Saints Aquila and Priscilla: Their Life and Story

Table of Contents

Saints Aquila and Priscilla are remembered as one of the most faithful husband-and-wife teams in the early Christian Church. They were close companions of Saint Paul and played an important role in spreading the Gospel during a time of great danger and persecution. Their story is one of quiet strength, loyalty to Christ, and deep commitment to helping others grow in faith.

Though not as widely known as some other saints, Aquila and Priscilla are powerful examples of how ordinary believers — not just apostles or clergy — helped build the early Church. Their home became a place of worship. Their hearts were open to serving God, no matter the cost. Their courage, hospitality, and teamwork left a lasting impact on Christian history.

We honor them not only for what they did but for how they did it — together, with humility and faith. Their feast day is celebrated on July 8 in the Roman Catholic Church, a day to remember their quiet but powerful witness.

Quick Facts About Saints Aquila and Priscilla

Fact	Details
Born	Exact dates unknown; likely 1st century AD, in Pontus (modern-day Turkey)
Died	Rome, 1st century AD (exact date unknown)
Category	Laypersons, Martyrs, Missionary Disciples
Venerated in	Roman Catholic Church, Anglican Communion, Eastern Orthodox Church, Oriental Orthodox Church, Lutheran Church
Feast Day	July 8 (Roman Catholic Church, Anglican Communion); February 13 (Eastern Orthodox Church); July 14 (Aquila alone as an Apostle, Orthodox Churches)
Beatified	Pre-Congregation
Canonized	Pre-Congregation

Early Life

Not much is known about the early lives of Aquila and Priscilla (also called Prisca in some Bible passages), but what we do know comes from the New Testament. Aquila was a Jewish man originally from Pontus, a region in modern-day Turkey. He was likely born into a Jewish family during the early 1st century. At some point in his life, he moved to Rome with his wife, Priscilla, who also appears to have been Jewish by birth and upbringing.

The Roman Empire at that time was vast and diverse, but it was also full of religious tension. Many Jewish people lived in Rome, but in the year 49 AD, the Emperor Claudius expelled all Jews from the city. This decree affected both Aquila and Priscilla, who were forced to leave behind their home, community, and possibly even loved ones. They eventually settled in Corinth, a major city in Greece. It was there that they met Saint Paul, who became not only their friend but also their spiritual companion in the work of evangelization.

Their early life was shaped by upheaval, migration, and faithfulness. Though we don’t know if they had any youthful sins or serious failings, we do know they lived during a time when being Jewish in the Roman Empire meant facing suspicion, prejudice, and at times, violent rejection. This background likely prepared them to understand suffering and to welcome the message of Jesus Christ with open hearts.

Aquila and Priscilla were tentmakers by trade, a humble and hardworking profession. This skill would become part of their ministry later on, as they supported themselves and others while serving the early Church. Their hands were shaped by labor, but their hearts were shaped by faith and openness to God.

Religious Life and Calling

The turning point in the lives of Aquila and Priscilla came when they met Saint Paul in Corinth, around the year 50 AD. This was not just a chance encounter. It was the beginning of a deep friendship and a shared mission in the growing Christian movement. Paul had recently arrived in Corinth after facing rejection in Athens. When he met Aquila and Priscilla — fellow tentmakers — he stayed with them and worked alongside them. But their connection went far beyond their trade.

During this time, Aquila and Priscilla either embraced the Christian faith or, if they had already heard the Gospel, deepened their commitment to Christ through Paul’s teachings. The Book of Acts does not describe a dramatic vision or conversion moment for them like it does for Paul, but their dedication was shown in quiet, consistent action. They opened their home, supported the Church, and risked their lives for the sake of the Gospel (Romans 16:3–4).

One of the most remarkable signs of their calling was how they began to teach and guide others in the faith. In Acts 18:24–26, we read about Apollos, a passionate but incomplete preacher of the Word. Aquila and Priscilla welcomed him into their home and “explained the Way of God to him more accurately.” This humble act shows that their calling was not loud or dramatic, but firm and faithful. They knew the truth, and they shared it quietly, with care and clarity.

They eventually traveled with Paul to Ephesus, where they helped establish the Christian community there. Their home again became a place of worship and teaching — a true “church in the house.” Though they were laypeople, their calling was as real and powerful as that of any apostle.

There’s no record that they resisted God’s call, but they certainly faced challenges. They had to leave their home in Rome, travel across unfamiliar lands, and live under constant risk in a time when Christians were not welcome. Yet through it all, Aquila and Priscilla showed that laypeople — especially married couples — could live a full Christian vocation by welcoming, teaching, working, and serving in everyday life.

Major Contributions or Miracles

Aquila and Priscilla were not apostles, bishops, or public preachers in the traditional sense, but their contributions to the early Church were vital and lasting. Their greatest impact came through hospitality, teaching, missionary support, and discipleship — all carried out quietly, faithfully, and with deep love for Christ and the Church.

One of their most important contributions was their close collaboration with Saint Paul. They traveled with him from Corinth to Ephesus (Acts 18:18–19) and later returned to Rome, then possibly back to Ephesus again. Wherever they went, they opened their home as a house church, helping to create strong, rooted Christian communities in cities where believers were still few and often persecuted.

Their home is specifically mentioned multiple times in the New Testament as a gathering place for Christians:

• In Romans 16:3–5, Paul greets “Prisca and Aquila” and “the church that meets at their house” in Rome.

• In 1 Corinthians 16:19, they send greetings along with “the church that meets at their house” in Ephesus.

• In 2 Timothy 4:19, Paul again sends greetings to them, indicating they remained active in ministry.

Their most well-known act of teaching happened in Ephesus, when they encountered Apollos, a man described in Acts 18:24–26 as “eloquent and well-versed in the Scriptures,” but who knew only the baptism of John. Aquila and Priscilla invited him into their home and gently corrected his understanding, helping him grasp the fullness of the Christian message. This showed their deep knowledge of the faith and their commitment to forming others in truth, even though they were not formal teachers or clergy.

There are no recorded miracles attributed to Aquila and Priscilla in Church tradition. They are not known for visions, healings, or dramatic signs. Their sanctity comes from something even more relatable: faithful service, bold witness, and loving action in everyday life. They lived out their faith in the real world — as workers, as hosts, as teachers, and as missionary companions. In this way, their quiet witness helped build the foundations of the early Church.

Suffering, Persecution, or Martyrdom

Aquila and Priscilla lived during a time when being Jewish and later, being Christian, came with serious risk. Their lives were shaped by real political persecution, starting with their expulsion from Rome under Emperor Claudius around the year 49 AD. According to the Roman historian Suetonius, Claudius ordered all Jews to leave Rome because of disturbances related to someone named “Chrestus” — likely a misunderstanding or reference to debates about Christ within the Jewish community. As Jews, Aquila and Priscilla were directly affected. They were forced to leave their home, their livelihood, and their community behind, simply because of their identity and beliefs.

This experience of forced migration was their first major suffering. It uprooted their lives and left them as refugees in a foreign city — Corinth — where they had to rebuild from nothing. Later, as Christians, they would have also faced pressure, suspicion, and danger in cities like Ephesus and again in Rome, where persecution of Christians became more severe, especially under Emperor Nero after the great fire of Rome in 64 AD.

Although the Bible does not describe their deaths, early Church tradition holds that both Aquila and Priscilla were eventually martyred in Rome for their faith. The details are unclear and not found in official Scripture, but their martyrdom has been acknowledged in various early Christian writings and martyrologies. Most likely, they were killed during one of the many crackdowns on Christians in the first century, possibly under Nero, when being a Christian could mean public execution.

What makes their story especially meaningful is that they never sought suffering, but neither did they run from it. They quietly and courageously stood firm in their faith — offering their home for worship, helping others grow in truth, and remaining loyal to Christ even when it cost them everything. Their suffering was not dramatic in the way of some other martyrs, but it was real, painful, and endured out of love for God.

Death and Legacy

The exact year and manner of death for Saints Aquila and Priscilla are not clearly recorded in Scripture or official Church documents, but early Christian tradition holds that they were martyred in Rome during the 1st century, likely under Emperor Nero’s persecution following the Great Fire in 64 AD. Their deaths are believed to have been the result of their faithful work in the underground Christian community — hosting believers, teaching the faith, and refusing to deny Christ.

Because there is no detailed account of their martyrdom, we do not know precisely how they died or the form of execution used. This lack of specific detail is not unusual for early Christian martyrs, especially laypeople. What is clear, however, is that their names continued to be remembered and honored in the Church for centuries, which speaks to their importance in the eyes of the early Christian community.

The location of their burial is uncertain. There are no major relics or established tombs associated with them today. However, their memory has been preserved through liturgical celebration, biblical references, and the testimonies of the saints and early Church Fathers.

Their legacy is particularly strong in three areas:

1. Biblical Witness: They are mentioned multiple times in the New Testament (Acts 18:2–3, 18:18–19, 18:26; Romans 16:3–5; 1 Corinthians 16:19; 2 Timothy 4:19). These references show their lasting influence on Saint Paul and the Christian communities in Corinth, Ephesus, and Rome.

2. Lay Ministry: As a married couple who were not apostles, bishops, or clergy, Aquila and Priscilla are powerful models of lay leadership and service in the Church. They show that ordinary Christians — through work, hospitality, and quiet teaching — can help build the Church in a profound way.

3. Discipleship and Teaching: Their correction and guidance of Apollos, a major Christian preacher, has long been held up as an example of respectful and humble instruction. They are remembered not only for defending the truth but for teaching it gently, a trait that has inspired lay catechists and married missionary couples throughout the centuries.

Over time, devotion to Aquila and Priscilla grew, especially as the Church began to recognize and celebrate the role of laypeople in its mission. Their feast day is honored on July 8 in the Roman Catholic Church and other Christian traditions. Though there are no major shrines dedicated solely to them today, their names continue to be invoked in liturgical prayer and honored in the Liturgy of the Hours and Roman Martyrology.

Their story continues to encourage Christians — especially married couples and lay believers — to live faithfully, courageously, and generously in the quiet ways that build up the Body of Christ.

Canonization and Veneration

Saints Aquila and Priscilla were canonized by popular acclaim in the early centuries of the Church, a process known as Pre-Congregation canonization. This means they were recognized as saints by the early Christian community long before the formal canonization procedures we know today were established by the Vatican. Their holiness was evident in Scripture itself and affirmed by the early Church’s consistent memory and veneration.

Because of their biblical significance and martyrdom, their names were included in the Roman Martyrology, which is the Church’s official list of saints and martyrs. The Catholic Church honors them with a shared feast day on July 8, and this date is also observed in the Anglican Communion. In the Eastern Orthodox Church, they are commemorated on February 13, while some Orthodox Churches honor Saint Aquila alone on July 14, recognizing him as one of the Seventy Apostles mentioned in tradition.

Though there is no known major shrine dedicated solely to them, many churches and communities around the world celebrate their witness, particularly:

• In Rome, where they likely died and where their ministry had a lasting impact

• In Corinth and Ephesus, where they helped establish early Christian communities

• In churches named in their honor, including small chapels and local parishes that bear their names, especially in parts of Europe and North America

As models of married Christian life and lay discipleship, Aquila and Priscilla are especially honored by:

• Lay movements, particularly those promoting evangelization and catechesis

• Married couples seeking to live their faith together in daily life

• Catechists and Bible teachers, inspired by their gentle correction of Apollos

There are no widely known relics attributed to Aquila and Priscilla, and no confirmed burial site. However, their spiritual legacy remains strong. Their presence in multiple New Testament letters shows how deeply they were loved and respected by Saint Paul and the early Church.

Today, Aquila and Priscilla continue to be honored in liturgy, biblical study, and parish life. They remind the faithful that one does not need a title or position to be a saint — just a willing heart, a faithful home, and a deep love for Christ and His Church.

Short Prayer for Intercession

Prayer to Saints Aquila and Priscilla

Heavenly Father,
You gave Saints Aquila and Priscilla the courage to serve You faithfully as laypeople, through hardship, exile, and quiet witness.
Through their example of hospitality, teamwork, and love for Your Word,
teach us to open our homes and hearts to others.

Saints Aquila and Priscilla,
you faced persecution with peace, and taught the truth with gentleness.
Pray for all married couples, lay ministers, and those who quietly serve the Church.
Help us to follow Christ with the same faith, courage, and love you showed.

Amen.