TARSUS

I am in Tarsus. The St. Paul´s birthplace. Nothing real from his time, but Turks make business as usual and they sell St. Paul´s souvenirs and have a St Paul´s Well, St Paul´s church and St Paul´s stepping stone. But the important is being there, on my way to Antioquia, the modern Turk city of Antakya, where Simeon the Stilit lived on top of a column.

St Paul was born Jew, his name was Saul and got Roman citizenship. He fiercely prosecuted Christians till he got blind going to Damascus, falling from his horse and finally saw Jesus Christ. It was his metanonia or deep conversion, happened around 33 AD. Then he became a long distance traveller and also a writer. He went to Jerusalem many times, and also visited Anatolia, Rome, Crete and Greece. He wrote a lot of letters to he early Christians communities as the Corinthias. He was arrested in Jerusalem and executed in Roma.

You should think I am mad or totally crazy after so long on the road, but sometimes I think about me as a little Paul. Not a saint, of course, but a journalist traveller trying to hart no one and making them a little bit happy.

Stay safe.