Sts. Aquila and Priscilla

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Long before basilicas crowned cities or canon law shaped parish life, the Gospel spread through homes—homes rooted in truth, sacrifice, and love. Few early saints lived this more beautifully than Saints Aquila and Priscilla, a married couple whose fidelity and fearless witness helped build the foundation of the Church.

Aquila, a Jewish tentmaker from Pontus, and his wife Priscilla were exiled from Rome under Emperor Claudius’s expulsion of Jews in A.D. 49. They resettled in Corinth, where they met St. Paul, who shared their trade—and their fire for Christ. The two welcomed Paul into their home and became his co-laborers, both in work and in the Gospel.

Later, in Ephesus, their home became a house-church—a place of catechesis and refuge. When Apollos, a gifted preacher, needed correction, they stepped in: "They took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.” (Acts 18:26)

They were not clergy. They were a married couple whose love for Christ and each other formed a school of discipleship for the early Church. St. Paul honors them in Romans 16: “Greet Prisca and Aquila… they risked their necks for my life. Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles give thanks to them.”

Today, marriages are under siege.

• 40–50% of all first marriages in the U.S. end in divorce.

• 60–67% of second marriages do.

• Among devout Catholics who attend Mass weekly, the divorce rate drops to around 20–25%.

• Weekly churchgoers of any denomination are 47% less likely to divorce than non-attenders (Harvard).

• Nominal Christians have divorce rates as high as secular couples.
  (Source: APA, CARA, Barna, Harvard)

But here’s the most stunning stat:
➡️ Couples who pray together daily have a divorce rate of less than 1%.
➡️ Some studies suggest the rate is 1 out of 1,152 couples (Scott Kedersha).
Prayer—real, intentional, consistent prayer—protects, unites, and sanctifies.

Marriage is not just a relationship—it’s a sacrament, a covenant that reflects Christ’s unbreakable love for His Church. The Catechism teaches: “The grace of the sacrament of Matrimony is intended to perfect the couple’s love and to strengthen their indissoluble unity.” (CCC 1641) Through this grace, spouses are called to help one another get to Heaven, and to raise their children in the Catholic faith. Marriage is the beginning of a mission—not just to love—but to lead, to serve, and to sanctify.

The enemy knows that the quickest way to cripple the Church is to destroy the family. His tactics are everywhere: modern feminism, the sexual revolution, pornography, contraception, abortion, and gender confusion. He attacks the Domestic Church because he fears its power.

Catholic parents: your home is the front line of the battle. You are the primary catechists of your children. Your task cannot be outsourced. Your marriage is a mission field. Teach the faith. Live the sacraments. Pray together every day.

And if you're single and discerning marriage: choose a Catholic spouse. It’s already hard to live faithfully in this world. Divided belief in marriage makes that journey even harder. Marry someone who wants the Eucharist, loves the Rosary, goes to Confession, and wants to raise saints with you.

Saints Aquila and Priscilla,
faithful spouses, fearless teachers, protectors of the Domestic Church,
pray for us—
that our homes may be sanctuaries of truth,
our marriages rooted in grace,
and our children raised for Heaven.