CORNELIUS
(kor neel' yuhs) GREEK: KORNELIOS
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The Roman centurion Cornelius was apparently the first Gentile to become a Christian. In the book of Acts, Luke dwells on the story of Cornelius's conversion by Peter, placing it just after the conversion of Saul (Paul) - though the mission to the Greeks in Antioch may have taken place somwhat earlier.
Even before his conversion, Cornelius was sympathetic to the Jews among whom he was stationed and worshiped one God. In a vision at Caesarea, an angel appeared to the centurion and told him to summon Peter, who was then staying in Joppa. The next day, Peter himself had a vision, which occurred three times and which he interpreted as meaning that it was permissible for him to eat foods that Jews considered unclean. He then concluded that, just as no food was unclean, no person could be considered unclean either: Gentiles were as free as Jews to receive Jesus's teachings.
Peter was taken by the centurion's messengers to Caesarea, where Cornelius told him of the angel's summons. While Peter was preaching about Jesus, Cornelius and his fellow Gentiles began "speaking in tongues and extolling God" (Acts 10:46), a demonstration that they had been visited by the Holy Spirit and thus chosen for baptism. The brethren in Jerusalem were scandalizes by Peter's association with the uncircumcised, but he silenced their criticism by saying, "who was I that could withstand God?" (Acts 11:17).
{E2 Dictionary of Biblical People}