"YOU HAVE ALWAYS BEEN TEACHING THE NATIONS" (Mt. 28,19)

      On June 30, our Holy Church celebrates with special splendor the Synod of the Twelve Apostles. Of course, there are also their personal memories on different dates of the year, but with this collective celebration, the chorus of these great men, who as the continuation of the Lord's saving work on earth, turned the course of history and literally changed the shape of the world! We, as a conscious ecclesiastical body, know their invaluable contribution to the consolidation and expansion of the Church in the world, and for this reason, on the occasion of their seventh feast, we entrust them with our deep gratitude and thanks.

     Their holy figures are enshrined in prominent places in our churches and their mention and reference in the holy services are frequent, because they constitute the most important hagiological choir of our Church. Thanks to their own titanic struggle, their unimaginable personal sacrifices, the Church was founded in the world, in an extremely hostile environment for salvation and truth in Christ. The seal of their work was the impregnation of it with their blood. All of them gave their lives for the evangelization of the world.

       However, it is a fact that many Christians know very little about the persons and the work of the holy Apostles. This short work aims to make known the personalities and their work. But the conscious Christian is not a passive follower and follower of any leader, but an active cell of the church body with knowledge, opinion and creative initiative in the life of the Church. This is how our orthodox tradition wants him.

       The word apostle means one sent. Apostles were the disciples chosen and invited by the Lord to continue His saving work, after His Ascension to heaven. Also, according to His characteristic exhortation they became the witnesses of His Resurrection "to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1,8). 

       The election and calling of the Apostles, who until Pentecost were called disciples, took place immediately with the beginning of the public action of the Lord, in Galilee. Immediately after His Baptism He went to the shores of the Lake of Gennesaret, where He addressed the fishermen there, to whom He said:look behind me and I will make you fishers of men" (Matthew 4,20:XNUMX). These "directly master networks followed this" (Matthew 4,21:XNUMX). Others "they put their father Zebedee in the ship after the hired men went after him" (Mark 1,20).

       The disciples were appointed by the Lord in three circles, namely: the narrow circle of the twelve, the wider circle of the seventy and the widest circle of His numerous friends. Of greater importance was the circle of twelve. They were close to Him and He revealed the mysteries of God to them. They received the special grace of priesthood to perform the sanctifying and liturgical acts of the Church and to transmit it to their successors. They had the honor of being designated as the pre-eminent continuers of His work, for it was to them alone that He said:I have chosen you, and I have chosen you, that you should obey and bear fruit, and your fruit would remain(John 15,16). After the Resurrection He officially made them successors of His work:  "As the Father sent me, I send you. And when he had said this, he breathed and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit."

are held" (John 20,21). Also on the Mount of Galilee, where the eleven disciples had gathered, shortly before the Ascension he said to them: "Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you" (Matthew 28,19:20-XNUMX).   

      The Lord Jesus Christ did not choose His Apostles from the elite of the then aristocracy, or from the ranks of the politically powerful, the economically powerful, or the closed circles of the intellect, because corruption, forfeiture and arrogance were the main characteristic of these people. On the contrary, he chose them from the worthless, weak and illiterate people, who experienced the misery and the evil demon of the fall and sin better than the first ones and strongly cultivated in their souls the expectation of redemption from God. The words of the apostle Paul are typical:Because in the wisdom of God the world did not make God through wisdom... God chose the babies of the world to shame the wise, and the weak things of the world God chose to shame the strong and the rude of the world and the weak he chose God, and the non-beings, let the beings be annihilated, so that all flesh may not boast before God." (1,21 Cor. 29:XNUMX-XNUMX). The infamous origin of the Apostles is from the early Christian years until today a point of reference for all the wars of Christianity, as the alleged religion of the Paracatian people. The rotten pseudo-intellectuals would like a "philosophical" Christianity, which would fuel useless discussions in the closed circles of "spiritual people", cut off from its sanctifying and saving role. Because he does not fit their standards, therefore he is rejected by them and fought fiercely in all seasons! 

        The Holy Spirit on the holy day of Pentecost (Acts 2^ο chap.) transformed the worthless, cowardly and illiterate fishermen into wise men, into powerful personalities, into enlightened beings, who swept the world. The shocking experience of the Resurrection of the Lord and the coming of the power of the Holy Spirit gave them an unimaginable momentum. They were scattered all over the world to preach the new, hopeful and saving message of the redemption of the human race in Christ. Their hearts burning with divine zeal and their fiery preaching made people's hearts tremble with longing for redemption. The seed of the Gospel was sown by these tireless and divine workers in every part of the world, and it increased spectacularly.

        The darkness of error was dispelled by hearing the gospel truth. Superstitious tyrannical notions were cast aside before the spiritual freedom of the Christian message. These insignificant fishermen of Galilee turned the history of the world in the way of humanity, civilization and progress. The humble and despised people of the old age, who had no higher value than that of animals and things, emerged, thanks to their preaching, for the first time in human values ​​and even more, in living images of God! Many powerful people realized that their worldly power had no real value and therefore renounced it. A new unprecedented global brotherhood was born in the world, the Church of Christ, as a new reality of love and brotherhood of people and peoples in the inhuman world of sin and evil, as a means of salvation and liberation from the slavery of sin and decay.

        Humanity and modern civilization owes a great debt of gratitude to the holy Apostles. What the intellect and power of the ancient world could not achieve, the choir of the Disciples and Apostles of Christ did. But the world, unfortunately, not only did not appreciate their offer, but on the contrary, did everything they could to frustrate and tear down what they were building. The apostle Paul very graphically described the difficulties of their mission as follows:To us the last apostles proved, as mortals, that we were born into the world, both angels and men, we babies in Christ, you wise in Christ, we sick, and you strong, you glorious, and we dishonorable. Endless of the hour we hunger and thirst and we strip and we stumble and we are restless and weary working in the same fields; we are cursed we are blessed, we are persecuted we are tolerated, we are blasphemed we are begging' we were born as filth of the world, everything is boiled until arti" (I Cor. 4,9:13-15,26). These myriad difficulties, hardships, toils and above all inhuman persecutions did not deter them. Their work bore fruit, because they increased it and rented it to the Church of the Holy Spirit (John XNUMX).

      The work of the holy Apostles continued and continues through their successors. In each place, where they established local churches, they ordained bishops and elders to continue their work. St. Luke writes in the book of Acts, the book par excellence of our Church's mission:Ordaining these elders according to the congregation and adding them after fasting, he presented them to the Lord, in whom you have trusted" (Acts 14,23). This uninterrupted succession continues to this day and is characterized as an uninterrupted succession of persons and faith and that is why our Church is called Apostolic. Therefore, all those who work in the Church of Christ, clergy and laity, essentially continue the work of the holy Apostles. So great is the work they are doing!

        All of us believers of Christ and pilgrims of the holy feast of the Holy Apostles, of "Co-workers of Christ(6,1 Cor. XNUMX:XNUMX), we have a duty to give them the appropriate honor, because our holy Church is founded on these great personalities. This is confirmed by the Evangelist John, who saw in the Apocalypse the triumphant Church of Christ in heaven, founded on "twelve foundations and on them twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb» (Revelation 10,21).   

        Below are brief biographies of the Holy Apostles.

1. Peter

       This leading Apostle of Christ was a Jew and his name was Simon. He was born in the small and infamous town of Visthaida. His Father's name was Jonah. He lived in unimaginable poverty and deprivation. But he grew up in an environment of piety. His parents belonged to the few faithful pious Jews of their time, who anxiously awaited the Messiah and the messianic age in which the evil demonization of mankind would end. They passed this faith and piety on to their children. He learned little letters, apparently only knew how to read and write. His brother was the original Andreas.

      After his father's death, Peter married the daughter of Aristobulus, niece of the Apostle Barnabas, unlike Andreas, who never married. We had two children, a son and a daughter, of whom

we ignore the names. We also do not know the name of his wife. He settled in his father-in-law's house in Capernaum and practiced, together with his brother Andreas, the profession of fisherman in the adjacent lake of Gennesaret.

     After the arrest of John the Baptist, the Lord went to the parts of Galilee, to the regions around the magical lake, to preach the gospel of the salvation of the world. There he met most of his disciples, fishermen by profession, whom he invited to become henceforth "fishers of men" (Matthew 4,20:XNUMX), His accomplices in the work of saving the world.

     The enthusiastic and pious Peter cast down the nets from the first and followed Him faithfully. Because of his dynamic character and his special devotion to the Lord he deserved to have the lead over the other apostles and to speak often on their behalf. He first confessed that Christ is "the Son of the living God» (Mat. 16:17). The Lord appreciated this confession, and assured him that on this confession of faith "build my Church» (Matthew 16,18).

      He followed Christ faithfully throughout His three-year activity. At the time of His arrest He reacted violently. He also followed Him full of anguish and sorrow to the unholy court of the Jewish priesthood, although in a moment of weakness and fear he denied Him, even verbally and for this he bitterly repented and cried throughout his life (Mat.26,75) .

      He claimed to be one of the first to see the empty monument and to witness the Resurrection of Christ. This shocking event literally transformed him. His fiery sermon on the day of Pentecost caused three thousand souls to believe, to be baptized and thus to establish the historical earthly Church of Christ. 

     Then his life and action was admired. He preached with zeal and courage in Palestine and established the Church. He also performed countless miracles for the glory of Christ. For all his action he was harshly persecuted by his fellow men. He then went to Antioch and founded the local Church there, one of the most important early Christian communities. Then he toured Gaul, Cappadocia, Bithynia, Pontus, Greece. There is information that he stayed for a long time in Corinth, preaching and instructing.

       In our orthodox tradition there is no information about the end of this great Apostle. Some argue that he died a martyr's death in Antioch, old and dissolute.

       Of course, there is also the Roman Catholic tradition about Peter's transition to Rome. This tradition is disputed by many orthodox scholars, because it is based on later pseudo-inscribed texts, the so-called  "Pseudo-Clementia", which were invented by the popes in order to support the papal primacy of power in the entire Church. 

       According to this tradition Peter ended up in the populous capital of the vast Roman Empire, Rome. He founded the local church and became its first bishop. He preached day and night in the big city and managed to convert many inhabitants to Christianity. At the same time, the infamous Simon the sorcerer, known from the Acts of the Apostles (ch. 8:9), was in Rome. There, with his various tricks and magic tricks, he caused the admiration of the crowd and for that reason he gained many followers. But he found before him the true man of God, the Apostle Peter, the

who by a series of miracles exposed the deceitful sorcerer, proved him to be an accomplice of demons, and revealed the invincible power of the true God.

      In those years, the insane Nero reigned in Rome, one of the most hated and bloodthirsty dictators in history. In order to absolve himself of his personal crime of burning Rome, he attributed it to the Christians. In order to be believed, he preached severe persecution against the new faith. Thousands of Christians were arrested and led to horrible tortures and death.

        Peter, one of the leading members of the Church sojourning in Rome, became the main target of the persecutors. That is why he decided to sneak out of the city and escape. As he hurried along the famous Appian Way he saw the Lord before him, Who asked him «Quo Vadis?» that is "where are you going;". Then the fervent Apostle understood that his flight was equivalent to a new denial of Christ. So with tears in his eyes he turned back and was arrested and sentenced to death on a cross. When he was led to martyrdom he begged his executioners to crucify him upside down, with his head down, because as he said he did not consider himself worthy to be crucified like his beloved Master and God! Thus he surrendered his holy soul to Christ, and his sanctified remains were collected by the faithful and buried in a place outside the city. His solemn memory is celebrated on June 29, together with the leading apostle Paul. 

       The Apostle Peter wrote two Catholic Epistles. These, the first addressed to the Christians of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, and the second to all Christians. Through them, he tries to support the faithful in the sorrows they suffer because of their faith in Jesus Christ. 

 

2. Andreas

        O Apostle Andreas was the brother of Simon Peter, son of Iona. He was probably older than Peter. He lived with him in Capernaum and worked as a fisherman in the lake of Gennesaret (Matthew 4,18:1,29; Mark XNUMX:XNUMX). He had previously been a disciple of John the Baptist. There, near the Holy Forerunner, he acquired rare piety and learned the most important thing about the coming Messiah. He seems to have been present when John pointed his finger at the Lord and said: "Behold the lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world" (John 1,30:XNUMX). This manifestation of the Messiah apparently caused the pious fisherman to follow the Lord first, without any hesitation and hence he was called "Protoclitus" (John 1,35-41).

       The name of Andrew is mentioned in the New Testament always together with Philip, who, like him, came from Bethsaida. Together with him, he had expressed his disbelief about the satiation of the five thousand people with the five barley loaves and the two fish (John 6,6-9). It is also mentioned in the case of the plea of ​​the Greeks to see the Lord (John 12,20:22-XNUMX). For the last time the name of Andrew is mentioned in the New Testament, when he ascended with the other Apostles to the upper court of Jerusalem "praying together the prayer and the bond with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus and with his brothers" (Acts 1,13-14), where he and the others received the illumination of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2,4).

      After Pentecost it was sent to him to evangelize in Ephesus, where together with the Apostle John they preached together and established the

Church of this great city. Then, according to the historian Eusebius, he traveled and preached in Scythia. According to Saint Gregory the Nazianzus went to Byzantium, where he also founded a Church there, which is why he is considered the founder of the apostolic Church of Constantinople. From there he came to Greece and preached first in Epirus. According to Saint Jerome, he arrived in Achaia, where he founded a Church. There in Patras he was arrested by the persecutors of the pagans and suffered a martyr's death, crucified headlong on a cross shaped like the letter X, which is why this type of cross is called "Cross of Saint Andrew". His relic was kept by the Christians with reverence until the years of the Crusades, when the Latins seized it and moved it to Italy. In recent years, his holy car was donated to the Apostolic Church of Patras and is kept in his magnificent temple in the capital of the Peloponnese. His memory is celebrated on November 30.

 

3. James the Zebedee

    The Apostle James was the son of Zebedee (Mat.4,21. Mark.1,19. 3,17. Luke.5,10) and Salome (Mat.20,20.Mark.15,40.16,1) and an elder brother of the disciple and Evangelist John (Mark 5,37). He also came from Besthaida in Galilee. They were engaged in fishing in the lake of Gennesaret, together with John, having with them also their father, as well as many workers. They had their own ship and it seems that they ran a fairly robust business, with which Peter also cooperated (Luke 5,10). Nevertheless when they heard the preaching of Jesus "You put their father Zebedee in the ship after the hired men went after him" (Mark 1,20).

       James, together with Peter and John, was closest to the Lord and that is why they witnessed many great events, which the other Apostles did not experience. They became exclusive witnesses of the Transfiguration of the Lord (Matthew 17,1, 9,2 Mark 9,28, 5,27 Luke 8,51, 14,33). They saw the miraculous resurrection of Jairus' daughter (Mark 26,37:20,20; Luke 23:10,35). They had the honor of being invited by Jesus to Him during the hours of agony in the garden of Gethsemane (Mark. XNUMX. Matt. XNUMX). This intimacy apparently led James and his brother John to ask the Lord through their mother for primacy in His earthly kingdom, misunderstanding the mission of the Messiah (Matthew XNUMX:XNUMX-XNUMX, Mark XNUMX:XNUMX).

       Iakovos was characterized by lively enthusiasm and deep faith. After Pentecost he was sent to preach the Gospel in the wider area of ​​Palestine. A large number of people were converting to the new faith and changing their way of life thanks to the work of James. This particularly upset the rulers of the Jews, who arrested him and beheaded him, by order of Herod, in AD 44. (Acts 12,2). James is the first witness among the Apostles. His memory is celebrated by the Church on April 30.

 

4. John

     He was the son of Zebedee and Salome (Matthew 4,21:15,40, Mark XNUMX:XNUMX) and the brother of the apostle James. Their mother Salome was probably a relative, perhaps a cousin of the Virgin Mary, which means that the two apostle brothers were fleshly cousins ​​of the Lord and this may be their intimacy with Him, especially John, who describes himself in his Gospel as "the disciple whom Jesus loved" (John 13,23). As we mentioned about Iakovos, the

John lived with his family in Galilee and maintained a profitable and robust fishing business, having their own ship and workers (Mark 1,20). It seems that John's family was wealthy. This is inferred from the fact that Salome, his mother, was one of the disciples of the Lord, who served him from her possessions (Luke 8,3:15,40; Mark 16,1:18,15). The purchase also of the most expensive perfumes to anoint the dead body of Christ testifies to this claim (Mark.XNUMX). The fact that John also took the mother of Jesus under his own care is an indication of the financial comfort of his family. It also seems that the family of Ioannis had social recognition. The fact that he was known to the powerful and unapproachable high priest Caiaphas and thus was able to enter the council, which tried Jesus together with Peter, confirms this claim (John XNUMX).

     John was a faithful disciple of John the Baptist from an early age. With great attention he listened to the great hermit and prophet's prophecies about the Messiah. He longed for Him to come in his days and know him. One day the Baptist, having with him the two disciples of John and Andrew, saw Jesus walking nearby. Then he testified about Him, saying: "Behold the Lamb of God" (John 1,37:XNUMX). Immediately the two disciples followed Jesus and asked him where he was staying. He said to them: "come and see" (John 1,40:1,20). They saw where He was staying and stayed with Him all day. Ioannis was unimaginably moved by this meeting, that's why he made the big decision, together with his brother Iakovos. They left the fishing business and followed the Lord (Mark XNUMX).

      As we mentioned in the biography of James, John belonged to the close circle of the three disciples of the Lord. It is concluded that he was the youngest disciple of the Lord, almost a teenager. His wonderful character, his obedience, his faith and his devotion to the Lord, resulted in him being very loved by Jesus and the other apostles. Because of his rare spontaneity he was named by the Lord Boanarges (= son of thunder), as was his brother Iakovos. One day when they were passing through Samaria and the inhabitants did not accept them, he asked the Lord for fire to fall from heaven and destroy them. Of course, Christ answered them that: "Do you not see of what spirit you are? the son of man did not come to destroy souls, but to save them" (Luke 9,54:XNUMX).

        As a close disciple of Christ, he was fortunate to see the miracle of the Transfiguration of the Lord (Matthew 17,1:9,2, Mark 5,35:8,51), the resurrection of Jairus' daughter (Mark 26,37:14,33, Luke 22,8:13,25) and to experience the agony of His Teacher in the garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 18,16, 19,26, Mark 20,2, 4). Together with Peter, he was sent to prepare the Passover Dinner (Luke XNUMX:XNUMX). At the time of the Supper, he fell on the Lord's chest, begging Him to reveal to them who is a prospective traitor disciple (John XNUMX). He found the courage and attended the trial of Jesus (John XNUMX) and appeared surrounded under the cross at the horrible Golgotha. He also succeeded in becoming the protector of Theomitoros at the request of His Crucified Teacher (John XNUMX). He claimed to be the first disciple to see the empty monument (John XNUMX:XNUMX-XNUMX).

      The absurdity of the request for primacy in Christ's worldly kingdom, as he wrongly imagined it, caused the indignation of the other disciples, but apparently he immediately came to his senses (Mark 10,35:XNUMX).

       After Pentecost he stayed in Jerusalem as an important member of the Church (Gal. 2,9). Together with Peter they did, through the Lord

exquisite miracles (Acts 3, 7). They defiantly stood before the high priests and confessed Christ (Acts 4,13:22-8,14). He was sent together with Peter to Samaria to preach the word of God (Acts XNUMX).

      Later he went to Asia Minor, where he became bishop of Ephesus. In 95 AD he was exiled to Patmos, where he wrote the book of Revelation. He died of extreme old age around 100 AD in Ephesus. According to tradition, his sept relic was not found, believing that he was transferred by the Lord. His memory is celebrated on September 24.

    John wrote the Gospel of the same name, as well as the three Catholic Epistles and the Apocalypse. In these sacred writings, his exhortation to love people, as Christ taught it, is evident, which is why he was called the apostle and evangelist of love.

 

5. Philip

       He came from Bisthaida in Galilee, where Andrew and Peter came from, perhaps also Bartholomew (John 1,44:XNUMX). His name is Greek and means the friend of horses. This suggests that he was a Hellenist, that is, a Hellenized Jew. As is known the region of Galilee was called "Galilee of the Gentiles", because it had become Hellenized to such an extent that the rest of the Jews accused the inhabitants of this region of falling away from the orthodoxy of Judaism. For some others, Philip was a Greek convert to Judaism. If this claim is true the significance is very great. Philip is the representative of ethnicity in the choir of the Lord's disciples!

        Philip was probably a disciple of John the Forerunner and thus had heard of the imminent coming of the Messiah. It seems that his expectation of the expected Savior of the world was intense. It also seems that Philip was connected to Peter and Andrew and that they were connected by their common messianic hopes.

        The Gospel informs us that Jesus was looking for Philip and found him (John 1,43:XNUMX). This means that he obviously knew from the other two his messianic expectation and that is why he was looking for him to include him in the group of His disciples. Philip is one of the first disciples who followed the Lord. His testimony to his friend Nathanael is typical: "whom Moses wrote in the law and the prophets, we found Jesus the son of Joseph of Nazareth" (John 1,44:12,20). He was distinguished by his sincerity and enthusiasm for the work of his Uncle Teacher. As a Hellenist, he mediated the meeting of the Greeks with the Lord (John XNUMX:XNUMX).

      According to ancient tradition, Philip was sent to preach in Phrygia in Asia Minor. He was martyred in Hierapolis, Syria. He was crucified upside down. His memory is celebrated on November 14.      

 

6. Bartholomew or Nathanael

     His name means son of Tholomeus. Information about him in the New Testament and church tradition is minimal. His name is only mentioned in the mention of the names of the twelve apostles (Matthew 10,3, 3,18, Mark 6,14, 1,13, Luke XNUMX, XNUMX, Acts, XNUMX, XNUMX). The Church identified him with Nathanael, whose name is always mentioned with that of Philip. He was from Cana of Galilee. Obviously, the name Bartholomeus characterizes Nathanael's patronymic.

      The church historian Eusebius mentions the information that Bartholomew preached in India, where he was killed in the city of Urbanopolis. Some other information says that he preached in the Blessed Arabia, Karamania and Ethiopia. According to another tradition, at the end of his life he was found preaching in Greater Armenia, where he was captured by the pagans and put to death on a cross, head down, by order of King Astyages. His remains were enclosed in a stone sarcophagus, thrown into the sea and washed up on the Lipares islands. His memory is celebrated on June 11.

 

7. Thomas

    His name in the Aramaic language "Teoma" means twin. In the holy Gospel he is indeed given the first name "Twin" (John 11,16). The hagiographical information about Thomas is relatively few and that is why arbitrary interpretations about his person have been raised from time to time. They tried to trace whose twin brother or sister he was. Some identify him with the brother-god Judas mentioned by Matthew (13,55). In fact, the writers who oppose Christ claim that he was the twin brother of the Lord, despite the contrary testimonies of the Gospels, wanting to attack the supernatural incarnation of the Word of God! An ancient tradition, which our Church accepts, Thomas was the twin brother of a certain Lydia or Lysia. Some other tradition states that he was the twin brother of a certain Eleazar.

     Thomas came from Antioch, unlike the majority of the disciples, who were Galileans (John 21,2:10,3). He was called by the Lord to follow him and he obeyed (Mat.3,18.Mark.6,15.Luk.XNUMX). In general, he was one of the most dedicated students, distinguished by courage. When the other disciples tried to prevent Christ from going to Bethany to raise Lazarus, for fear of being abused by the fanatical Jews, Thomas defying the danger said to them: "let us also die that we may die with him" (John 11,16). At the same time, he was also relatively rationalist. At the Last Supper he did not hesitate to ask the Lord: "Lord, do we not see where you belong and how can we find the way?" (John 14,5:XNUMX). He was also a skeptic and a skeptic. In order to believe in the Resurrection of the Lord, he asked to have tangible confirmation, to feel with his own hands the wounds of his teacher. After the palpation he confessed with enthusiasm and spontaneity: "My Lord and my God" (John 20,28).

      Ancient tradition states that he preached the Gospel in Persia and the vast country of the Indies. To this day, he is considered the enlightener of these countries. The end of his life was martyrdom. The fanatical pagans put him to death with a spear. His memory is celebrated on October 6.        

      Three apocryphal texts of 2 have survived in the name of Thomas^th AD century. These are undoubtedly pseudo-inscribed texts of ancient heretical gnostics, who, wanting to give authority to their heretical beliefs, attributed them to the apostle Thomas.  

 

8. Matthew

      His name is a contraction of Mattathias, meaning "gift of God." He came from Galilee and was the son of Alphaeus called Levi (Mark 2,14, Luke 5,27). We do not know if this is the father of Jacob the so-called little one, it is probably another person.

He lived in Capernaum and worked as a publican, i.e. a contractor tax collector on behalf of the Roman conquerors. Publicans were usually cruel, inhuman and greedy. They often committed acts of injustice and extortion, having the Roman authorities as a cover. For these reasons he was despised by the Jews.

      Capernaum was a great trading city, which brought great benefits to Matthew the publican. But apparently this was a well-intentioned man and perhaps he had heard of Jesus' preaching. One day when the Lord was passing through Capernaum, he saw Matthew "sitting on the tollbooth" and said to him: "follow me" and then immediately he got up and followed him (Matthew 9,9:5,29). Then he invited him to his house, where he served him a rich meal to thank him for the honor of speaking to him and calling him to Him (Luke XNUMX). The meal was apparently also to say goodbye to his partners, after he left forever the toll and sinful transactions and worshiped Christ forever, after "many publicans and sinners came and joined Jesus and his disciples" (Matthew 9,10:XNUMX).

      His subsequent life close to Christ did not remind him in any way of his previous sinful life. He was a prudent and faithful disciple of the Lord. After Pentecost, tradition says that he preached for twelve years in Palestine and then went to the nations. He preached fervently in Ethiopia, Arabia, Persia, Media, and perhaps Macedonia. He ended his life in torture, but unknown where. His memory is commemorated on November 16.

      According to the tradition of our Church, the apostle Matthew is the author of the first Gospel. It was written by him for the purpose of making it known to his fellow Jews that the expected Messiah of the Old Testament is Jesus of Nazareth.

 

9. James the Younger of Alphaeus

    A different person from the choir of the apostles with that name. To distinguish him from James of Zebedaeus, he was called Alphaeus or little. He was the son of Alphaeus or Cleopas (Matt.10,3.Mark.3,18.Luke.6,15.Acts 1,13) and Mary, relative of Theomitoros (Matt.27,56.Mark.15,15,40 , 24,10. Luk. XNUMX, XNUMX). Some argue that he was the brother of Matthew, due to their fathers surname Alphaios, it is probably another person. Some others mistakenly identify him with Adelfotheos Iakovos.

     Unfortunately we do not know more about his life. His memory is celebrated on October 9.

 

10. Thaddeus or Levite

      The name of the apostle Thaddeus is mentioned by the Evangelist Mark (3,18). Matthew refers to him as Levite, whose surname Thaddeus is. But combining the lists of the Gospel of Luke (6,16) and Acts (1,13) we conclude that the three apostolic names Thaddeus, Levite and Judas are the same person. So his real name was Judas and Leviaeus and Thaddeus was his surname.

     Some want to identify Judas - Thaddeus with the brother-god Judas, who also wrote the Catholic Epistle of the same name. This is a dubious and arbitrary assumption, without serious foundations in the hagiographical texts and church tradition.

      Further information about the life and activity of the apostle Thaddeus is minimal. 2 was released in his name^ο or 3^ο century apocryphal text entitled: "The Acts of the Apostle Thaddeus or Levite", which is better known as "Edessine Acts". This perhaps echoes an ancient tradition that Thaddeus preached in the parts of Edessa in Mesopotamia. This reinforces the fact of the reverence towards his person by the Christians of this region. His memory is celebrated on August 21.

 

11. Simon the Canaanite or Zealot

     The apostle Simon had the surname Canaanite, or Canaanite, which was not indicative of his descent from Canaan or Cana of Galilee. The word “Canaanite» is Chaldean and means "Zealot». Indeed Luke names him as "Zealous» (Luke 6,15; Acts 1,13). Zealots were a distinct social class in Jewish society at the time of Christ. They consisted of popular fighters, who fought against the Roman conquerors, continuing the tradition of the Maccabean rebels. But often, many of them took advantage of the liberation struggle and became tyrants of their own people. They committed illegal acts of violence and robbery for the same benefit and for this reason on 1^ο century AD popular discontent had developed against the Zealot movement. The robbers who crossed paths with the Lord were zealous.

     We do not know whether Simon belonged to the portion of the zealots or came from it. Most likely they came from the zealots. In no case could it have belonged to the zealots at the same time, because the zealot movement was contrary to the teaching of Christ. There is another case for Simon. It is possible that it had nothing to do with the zealots and the nickname "Zealot» to mean the ardent disciple of Christ.

     Some identify Simon with the bridegroom at the wedding of Cana, where the Lord performed His first miracle, turning water into wine (John 2,1-11). This claim has no historical basis and is an arbitrary assumption.

    There is insufficient information about Simon's action. His memory is celebrated on May 10.                                             

 

12. Matthias

      The apostle Matthias is the twelfth apostle, who was chosen from the eleven apostles to take the place of the traitorous disciple Judas Iscariot. Immediately after the Ascension, the apostles gathered and at the instigation of Peter "they set up two men, Joseph, who was called Varsavan, Justus, who was called, and Matthias, and adding, they said, 'O Lord, who knows the heart of all, choose one of these two, let him receive the lot of this ministry and mission, hence he passed away. Judas marches to the place itself" (Acts 1,23-26). So they cast lots. "The lot fell on Matthias, and he was voted in after the eleven apostles" (Acts 1,26).

      The New Testament does not mention anything else about the apostle Matthias. In all probability he belonged to the wider circle of the 70 apostles. An ancient church tradition states that he preached first in Judea and then went to Ethiopia, where he met a martyr's death on a cross at the hands of the pagans

of this country. Another tradition states that he was killed in Sebastopol and another in Jerusalem. His memory is celebrated on August 9.    

   

The Apostle Paul

      The great Apostle of the Gentiles Paul did not belong to the chorus of the twelve Apostles. He did not know the Lord while he lived on earth, but he was later revealed to him and he was called to be His apostle, being an opponent of the Church.

      Our Church characterized the Apostle Paul as the "First after One", i.e. the most important man on earth after Christ and as the "precious vessel of Christ". Rightly so, because this great Apostle offered the Church of Christ the most invaluable services in Her history! This is Her essential founder in the nations, to the ends of the earth!

      We derive the information about the life and work of the great Apostle from the book of "Acts of the Apostles" and from his Epistles, but also from other very ancient extra-biblical testimonies. We quote the following passages as examples: Acts 9,1-29, 22,3-21,26,9-20, Gal.1,13-24, A΄Cor.15,8, Eph.3,8, Phil.3,12, etc. His missionary work is described in chapters 13^ο - 28^ο of the book ofActs of the Apostles". 

       He was born around 15 AD. in Tarsus of Cilicia from Inull parents, who came from the tribe of Benjamin. His name was Saul or Saul and he also had the Roman name Paul. His wealthy parents gave their studious son a high education. Also, the remarkable Hellenistic spiritual climate of Tarsus had a positive effect on the formation of his personality. Both his father and Paul belonged to the sect of the Pharisees. This means that from an early age he had cultivated in his restless soul a fervor and zeal for his faith.

     Around 34 AD he found himself in Jerusalem studying with the famous law teacher Gamaliel (Acts 22,3). The young Pharisee disciple showed special zeal for the salvation of his religion. We find him a participant in the stoning of the First Martyr Stephen (Acts 7,54:XNUMX) and a little later a fanatical persecutor of Christians. We read in the sacred text:Saul went into the church house by house and delivered every man and woman to prison. (Acts 8,3). Because of his excessive zeal and hatred against the believers of Jesus, he asked the high priest to be placed at the head of a detachment, which would march towards Damascus, in order to exemplarily punish the Jews there who had become Christians and drag them bound to Jerusalem (Acts 9,1).

       But on the way the great miracle happened. The persecutor Paul saw a blinding light, which threw him from his horse and blinded him. At the same time he heard a voice saying to him:Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me??". The horrified Paul asked:There you are, Lord?” and answered: "I am Jesus whom you are persecuting, but get up and enter the city, and it will be said to those who see you" (Prov. 9,4-6). This shocking event literally shook Paul, he repented and after entering the city he met with the head of the Church, Ananias, who healed him of his blindness, catechized him and baptized him. Chronologically, this event probably took place in AD 36.

      From then on Paul put himself at the service of the Church. After careful preparation he undertook to Christianize the gentiles, that is, the non-Jews.                      

      Accompanied by worthy associates, such as Barnabas and Mark to some extent, Paul set out in AD 48. his first great apostolic tour, which is detailed in 13^ο and 14^ο funds of "Acts of the Apostles". Their first stop was Salamis and then Paphos in Cyprus, where they preached and founded churches. Then they traveled to Asia Minor and toured the cities of Perga in Pamphylia, Antioch in Pisidia, Iconium, Lystra, Derbe and elsewhere. Despite all the difficulties they encountered and the persecutions they suffered, their preaching was successful. In all the cities they established local churches. Through Antalya they returned to Antioch, where "gathering together the congregation, they announced what God had done with them and that he had opened the door of faith to the nations" (Acts 14:27).

      He then took part in the Council of Jerusalem (AD 48), which resolved serious missionary issues (Acts 15^ο chap.). Pavlos played a decisive role in this. He managed to convince that the mission of Judaism is over and that God's grace comes to every person who joins Christ.  

     Then with his associate Silas he departed for his second apostolic tour, which is described in 16^ο , 17^ο and 18^ο chapters of "Acts of the Apostles". Through Syria and Cilicia he toured the Asian cities of Derbe and Lystra. There he met the pious and fervent young man Timotheus, who took him with him. They passed through Phrygia, Gaul, reached Mysia and then Troas. Following a vision they passed into Macedonia and founded churches in Philippi, Thessaloniki, Berea, Athens and Corinth, in which they stayed about a year and a half in the house of Aquila and Priscilla. With the end of the second tour, Paul arrived in Ephesus and from there via Caesarea to Jerusalem. He then returned to Antioch to rest. 

       Soon he undertook to carry out his third apostolic tour. It is described in 19^ο and 20th chapters of "Acts of the Apostles". He visited Gaul, Phrygia and ended up in Ephesus, where he stayed for three years teaching and supporting the church of this great Asian city. Then he came to Troas, passed again to Philippi, Thessaloniki, Berea, perhaps Epirus and ended in Corinth, where he stayed three months.

        Through Troas, Miletus and Caesarea he reached Jerusalem again. There he was arrested as a rioter and brought to trial (Act. 21^ο chap.). As a Roman citizen (Rom.11,1) he demanded to be tried in the imperial court of Rome. That is why he left as a captive by coastal ferry for the capital of the empire. Near the island of Melitis the ship was wrecked and they went ashore where he preached and founded a church there as well. He finally arrived in Rome, where after two years of relative confinement he was tried and acquitted (Acts 27^ο and 28^ο chap.). At this point the holy book of "Acts of the Apostles".

        From Rome he sailed to Crete, where he left his chosen and faithful colleague Titus as bishop, went up to Corinth, in Macedonia and probably visited Nicopolis in Epirus in the Autumn of 66 AD, where he overwintered (Titus 3,12) . Then he again passed into Asia, where he left his beloved companion Timotheus, having made him bishop of Ephesus. The fourth and last tour of the great apostle ended in the West. According to the testimony of St. Clement of Rome, he reached the far reaches of the West, in Spain. Then defeated and crushed by the hardships, he ended up in Rome. He understood his end and wrote to his beloved disciple Timotheus:

«I am already spending and the time of my analysis has appealed" (4,6 Tim. 8-67). The persecutions against the Christians, which had been preached by the insane Nero, were in full swing. Paul became the main target of the pagan executioners. So around AD XNUMX he was captured and beheaded, thus sealing his titanic missionary work with his martyrdom.

       This great Apostle also left us fourteen letters, which occupy an important place in the Canon of the New Testament. These are: 1) to Romans, 2) to 3 Corinthians, 4) to 5 Corinthians 6) to Galatians, 7) to Ephesians, 8) to Philippians, 9) to Colassaians, 10) to 11 Thessalonians, 12) to 13 Thessalonians, 14) to XNUMX Timothy, XNUMX) to XNUMX Timothy, XNUMX) to Titus, XNUMX) to Philemon and XNUMX) to Hebrews.  

      His solemn memory is celebrated together with that of the other great apostle Peter on June 29.

EPILOGUE

          As all religions, philosophies, different social groups have their own personalities, which contributed to their formation, so our holy Church has its own holy persons, who put their personal stamp on the foundation, development and the consolidation of lifesaving presence in the world. They are the countless clouds of Her saints, who in the two-thousand-year journey have given, are giving and will give Her "good fight" (4,5 Tim. XNUMX) for the will of God to prevail "as in heaven and on earth" (Mat. 6,9-13), to extend His Kingdom to all the worlds, to eradicate the inherent evil from the divine creation together with its incarnate, the devil. They fought and are fighting so that all human existences may be redeemed in Christ and that the human race may be elevated to its God-given goal, to its deification by grace.

        Pioneers in this titanic struggle were the holy Apostles, who were sent by the Lord "among wolves" (Mat.10,16) to announce the gospel of salvation to all nations. That is, to meet in "there is no shadow of death" (Mat. 4,16) seated humanity that the great God of love wished the world to be saved through Jesus Christ. To proclaim with all the strength of their soul that "Ugh, there's no salvation anyway" (Acts 4,12), demonstrating that worldly schemes are insufficient to truly and universally save the human race. They had no fame, no money, no education, no noble birth, no recommendations, and no other help when they were sent to the nations. But they had something incomparably superior to all of this: the fervor of the Holy Spirit, Who transformed them on the holy day of Pentecost in the court of Jerusalem and made them precious vessels of His grace, all-illuminated intellectual luminaries, shining landmarks for the peoples of the world. They also had something else, just as important: the shocking experience of their three-year discipleship near the Lord Jesus Christ, His holy life, His super-perfect teaching, His infinite miracles and above all His glorious resurrection from the dead. Having these spiritual resources they achieved the impossible: to collapse and transform humanity. They achieved in a short time what human power and intelligence did not achieve since the beginning of history, literally changing its course!

      Of course, this was not achieved without a price. The work of transforming the world was sealed with their honest blood. The holy Apostles hold a double honorary status in the section of the saints of our Church: Apostle and Martyr, which is why they enjoy such great honor from the faithful!