Deepertruth: A Roman noblewoman named Matrona Lucilla

During St. Paul's third missionary journey (Acts 20:2, Romans 16:23) while still in Greece, St. Paul was seeking to visit Rome. Acts 20:4 we see St. Paul ending his third missionary campaign in Jerusalem bringing tithing from other lands for the poor (Acts 24:17).

It wasn't long before St. Paul would have issues with the Jewish Authorities that near riots began to take place against him. St. Paul would literally be saved by Roman officials who took him to safety. Under a heavy guard of 470 Soldiers (Acts 23:23) St. Paul was taken to Caesarea confined in the palace of King Herod. After two years of interrogations St. Paul exercised his right as a Roman citizen appealing to Caesar (Acts:11-12).

Roman 1:8 St. Paul states, "First, I give thanks to my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is heralded throughout the world." Imagine the expectation of the Roman Church to hear such praise coming from St. Paul who was preparing to make his way to Rome.

For about two years, St. Paul was under house arrest, there, he had much notoriety among the people. How St. Paul wanted St. Timothy to come visit him, he did have St. Luke and Onesiphorus who aided him while in chains.St. Eusebius wrote about St Paul "After defending himself the Apostle was again set on the ministry of preaching…coming a second time to the same city [Paul] suffered martyrdom under Nero. During this imprisonment he wrote the second Epistle to Timothy." (Eccl Hist. 2.22.2)