The Conversion Of Saint Paul. Whose Feast Day Is, Today, 25 January.

Text from The Saint Andrew Daily Missal,
unless otherwise stated.

The Conversion of Saint Paul.
   Feast Day 25 January.

Greater-Double.

White Vestments.

The Conversion of Saint Paul.

Artist: Caravaggio (1571–1610).

Date: 1600.

Current location: Odescalchi Balbi Collection, Rome.

Source/Photographer: Web Gallery of Art

(Wikimedia Commons)

The Conversion of Saint Paul.

Artist: Caravaggio.

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Paul of Tarsus was a Jew of the Tribe of Benjamin. A most zealous Pharisee, he appears in the Epistle as full of hatred "for the Disciples of The Lord". He becomes a "Vessel of Election", so filled with The Holy Ghost (Epistle), "that all Nations shall drink of its fulness," says Saint Ambrose, and shall learn through him that "Jesus is The Son of God" (Epistle).

Saint Paul is, like The Twelve, an Apostle of Christ (Alleluia), "he shall sit in one of the twelve seats and shall judge the World when The Son of Man shall Himself be seated on The Throne which belongs to Him as Son of God" (Gradual and Gospel).

We owe it to today's Feast, which follows by a few days that of The Chair of Saint Peter at Rome, and which had for its origin a Translation of the body of Saint Paul, that we are enabled to see the whole Season after Epiphany represented in a picture [Editor: A Theoretical Picture], giving us an admirable vision of The Kingship of Jesus.

In the foreground [Editor: Of this Theoretical Picture] are the two witnesses of The Divinity of Christ, Saint Peter, more especially sent to the sons of Israel, and Saint Paul, to the Gentiles (Collect, Gradual).

In the background [Editor: Of this Theoretical Picture], is Galilee with its verdant hills, where we perceive Cana, the Synagogue of Nazareth, and the Lake of Genesareth, where Jesus, by His Miracles, proved that He was The Son of God.

Following the example of Saint Paul, let us show by our Faith, and by a new life, that Jesus is God and that He is our King.

Mass: Scio cui crédidi.
Commemoration: Saint Peter.
Gospel: Ecce nos.
Creed: Is said.