Paul

In the Christian tradition

Paul is the Apostle to the Gentiles, originally Saul of Tarsus, whose conversion on the road to Damascus (Acts 9) and subsequent missionary work shaped the early Christian movement more than any other single figure. His letters constitute the principal theological corpus of the New Testament. The Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul on June 29 is among the major feasts of the Christian calendar across the traditions.

Paul is the most extensively documented of the apostles, with thirteen New Testament letters traditionally attributed to him (the seven undisputed: Romans, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Philippians, 1 Thessalonians, Philemon; six disputed: Ephesians, Colossians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 and 2 Timothy, Titus). His conversion on the road to Damascus (Acts 9; 22; 26) and his subsequent missionary journeys reshaped the early Christian movement. The Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul on June 29 is the major feast across all the traditions; the Conversion of Paul on January 25 closes the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. The name has been in continuous Christian use across the centuries and is among the most-used Christian boys' names in its many vernacular forms.