The Israel Nature and Parks Authority has allowed us to be the first to record from inside the recently discovered prison in Caesarea, where the Apostle Paul was imprisoned. Br EUGENIO ALLIATA, ofm Archaeologist, Director of the historical and multimedia section of the Terra Sancta Museum In those days, St Paul, returning from his apostolic journeys to Jerusalem, was accused of desecrating the Temple and causing riots by violating the laws of the Torah. DROR BEN YOSEF Northern Region Archaeologist at the Israel Nature and Parks Authority Around it one can see Herod's Palace, inside whose courtyard a water tank was built. After Herod's death, this place became the seat of government. The Roman governor decided to abandon the cistern, as water was now supplied by aqueducts, and turned it into a prison. DROR BEN YOSEF Northern Region Archaeologist at the Israel Nature and Parks Authority This prison was larger than the one visible today and included an additional room of the same size. Dozens of people could have been incarcerated in this space. A clay inscription of a prisoner from a later period was found inside the prison, which read: ‘Lord (Jesus), help Procopia.’ Paul spent about two years in this prison. Br EUGENIO ALLIATA, ofm Archaeologist, Director of the historical and multimedia section of the Terra Sancta Museum The governor organised several meetings in which St Paul met with accusing lawyers, but no decision was reached. Thus, St Paul decided to appeal to Caesar, since he was entitled to do so as a Roman citizen. DROR BEN YOSEF Northern Region Archaeologist at the Israel Nature and Parks Authority We are in the palace of justice above the prison. This place is mentioned in the New Testament, in the Acts of the Apostles. During the trial, Paul declared: I must be judged before the court of Caesar. St Paul did not write letters in the prison in Caesarea, whereas he did so in the prison in Rome, because divine providence wanted him to spread Christianity also in the Western world. As we read in Acts of the Apostles 23:11 ‘The next night the Lord came to him and said, “Take courage, for as you bore witness to me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness to me in Rome.”’ Br EUGENIO ALLIATA, ofm Archaeologist, Director of the historical and multimedia section of the Terra Sancta Museum St Paul was imprisoned in various places, as his preaching of the Gospel was sometimes considered a threat to the tranquillity of the population. He was imprisoned in Philippi, Caesarea and Rome. To the Ephesians, St Paul says: ‘And for me also, that I may be given to speak openly to make known frankly the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may proclaim it frankly, as it is fitting that I should speak of it. (Eph 6:19-20) Br EUGENIO ALLIATA, ofm Archaeologist, Director of the historical and multimedia section of the Terra Sancta Museum Just as St Paul's faith in Christ was strong, so must we Christians have faith in Him and persevere in our trust, even in times of suffering. DROR BEN YOSEF Northern Region Archaeologist at the Israel Nature and Parks Authority ‘Think of the extraordinary thing that this man has accomplished. Notice how in the most powerful countries in the world today, where the genetic material, the ‘DNA’, of the Old Testament and Christianity is found, even if they are not religious countries, the whole world of morals and values draws strength from these sacred writings.’