Priscilla And Aquila Series

Saints

Aquila and Priscilla of Rome

Depiction of Saint Paul (left) in the home of Saints Aquila and Priscilla.

Holy Couple and Martyrs

Born Unknown

Died Rome

Venerated in • Catholic Church

• Eastern Orthodoxy

• Oriental Orthodoxy

• Lutheran Church

Canonized

Pre-Congregation

Feast

• 8 July (Catholic Church)

• 13 February (Eastern Orthodoxy)

• 14 July (other Orthodox Churches commemorate Saint Aquila alone as an Apostle)

Attributes

Crown of Martyrdom

Martyr's palm

Cross

Patronage

• Love

• Marriage

Priscilla and Aquila

Priscilla and Aquila were a first-century Christian missionary married couple described in the New Testament. They lived, worked, and traveled with the Apostle Paul, who described them as his "fellow workers in Christ Jesus." Aquila is usually listed among the Seventy Disciples.

Death place: Rome

In the year 52 A.D., the Roman Emperor Claudius issued an edict expelling all Jews from the city of Rome. From what the Roman historian Suetonius says, it seems that they were persecuting their Christian neighbors and causing a considerable disturbance in the city. Claudius cared little about the reason for the trouble and even less about who the guilty parties were. He knew they were Jews, which was enough, so all Jews were uprooted from their homes and banished from Rome, the innocent and the guilty.

That was when a Jew named Aquila, who had migrated to Rome from the province of Pontus on the Black Sea, packed his belongings, bid farewell to his friends, and embarked for the city of Corinth. By his side was his faithful wife, Priscilla. We do not know whether she was Jewish or Roman, nor are we sure whether they were both Christians at the time. However, one thing we do know—they were together. One's name never occurs without the other. They were always together.

For one thing, they made their living together. "For by trade, they were tentmakers" (Acts 18:3). Every Jewish boy in New Testament times was taught a trade. Since tents were such a prominent part of Hebrew life, Aquila's parents chose to have their son learn this practical means of earning his livelihood. Their tents were made of rough goat hair fabric, which took great skill to cut and sew properly. Aquila had acquired that skill and later taught it to his wife, and she happily assisted him in his business.

Not every husband and wife can work together like this. It takes a mature relationship to work closely under the kind of pressure a job sometimes generates. However, that is the kind of relationship Aquila and Priscilla had. They were not only mates and lovers; they must have been good friends and companions. They had to be willing to give to each other more than they tried to take. They had to be able to accept suggestions as readily as they offered them. They enjoyed being together and working together. They were inseparable, and they were equals.

So, when they arrived in Corinth, they scoured the marketplace together for a small open-air shop to rent and set up their tent-making business. The timing was obviously of God, for no sooner had they settled down in their shop than another Jewish tentmaker arrived in town fresh from an evangelistic crusade in Athens, the Apostle Paul. Whenever he entered a new city, he would stroll through the marketplace looking for opportunities to talk about Jesus, looking for indications of God's direction for future ministry, and, of course, looking for work to sustain him as he ministered. It was inevitable that he would amble into the tent-making shop of Aquila and Priscilla. Scripture tells the story: "After these things, he left Athens and went to Corinth. Furthermore, he found a certain Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, having recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. He came to them, and because he was of the same trade, he stayed with them, and they were working; by trade, they were tentmakers" (Acts 18:1-3).

Their affinity was instantaneous, and a deep and lasting friendship was born that day. Paul came to work with them in their shop and even lived in their home during his stay in Corinth. If they had not known Christ before this, they certainly met him now, for no one could spend time in Paul's presence and not be infected by his contagious and enthusiastic love for his Savior. These two who lived together, worked together, and suffered exile together, came to know and love Jesus Christ together, which made their marriage complete. Now they were one in Christ, and His love made a good marriage even better. That may be just the thing your marriage needs. If either of you has never placed your faith in the sacrifice Christ made for your sins; your marriage cannot be complete. True oneness can only be found in Christ.