Saint of the Day for 8 July: Saints Aquila and Priscilla
Saints Aquila and Priscilla: Life, Mission and Collaboration with St. Paul
Name
Saints Aquila and Priscilla
Title
Married and martyrs, disciples of St. Paul
Recurrence
8 July
Martyrology
2004 edition
Prayer
We thank You, Lord, for the friends of the Apostle Paul: Aquila and Priscilla were a couple who gave everything to You and devoted themselves entirely to spreading Your Gospel. While maintaining their professional responsibilities, they opened their home to all people eager to know the Lord Jesus. Our generation is eager to see the practical witness of men and women, couples and families living the Gospel; Help us Lord in our days; make us realize that we can be proof that living our days, our actions according to Your Word, transforms existence and gives true happiness.
Roman Martyrology
Commemoration of Saints Aquila and Prisca or Priscilla, spouses, who, collaborators with St. Paul, welcomed the Church into their home and risked their own lives to save the Apostle.
The Saint and Mission
Saints Aquila and Priscilla are fundamental figures in the New Testament, known for their close collaboration with Saint Paul and their commitment to the spread of Christianity. Originally from Pontus, they were forced to leave Rome due to Claudius’ edict which expelled the Jews from the city. Having settled in Corinth, they met Saint Paul, with whom they shared not only the faith, but also the trade of tent makers. Their house became a point of reference for the local Christian community. Aquila and Priscilla hosted meetings of the faithful in their home, transforming their domestic space into a domestic church, a place of prayer, catechesis and fraternal sharing. This role of hospitality and logistical support was essential to the growth of the early Church. When Paul moved to Ephesus, Aquila and Priscilla followed him, continuing their evangelizing work. In Ephesus, they met Apollos, an eloquent preacher who knew only the baptism of John. With great humility and love, they took him aside and explained the way of God to him more precisely, completing his Christian education. Their mission was characterized by the ability to combine family and work life with a constant apostolic commitment. Their testimony of faith was lived through concrete gestures of welcome, teaching and support to the nascent Christian communities. They were Paul’s trusted collaborators, so much so that he mentions them with affection and gratitude in his letters, recognizing their contribution to the evangelical mission. Saints Aquila and Priscilla teach us that the Christian mission can be lived in everyday life, through hospitality, sharing the faith and supporting the community. Their lives demonstrate that everyone, regardless of their role or profession, can contribute significantly to the spread of the Gospel.
The Saint and Mercy
Saints Aquila and Priscilla are a vivid example of how mercy can be experienced through everyday life and human relationships. Their life, described in the Acts of the Apostles and in the Pauline letters, shows a constant willingness to welcome and help others. Their home was always open, offering refuge and support to persecuted Christians and nascent communities. The mercy of Aquila and Priscilla was manifested in their ability to offer not only a roof and a meal, but also listening, advice and teaching. When they met Apollos, a preacher who needed a more complete understanding of the Christian faith, they welcomed him and patiently and lovingly explained to him the way of God. This gesture demonstrates an educational mercy, eager to see others grow in the truth and knowledge of Christ. Their work as tent makers never distracted them from the mission of living mercy. On the contrary, they transformed their profession into an opportunity to meet and serve others, creating bonds of brotherhood and solidarity. Their union as a couple was a source of strength and inspiration, demonstrating that mercy experienced in the family can radiate and positively influence the entire community. The presence of Aquila and Priscilla in various cities, from Corinth to Ephesus and Rome, is testimony to an itinerant mercy, ready to respond to needs wherever they arise. Their lives are a powerful reminder to live the faith with an open and welcoming heart, ready to support and encourage others in every circumstance. In summary, Saints Aquila and Priscilla show us that mercy is not just a sporadic act, but a lifestyle that permeates every aspect of our existence, transforming relationships and building a community based on love and solidarity.
Hagiography
These two newlyweds (Aquila was a Jew originally from Pontus transplanted to Rome, while Prisca also called Priscilla was Roman) converts to Christianity, were very close to St. Paul the Apostle and were his co-workers in spreading the Gospel. They had been driven out of Rome by an edict of Emperor Claudius expelling the Jews, and…