Paul was a charismatic preacher, a powerful missionary, and a remarkable thinker whose theological and doctrinal ideas were of seminal importance to the Christian Church in its formative years. Born at Tarsus in Cilicia (Turkey), and originally known as Saul, he was a Jew of the Pharisee sect and a Roman citizen, who became a tent maker by profession. At first a leading persecutor of Christians in Jerusalem — he was present at the stoning of St. Stephen and later sought out others and handed them over to the authorities — he experienced a vision of Christ on the road to Damascus and was converted to Christianity. After retreating for three years into the Arabian desert he returned to Damascus where his Jewish enemies threatened his life; he escaped by being lowered over the walls of the city in a basket.

Paul then travelled to Jerusalem and to Antioch, where he and St. Barnabas began their highly successful mission to the gentiles. In the years between 45 and 56 he went on several great missionary journeys — to Cyprus, Asia Minor, Macedonia and Greece — before returning to Jerusalem. Here his preaching against the Jewish Law caused a riot and he was arrested. Paul invoked his right as a Roman citizen to be tried before the emperor Nero. This was granted, but after a voyage during which he was shipwrecked at Malta, he was put under house arrest for two years. Most authorities agree that he was tried and aquitted and travelled on missions to Ephesus and perhaps Spain, only to be beheaded during the persecutions of Nero.

Paul is invoked against snakebite because of the legend that a viper bit him in the hand without causing him any harm.