Special Assemblies in Prayer.
It seems that groups of earnest saints met in different places, and pleaded in sincere prayer to God to spare their leader's life. Indeed, "prayer was made without ceasing of the Church unto God for him." It is thought by some historians that among those who were thus supplicating the Lord were Paul and Barnabas who were probably in Jerusalem at that time.
At Mary's House.
One of the principal meetings was held at the house of Mary the mother of John Mark, who many years after, wrote the Gospel, according to St. Mark.
ST. PETER IN PRISON.
"The angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison."
While we leave them in solemn prayer on the night before Peter was to be killed, let us go back to the prison, and see what is happening there.
An Angel Appears to Peter.
While Peter lay sleeping on his pallet of straw, "behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison." Evidently, the guards were asleep, and neither saw nor heard anything for the angel touched Peter on the side, and raised him up saying, "Arise up quickly."
As Peter complied, his chains fell off his hands. Then the angel said to him: "Tie your girdle around your waist, and put on your sandals."