12 Apostles

  • Witnesses to the Resurrection: St Andrew

    Name: St Andrew Death: St Andrew was tied to an X shaped cross, surviving for three days, in Patras, Achaia. Mid to late 1st century AD. Feast Day: November 30 Patronage: Scotland, Greece, Russia, Sicily, Ukraine, Georgia, Barbados, fishermen, singers, rope-makers, butchers, pregnant women, protection against fever, whooping cough...
  • Witnesses to the Resurrection: St James the Lesser

    Name: St James the Lesser Feast Day: May 3 Patronage: The Dying, Hat makers, Pharmacists, Uruguay Death: 62AD, Jerusalem. Stoning. Shrine: Basilica of the Twelve Holy Apostles, Rome Scripture and Life: Tradition holds that St James the Lesser was a strict ascetic and prayed so much that his knees were...
  • Witnesses to the Resurrection: St Simon the Zealot

    Name: St Simon the Zealot Death: Late 1st or early 2nd century AD. Disputed location and circumstances. One tradition holds he was sawed to death. Feast Day: October 28 Patronage: Sawyers, Tanners, and Curriers Customs: Bread of the Dead is prepared on this day in some cultures. Shrine: Altar...
  • Witnesses to the Resurrection: St Jude Thaddaeus

    Name: St Jude Thaddaeus Feast Day: October 28 Death: 1st century, AD. The location and circumstances are disputed. Patronage: Armenia, lost causes, hospitals, Chicago Police Department, the Philippines Customs: Praying for impossible causes to St Jude Shrine: Altar of St Joseph, St Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City. Life Story and...
  • Witnesses to the Resurrection: St John the Beloved

    Name: St John the Beloved Feast Day: December 27 Patron: Wine, Authors, Eagles, Love, Friendship, Loyalty Death: ~98 AD. Natural causes. Shrine: Ephesus, Basilica of St John. The Basilica was converted into an Islamic mosque in the 14th century, during the Turkish conquest of Magna Graecia. It is now...
  • Witnesses to the Resurrection: St Matthew

    Name: St Matthew Death: Late 1st century AD, disputed death. Feast Day: September 21 Patronage: Accountants, Tax Collectors Customs: Salerno celebrates the arrival of St Matthew’s relics each year. Shrine: Cathedral of St Matthew, Salerno, Italy, since 954AD. Life Story and Scripture: “Born in Caphernaum. He was a tax-gatherer...
  • Witnesses to the Resurrection: St James the Greater

    Died: Jerusalem, 42 AD. Beheaded at the order of Herod Agrippa. Feast Day: July 25 Patron: Spain, Shells, Pilgrimages Shrine: Santiago de Compostela Scripture: James the Greater was son of Zebedee and Salome and brother of St John the Evangelist. As a ‘son of thunder’, he was styled ‘the Greater’ to...
  • Witnesses to the Resurrection: St Bartholomew

    Name: St Bartholomew Death: Armenia? Arabian peninsular? Feast Day: August 24 Patronage: Armenia, Plasterers, Nervous diseases Shrines: Basilica of St Bartholomew, Benevento; Basilica of St Bartholomew on the Island, Rome. Life story and Scripture: St Bartholomew was born in Cana and lead to Christ by St Philip. “Bartholomew” is...
  • Witnesses to the Resurrection: St Matthias

    Name: St Matthias Death: Late 1st century, disputed location and circumstances. Feast Day: May 14 Patronage: Tailors, alcoholics, protection against smallpox, Trier Shrine: St Matthias Abbey, Trier, Germany Life Story and Scripture: St Matthias was elected to “receive this office of ministry and apostleship which Judas abandoned to go...