Categorically untrue, especially for the Orthodox. :) For example:
Gal 3:27-29 : 27 ... for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
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Not only did Paul not know Jesus in person, but by the time he died, I seriously doubt he even met Mary or if he did meet her he probably did not take extra time to honor the Mother of the Man he claimed was his God.
It is not Biblically sound to imply that the relationship between Christ and Paul was "less than" that with the other Apostles. Their "in person" relationship was very close. Unless one wants to call Paul a liar, he is very specific that his teachings came not from any man, but directly from Christ. Since he is by far the most prolific writer of the NT, I would call that a pretty special and close relationship.
On what would you base your assumptions about Paul if he met Mary? It's kind of funny because I actually agree with you that he would not have treated Mary with the veneration and devotion given by the Apostolic Church today. I'll bet we would have different reasons for that. :)
Not only did Paul not know Jesus in person,
= = =
LOL.
So it was an imposter who met him on the Damascus road and taught him in the wilderness???
LOL.