Review article
The location of st. Paul's shipwreck (acts 27:27; 28:1) Malta, Cephalonia or Mljet
Tomo Vukšić
; University of Sarajevo - Catholic Theological Faculty in Sarajevo, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Abstract
In “The Year of St. Paul”, during which we celebrate 2,000 years since the birth of the great apostle, this article deals with the still unsolved mystery of where St. Paul was shipwrecked on the way from Caesarea to Rome. This event is described in the Acts of the Apostles. There are three locations where the shipwreck is thought likely to have happened - Malta, Mljet, and Cephalonia - and each can make a plausible claim to be correct. This article first discusses the Malta and Cephalonia theories before going on to make a larger argument in support of the theory that the shipwreck took place off
Mljet in the Adriatic Sea. The article cites a book published by Ignjat Durdevic in 1730, as well as other historical and contemporary scholars who accept Mljet as the location of the shipwreck; but at the same time it cites scholars who dispute this conclusion. Special attention is given to contemporary experts on sea currents and wind patterns, who have been able to shed new light on the issue through computer simulation of Paul’s travels. Interestingly, some scholars have abandoned the widely accepted Malta tradition in favour of the Mljet theory. One reason for this is the absence in Malta,
historically and today, of poisonous snakes, which is at odds with the account of St. Paul being bitten by a poisonous snake. In addition, it is argued that the well-informed author of the Acts of the Apostles would never have referred to the inhabitants of Malta as “barbarians” (ba,rbaroi). Also, it would have been impossible for Alexandrian sailors not to recognize Malta. However, these reservations might also be applied to the island of Mljet, which, like Malta, was called Melita (Meli,th) and is situated in the Adriatic (VAdri,a). The weight of evidence offers a reasonable basis not to exclude Mljet as the possible location of St. Paul’s shipwreck.
Keywords
St Paul; Acts of the Apostles; shipwreck; Malta; Mljet; Cephalonia; Adriatic Sea; Melita; barbarians; strong wind; poisonous snake.
Hrčak ID:
272204
URI
Publication date:
20.12.2012.
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