Lydia

Lydia was a businesswoman from the city of Thyatira who sold purple goods (Acts 16:14). She was living in Philippi, a Roman colony in Macedonia, when she encountered the apostle Paul and his companions. Lydia is described as a worshiper of God, suggesting that she was a Gentile who followed the Jewish faith. When Paul preached the gospel, the Lord opened her heart to respond to his message (Acts 16:14). Lydia and her household were baptized, becoming the first recorded converts in Europe (Acts 16:15). She then invited Paul and his companions to stay at her home, demonstrating her hospitality and eagerness to support the spreading of the gospel (Acts 16:15). After Paul and Silas were released from prison, they visited Lydia's house and met with the believers before departing from Philippi (Acts 16:40). Lydia's conversion and her role in hosting the early church in Philippi highlight the importance of women in the early Christian movement and the gospel's appeal to people from various backgrounds.