Spread Event

Pauline Missions Through Asia Minor and Greece

Christianity

Origin to 57

From Antioch in Syria, the apostle Paul, together with Barnabas, Silas and others across three separate journeys, carried the Christian movement west across Cyprus and the cities of south-central Asia Minor, Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, Lystra and Derbe, then across the Aegean into Greece, founding congregations at Philippi, Thessalonica and Corinth, with an extended residence at Ephesus. By the time Paul's own letters to these communities were being written, organised, self-identifying congregations existed in multiple cities of both regions, distinct from the synagogue communities that had first hosted his preaching.

Facts

Disputed

Start Year

from 46 1

The chronology of Paul's three missionary journeys is reconstructed from a single fixed external anchor rather than any contemporary calendar of its own: an inscription from Delphi datable to 51 or 52 CE places the proconsul Gallio, before whom Acts records Paul appearing at Corinth, in that year. Working backward from that one fixed point, the first journey's start is conventionally placed around the mid-40s CE, but the precise year is not independently attested.

Dates

End Year

to 57 1

57 CE marks the approximate close of Paul's own active letter-writing period addressed to these communities, by which point organised, self-identifying congregations existed in both regions; his ministry itself continued beyond this point.

Status

Established 1

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How Paul's Missionary Journeys Established Christianity in Asia Minor and Greece

This article records tradition as it has been passed down and reported. Its sources are not yet part of the atlas's verified catalogue.

Christianity is established across Asia Minor and Greece through the missionary journeys of the apostle Paul, carried out between 46 and 57 CE. Paul set out from Antioch in Syria and, together with Barnabas, Silas and others across three separate journeys, carried the movement west across Cyprus and the cities of south central Asia Minor, Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, Lystra and Derbe, then further west across the Aegean into Greece itself.

In Greece, Paul founded congregations at Philippi, Thessalonica and Corinth, and maintained an extended residence at Ephesus in Asia Minor that anchored his work in the region for a sustained period rather than a single passing visit. His preaching in each city typically began inside the local synagogue community before drawing a following that grew beyond it.

What this changed for Christianity's spread was decisive: by the time Paul's own letters to these communities were being written, organized, self-identifying congregations existed in multiple cities across both regions, distinct in their own right from the synagogue communities that had first hosted his preaching, marking Asia Minor and Greece as established territory for the movement rather than a mission field still being opened.

Connections

Associated With

Antioch

This source names Antioch directly: "From Antioch in Syria, the apostle Paul, together with Barnabas, Silas and others across three separate journeys, carried the Christian movement west across Cyprus and the cities of south-central..."