Bab_Kisan References

Bab Kisan ( Arabic: بَابُ كِيسَانَ, romanized: Bāb Kīsān, meaning "Kisan Gate") is one of the seven ancient city-gates of Damascus, Syria. The gate, which is now located in the southeastern part of the Old City, was named in memory of a slave who became famous during a conquest by the Caliph Mu'awiya. The wall was built during the Roman era and was dedicated to Saturn. Bab Kisan may have been the escape route of St Paul.^[1]

According to the Bible, Paul settled in Damascus after having claimed (Acts 9:1–9) to have witnessed a vision where Jesus was on a road to the city. After staying three years in Damascus, he went to live in the Nabataean kingdom (which he called " Arabia") for an unknown period, then came back to Damascus, which by this time was under Nabatean rule. After three more years (Gal. 1:17;20), he was forced to flee the city under the cover of night (Acts 9:23;25; 2 Cor. 11:32ff) after explosive reactions from Jews who opposed his teachings. He was lowered down from a window in the wall, down into a basket, and with the help of his Christian disciples, he made his escape at night and fled towards Jerusalem. Paul recounts in the Bible that it was through a window that he escaped from a certain death (2 Cor 11,32-33). That is said to be the one in the Chapel of Saint Paul.