Where did Saint Paul go? Saint Paul was the most traveled apostle. Paul’s main journeys totaled four. “The point of departure for his travels was the Church of Antioch in Syria, where for the first time the Gospel was announced to the Greeks and where also the name ‘Christians’ was coined for believers in Christ. From there he first went to Cyprus and then on different occasions to the regions of Asia Minor (Pisidia, Laconia, Galatia), and later to those of Europe (Macedonia, Greece). The most famous were the cities of Ephesus, Philippi, Thessalonica, Corinth, without forgetting Berea, Athens and Miletus. …From a passage of the Letter to the Romans appears his proposal to push on even to Spain, to the Far West, to announce the Gospel everywhere, even to the then known ends of the earth.” [2]
 


This video gives a visual aid of Saint Paul’s journeys along with some history of where he was when he wrote his letters.

The video is an excerpt from Fr. Barron’s “Catholicism” video series and focuses on some of the travels of Saint Paul.
 
What did Saint Paul face while traveling? “labors…imprisonment…beatings…numerous brushes with death…Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I passed a night and a day on the deep; on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my own race, dangers from Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers at sea, dangers among false brothers; in toil and hardship, through many sleepless nights, through hunger and thirst, through frequent fastings, cold and exposure. And apart from these things there is the daily pressure upon me of my anxiety for all the Churches.” (2 Cor. 11:23)
 
Why would he go through all that? Simply put, Jesus Christ. “The love of Christ impels us…so that those who live might live no longer for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.” (2 Cor. 5:14-15) He endured all things for the love of God and love of Christ.
 
How are we to follow the example of Saint Paul’s travels? We may not be like Saint Paul in that we will be missionaries going throughout the whole world, but that does not mean we should neglect preaching and evangelizing wherever we go. Pope Saint John Paul II said, “Be deeply friends of Jesus and take to your family, your school, the district where you live, the example of a Christian life which is pure and cheerful. Be always young Christians, true witnesses to Christ’s teaching. Moreover, be bearers of Christ in this disturbed society, which needs him today more than ever. Announce to everyone by your lives that Christ alone is the true salvation of mankind.” [3]
 
The Second Vatican Council even touches on this topic of evangelization even when we are traveling for business or pleasure. “Even those who travel abroad for international activities, on business or on holiday, should keep in mind that no matter where they may be they are the travelling messengers of Christ, and should bear themselves truly as such.” [4]
 
Whether we travel 5 miles or 5,000 miles we should never miss an opportunity to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

[1] Goffine, The Church’s Year pg. 623
[2] Pope Benedict XVI, The Apostles pg. 126
[3] John Paul II, Homily, 3 December 1978
[4] Second Vatican Council, Apostolicam actuositatem, 14