Baring-Gould’s sources: Roman Martyrology, Bede, Usuardus, Ado, and Greek Menaa. In the latter on Feb. 13th, and Aquila alone on July 8th. Authority: — The Acts of the Apostles.] |N the year 54, S. Paul came to Corinth from Athens, and found there a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Rome with his wife Priscilla, having been obliged to leave Italy on the promulgation of the edict of Claudius expelling the Jews. Aquila and Priscilla seem to have been already convinced of the truth of the Christian faith, or were prepared to accept the teaching of S. Paul. The Apostle abode with them, and worked with them at their craft, for they were tent-makers. They must have returned to Rome by the year 60, for S. Paul in his Epistle to the Romans sends a greeting to them both, as his u 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.” 1 But in the year previous, S. Paul was with them in Philippi, for he writes thence to the Corinthians: u The Churches of Asia salute you. Aquila and July*.] Aquila and Priscilla. 183 Priscilla salute you much in the Lord, with the church that is in their house.” 1 But in the 2 nd Epistle to Timothy, written from Rome in 66, he bids S. Timothy greet both Prisca and Aquila, who were then probably again at Corinth. Prisca and Priscilla are the same, but Priscilla is not the same as the S. Prisca, V.M., commemorated on January 1 8 th. The words of S. Paul, in speaking of them “ who for my life have laid down their own necks,” led S. John Chrysostom to speak of them as having shed their blood for S. Paul — though they certainly were not dead when S. Paul wrote, for he sends his greeting to them; and this was developed by the authors of the Menaea into martyrdoms with the sword.

Aquila and Priscilla were also in Ephesus, for there they met with Apollos. “ A certain Jew named Apollos, born in Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the Scriptures, came to Ephesus. This man was instructed in the way of the Lord, and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John. And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom, when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly.” They had followed S. Paul to Ephesus, and this conduct elicited from him the expression of commendation when he calls them his “ fellow helpers.” 2 The forger of the Chronicle of Flavius Dexter, makes SS. Aquila and Priscilla come to Spain, and relates that Aquila sent by S. Paul preached at Heraclea; 3 and that he and his wife Priscilla suffered martyrdom at Arsa Mariana in Spain; and Tamayus Salazar, the Spanish Martyrologist inserts them in his Martyrology accordingly [July g.