SUNDAY, JANUARY 25: Less than one month after commemoration of the martyrdom of St. Stephen, the Christian Church honors a man who participated in the stoning of the martyr before dramatically changing his life: Saul, celebrated today in the Conversion of Paul the Apostle. Originally named Saul and born in Tarsus, the future apostle at first persecuted Christians. Though he never met the living Jesus, Saul was struck by a blazing light one day on his way to Damascus, and in a few moments, he became a follower of Christ. (Read more from Catholic Culture.) Saul spent the rest of his life preaching as a Christian, for Jesus Christ.
Care to read more about Paul? You’ll enjoy our joint interview with Bible scholar John Dominic Crossan and the late Marcus Borg on their work in The First Paul.