On 28th
June 2007, Pope Benedict XVI celebrated First Vespers of the Feast of
Saints Peter and Paul at the Papal Basilica of Saint Paul
Outside-The-Walls. During his homily he said:
'Dear brothers and sisters, as in early times, today too Christ needs
apostles ready to sacrifice themselves. He needs witnesses and martyrs
like St Paul. Paul, a former violent persecutor of Christians, when he
fell to the ground dazzled by the divine light on the road to
Damascus, did not hesitate to change sides to the Crucified One and
followed him without second thoughts. He lived and worked for Christ,
for him he suffered and died. How timely his example is today!
And for this very reason I am pleased to announce officially that we
shall be dedicating a special Jubilee Year to the Apostle Paul from 28
June 2008 to 29 June 2009, on the occasion of the bimillennium of his
birth, which historians have placed between the years 7 and 10 A.D.'
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