What happened to Aquila and Priscilla according to Church tradition?

By CopticBot.ai (Coptic Space Inc.) · Last reviewed 2026-10-10

According to the Coptic Orthodox tradition and the broader history of the Early Church, Aquila and Priscilla—also known as Prisca—were a holy couple and coworkers of St. Paul the Apostle. They are highly venerated for their apostolic zeal and their role as "teachers of teachers," most notably for instructing Apollos in Alexandria.

Their Apostolic Ministry

Aquila and Priscilla were Jewish tentmakers who were expelled from Rome under the decree of Emperor Claudius. They settled in Corinth, where they hosted St. Paul. They later accompanied him to Ephesus. In our tradition, they are remembered for transforming their home into a "domestic church". St. Paul refers to them in his epistles as his "fellow workers in Christ Jesus, who risked their own necks for my life" (Romans 16:3-4).

Their Martyrdom

While the Bible does not record the end of their lives, Church tradition and the Synaxarium record their martyrdom. After their time in Ephesus and a brief return to Rome, they continued to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ with great fervor.

According to tradition, they were eventually seized by pagan authorities for their refusal to sacrifice to idols and for their persistence in spreading the Christian faith. They were both beheaded, receiving the crown of martyrdom together, just as they had served the Lord together in life.

Perspectives from Ancient Literature

In some ancient Christian texts, such as the Recognitions of Clement, there are accounts of characters named Aquila and Niceta who were brothers of Clement. In these narratives, they are described as having been separated from their mother during a shipwreck in the middle of the night. They were taken by pirates to Caesarea, where they were sold and suffered greatly from hunger and beatings to prevent them from revealing their true identities. However, through the ministry of St. Peter, they were eventually reunited with their mother and brother, Clement, and were brought into the faith.

Feast Day

In the Coptic Orthodox Church, we honor the memory of the saints who served the early Church. While many Greek-influenced calendars commemorate them on July 8th, their legacy is ingrained in our study of the Acts of the Apostles and the Pauline epistles as the model for the Christian family and the lay apostolate.