Holy Apostle Aquila of the Seventy (I)

The holy Apostle Aquila, one of the Seventy, was “a certain Jew… born in Pontus”, and lived in the city of Rome with his wife Priscilla. In the reign of the Emperor Claudius (41–54) all the Jews were expelled from the capital, and Aquila with his wife was forced to leave. They settled in Corinth. Soon the Apostle Paul came here from Athens to preach the Gospel; he met Aquila and, “because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and wrought”: they earned their living by making tents (Acts 18:3).

Baptised by Paul’s hand, Aquila and Priscilla became his faithful disciples and accompanied the saint on his journey to Ephesus. When the blessed apostle set off for Jerusalem to attend the approaching feast of Pentecost, he entrusted the teaching of the Gospel in Ephesus during his absence to the God-loving couple. It was just at this time that “a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria”, came to the city. The preacher, fervent in spirit and “an eloquent man”, in the synagogue “spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John.” Aquila and Priscilla learned of this, “took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly” (Acts 18:24–27).

After the death of Claudius Caesar the Jews were again allowed to live in Italy, and the holy couple returned to Rome. In his Epistle to the Romans the Apostle Paul remembers his faithful disciples thus: “Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus: who have for my life laid down their own necks: unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles. Likewise greet the church that is in their house” (Rom. 16:3–5). Aquila did not stay long in Rome: the Apostle Paul appointed him bishop of Asia. The saint laboured in Asia, Achaia and Heraclea; in his apostolic work he was tirelessly helped by Saint Priscilla too. The lawless put the faithful servants of Christ to death by torture. Most of their incorrupt relics are kept in Rome.