Saint Lydia Purpuraria
Saint Lydia of Philippi (also Lydia Purpuraria, "Lydia the Purple Seller"; fl. c. 49–50 AD in Philippi, Macedonia (modern Greece)) was the first recorded Christian convert in Europe. According to Acts 16:11–15, she was a seller of purple cloth from Thyatira who encountered Saint Paul at a place of prayer by the river outside Philippi. Paul spoke to her and to other women there; "the Lord opened her heart" to receive the message; she was baptized along with her household and immediately offered Paul and his companions hospitality. Her feast day is August 3.
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| Saint Lydia Purpuraria | |
|---|---|
| Feast Day | August 03 |
| Profession | Merchant (seller of purple cloth); first Christian of Europe; founder of the Philippian house church; widow (implied by her managing her own household) |
| Rel. Affiliation | Catholic Church; Eastern Orthodox (also venerates her); all Christian traditions; first recorded European Christian; New Testament figure; Acts of the Apostles |
| Patronage | Europe; Macedonia; Greece; Philippi; merchants; sellers of luxury goods; purple (the color); textile workers; businesswomen; the first converts; hospitality; house churches |
| Attributes | Purple cloth; merchant's scales; river (her baptism by the river); Acts of the Apostles; Greek Macedonia setting; Paul and Luke as her companions |
| Birthplace | Thyatira (modern Akhisar), Lydia province, Asia Minor (modern Turkey) |
| Death Place | Philippi, Macedonia (modern Greece) or Thyatira (Asia Minor) |
| Cause of Death | Unknown; natural death; no accounts of her death are preserved |
| Primary Shrine | Basilica of Lydia, near the ancient Gangites/Zygaktis River, Philippi (Kavala region), Greece — built over the traditional baptismal site; a baptismal pool is still visible; the site is visited by Christian pilgrims of all denominations; Orthodox and Catholic services are held here; it is one of the most ecumenically significant Christian sites in Europe |
| Liturgical Class | Optional Memorial; August 3 (Roman Rite); feast in Eastern traditions (various dates) |
| Historic Class | Not in universal 1962 calendar; observed in Eastern traditions |
Biography and scriptural account
Lydia is introduced in Acts 16:14 as "a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a dealer in purple cloth, who worshiped God." She was apparently a Gentile God-fearer — attracted to Judaism without being fully Jewish. She was in Philippi, a major Roman colony in Macedonia (northern Greece), probably on business.
Paul arrived in Philippi during his second missionary journey (c. 49–50 AD), following a vision of a Macedonian man calling him to come to Macedonia. On the Sabbath, Paul went outside the city to a "place of prayer" by the river, where he found Lydia and other women. He spoke to them about Jesus. "The Lord opened her heart to receive what Paul was saying." She and her household were baptized.
She immediately invited Paul and his companions to stay at her home, which became the first house church in Europe. Paul's warmth toward the Philippian community in his letter to them (the Letter to the Philippians) reflects the generous beginning Lydia gave the European church.
The site of her baptism — by the river Gangites/Zygaktis outside Philippi — is marked today by the Basilica of Lydia, a Christian pilgrimage site visited by believers of all denominations.
Significant locations
Legend
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Death location: None
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Parishes
No parishes dedicated to Lydia Purpuraria have been added to the database yet.
Media
| Media | Length | AuthorCreator |
|---|---|---|
| Daily Prayer to St. Lydia Purpuraria | Under 5 minutes | Joy of Heaven |
| The Story of St. Lydia Purpuraria || Feast Day : August 3 | Under 5 minutes | Joy of Heaven |
Shrines
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Known shrines
- Basilica of Lydia, near Philippi, Kavala region, Greece — the baptism site; ecumenical pilgrimage destination.
Feast day
August 3
Veneration
Saint Lydia Purpuraria is venerated as the first recorded Christian in Europe. Her feast is August 3. She is venerated in the Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and many Protestant traditions.
Prayers
Authored
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Intercessory
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