Lydia

E37545

Lydia is a woman mentioned in the New Testament book of Acts, known as a dealer in purple cloth from Thyatira and one of the first recorded converts to Christianity in Europe.


Statements (47)
Predicate Object
instanceOf Biblical figure
Christian convert
New Testament person
associatedWith Luke the Evangelist
Paul the Apostle
Philippi
Silas
Thyatira
Timothy
baptizedWith her household
businessSpecialty purple cloth
purple dye trade
commemoratedAs saint in some Christian traditions
continentContext Europe
convertedBy Paul the Apostle
culturalContext Greco-Roman world
describedAs a seller of purple goods
a worshiper of God
event conversion by the riverside near Philippi
gender female
historicalPeriod 1st century
houseFunction meeting place for believers
knownFor being one of the first recorded converts to Christianity in Europe
hospitality to Paul and his companions
hosting a house church
languageOfName Greek
literarySource Acts of the Apostles 16:11–15
Acts of the Apostles 16:40
mentionedIn Acts of the Apostles
New Testament
nameMeaningTradition woman from Lydia (the region) or Lydian woman
occupation dealer in purple cloth
merchant
placeOfOrigin Thyatira
regionContext Macedonia
religion Christianity
religionBeforeConversion God-fearer
worshiper of God
residence Philippi
roleInChristianity early supporter of the Pauline mission
patron of early Christian community in Philippi
scripturalChapter Acts 16
theologicalSignificance early example of a female Christian leader or patron
example of God opening a person’s heart to the gospel
veneratedIn Christianity
Eastern Orthodox Church
Roman Catholic Church


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