered into the city» (Acts XIV, 19a); that is, the Apostle Barnabas and the other Christian faithful went out to where Paul lay, thinking him dead; but he, feeling himself miraculously cured, went with them to the home of Loida and Eunice, and «the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe. And when they had preached the Gospel in that city and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch» (Acts XIV, 19b-20). We teach that Paul and Barnabas stayed in Derbe until the 17th of May of the same year 43, using that time to preach earnestly the Gospel, with great fruit in conversions. Before leaving the city, Paul left a bishop and several presbyters in charge of the Christian community in order that they might continue the apostolic work he had begun. On the 17th of May Paul and Barnabas again headed for Lystra, where some months previously Paul had been stoned. From there they passed once more through Iconium and then through Antioch of Pisidia. The Acts of the Apostles tells of Paul and Barnabas’ successful apostolate in those three cities when they say that both were «confirming the souls of the disciples and exhorting them to continue in the faith: and that through many tribulations we must enter into the Kingdom of God» (Acts XIV, 21). And the following verse then tells us how Paul and Barnabas left a bishop and several presbyters in charge of the Christian communities of each of those three cities as well. Thus the sacred text says: «And when they had ordained to them priests in every church and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, in whom they had believed» (Acts XIV, 22). In this city of Antioch of Pisidia Paul now made the acquaintance of a youth of Gentile origin named Titus, who embraced the Faith and joined the Apostles on their journey. To that youth Paul was to address years later his famous Epistle to Titus. On the 27th of October 43 Paul and Barnabas left Antioch, and «passing through Pisidia, they came into Pamphilia. And having spoken the word of the Lord in Perge, they went down to Attalia» (Acts XIV, 23-24). In other words both, accompanied by Titus, crossing the region of Pisidia from Antioch, entered the region of Pamphilia and preached the Gospel in Perge. As we know, Paul and Barnabas had not tarried in that city, an important centre of paganism, when they passed through in January of the year 42, and therefore they were now solicitous to accomplish an intensive apostolate, which was very fruitful despite the considerable difficulties for evangelization there posed by the famous pagan temple dedicated to the goddess Artemisa. The Apostle Paul, accompanied by Barnabas and Titus, stayed in Perge of Pamphilia until the 16th of January 44, and from there the three went to Attalia where they preached the Gospel until the 20th of May that year, and where they left a bishop and several presbyters in charge of the Christian community.
