Paul the Apostle, Church history--Primitive and early church, Bible - New Testament, History of Biblical Events, Apostles, Christian Saints 

Leon Poirier is well known in his native France as an author with the ability of bringing into sharp relief (indeed, with almost photographic clarity) the precise elements which make up the personalities of the characters about whom he writes. Saint Paul, then, is not merely an animated novel of the voyages made by the Apostle Paul throughout the Greco-Roman world. It is not the mere recitation of events as they are found in the Acts of the Apostles. Certainly, M. Poirier follows the sequence of incidents as they are chronicled in the Acts, but he does not make of the geographical travels of Paul, the only basis of his book. For him, St. Paul's story is more than a life-long series of voyages begun at Damascus and ending in Rome. It is also, and above all, a spiritual voyage, going from the visible to the invisible, from the natural to the supernatural; a Christian voyage, traveling from materialistic disbelief to spiritual belief.

We meet in this book the youthful Saul, the proud and bitter opponent of Christianity. We stand with him during the stoning of Stephen, start on his journey with him to Damascus, are held in the grip of the invisible power which forces him to his knees and purifies his pride in the fires of humility and conversion. We go on voyages all over Asia Minor with him, meeting the Christians whom he meets, both the stanch supporters of his mission and the lukewarm. We watch him make converts among every class of people. W suffer the wounds of body and spirit which he underwent at the hands of unbelievers. And finally we join him in Rome where he receives the crown of martyrdom.

Saint Paul is an intense historical novel which sweeps the reader up into the sights and sounds of an earlier era. Event follows event, scene follows scene in true narrative style. Everything is woven into an intricate colorful tapestry which sustains interest, rekindles faith in the Christian message, and allows the reader to relive with Saint Paul the days of his triumphs and the hours of his sorrows.

Taken from the inside flaps.

Translated by Paul A Barrett, OP.