The Journeys of St. Paul. Early Christian Influence in Pieria.

Christos Manadis

When St. Paul was let out of Phillipi prison he took Silas and Timothy, and they travelled on through Amphipolis and Apollonia, eventually coming to Thessalonica. St. Paul always preferred large towns. Thessalonica was a free, self-governing, commercial city. Phillipi was an old garrison town, occupied by the Romans, but Thessalonica was a Hellenic city.

St. Paul had letters of introduction from Phillipi to a Greek compatriot, Jason, who ran a small workshop. Here St. Paul, Silas and Timothy found work, food and shelter. During the following three Sabbaths Paul preached from the Scriptures, explaining them and proving that The Messiah had to suffer death on the Cross, then rise again from the dead. Some of the people were convinced, and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large group of Greeks and many of the leading women, who worshipped God.

But the Jews were jealous, and gathered some of the worthless loafers from the streets and formed a mob. They set the whole city in uproar and attacked the home of Jason, trying to find Paul and Silas and bring them out to the people. But when they failed to find them, they dragged Jason and some of his brothers to the city authorities. Jason paid the required amount of money to be released, and so they were all set free. As soon as night came, the brothers sent Paul and Silas to Veria. According to tradition, Paul stopped at the port of Methoni and then passed through Aeginio. There is a site in Aeginio today called “The Place of St. Paul.”

Paul left Silas and Timothy in Veria, and as his life was in danger, he went on to Athens. In this way St. Paul finished his mission in our area.

CHRISTOS MANADIS is a seventeen year old student at The fourth Lyceum. He is currently studying for his University Entrance exams. He passed the Cambridge FCE exam in 1998.