A month specially dedicated to the Apostles - H.G Dr. Geevarghese Mar Julios

According to Church calendar, the month June comes in the fifth period of the liturgical year and known as the Pentecostal period. The Church experiences the renewal power, charisma of the Holy Spirit. This is also the time of remembrance of the early developments of the Church. Virgin Mary, the mother of God, Apostles, Martyrs, Fathers and Mothers in Faith are specially remembered in this season. The Apostles Fast, also called the 13 day Fast, is observed from June 16 to 29. On 29th the Church celebrates the Feast of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, the great leaders in Faith. The following day, June 30, is the Feast of all Apostles. Their witness through their self-less ministry and martyrdom is the strong citadel of the Church for all times. Being witnesses of the Charisma of Pentecost, we too should experience the Power of Resurrection like them. This is why we, as a witnessing and living Church, observe the Apostles? Fast.

The twelve Apostles (excluding Judas Iscariot and including Mathias) and Paul, the Apostle of the Gentiles bring the number to thirteen. The Greek term "Apostle" means "being sent". They were commissioned and sent to the four corners of the world for spreading the Gospel of Christ. The Apostleship is thus given to the Church by the Holy Spirit. This is why we say; "we believe in One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church". Out of this authority and virtue, the Church officiates and dispenses the Holy Sacraments. We should keep always in our mind that we are the apostles and ministers of the Church in given contexts. The Apostles' Fast is a great call and opportunity to redefine and dedicate our apostleship of Christ in Holy Spirit by the blessing of God the Father.

The Gospel says: "And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease. Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him”. (St. Mathew 10: 1-4)

What did they do in their lives? The answer could be their Mission and Witness of Christ and that through the growth of the Church in all corners of the world. While we remember them during this period of Apostles Fast and Feast, we may recollect their fruitful lives from the pages of the tradition of the Holy Church. Though their great lives and works can not be summed up even huge volumes, I would like to give a very brief sketch just as an introduction to their great lives.

Peter: Simon, son of Jona, born in Bethsaida, brother of Andrew, a fisherman; called Cephas or Peter by Christ, named first in the listings of Apostles in the Synoptic Gospels and Acts of the Apostles; with James the Greater and John, witnessed the raising of Jairus' daughter to life, the transfiguration, the agony of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemani; was the first to preach the Gospel in and around Jerusalem and was the leader of the first Christian community there; established a local church in Antioch; presided over the Council of Jerusalem in 51(Acts. Ch. 15); wrote two Catholic Epistles to the Christians in Asia Minor; was martyred at Rome by upside-down crucifixion June 29th in 64 or 65 during the Neronian persecution. In art, he is depicted carrying two keys, symbolic of his primacy in the Church.

Andrew: Born in Bethsaida, brother of Peter, disciple of John the Baptist, a fisherman, the first Apostle called; according to legend, preached the Gospel in northern Greece, Epirus and Scythia, and was martyred at Patras about 70; in art, is represented with an x-shaped cross, called St. Andrew's Cross; is honored as the patron of Russia and Scotland.

Mathew: A Galilean, called Levi by Luke and John and the son of Alphaeus by Mark, a tax collector, one of the Evangelists; according to various accounts, preached the Gospel in Judea, Ethiopia, Persia and Parthia, and was martyred; in art, is depicted with a spear, the instrument of his death, and as a winged man in his role as Evangelist.

Thomas (Didymus): Notable for his initial incredulity regarding the Resurrection and his subsequent forthright confession of the divinity of Christ risen from the dead; according to tradition, preached the Gospel in places from the Caspian Sea to the Persian Gulf and eventually reached India where he was martyred near Madras about 72; Thomas Christians trace their origin to him; in art, is depicted knelling before the risen Christ, or with a carpenter's rule and square.
Philip: Born in Bethsaida, the same town as Peter and Andrew; according to tradition, preached the Gospel in Phrygia where he suffered martyrdom by crucifixion.
Bartholomew (Nathaniel): A friend of Philip; according to various traditions, preached the Gospel in Ethiopia, India, Persia and Armenia, where he was martyred by being flayed and beheaded; in art, is depicted holding a knife, an instrument of his death. From Christ himself we learn that Nathaniel is a true Israelite and that there is no duplicity in him.

John: A Galilean, son of Zebedee, brother of James the Greater, a fisherman, probably a disciple of John the Baptist, one of the Evangelists, called the "Beloved Disciple"; Mary was commended to his special care by Christ; the fourth Gospel, three Catholic Epistles and Revelation bear his name; according to various accounts, lived at Ephesus in Asia Minor for some time and died a natural death about 100; in art, is represented by any eagle, symbolic of the sublimity of the contents of his Gospel.

James: A Galilean, son of Zebedee, brother of John (with whom he was called a "Son of Thunder"), a fisherman; first of the Apostles to die, by the sword in 44 during the rule of Herod Agrippa; there is doubt about a journey legend says he made to Spain and also about the authenticity of relics said to be his at Santiago de Compostela; in art, is depicted carrying a pilgrim's bell.

Simon: Called the Cananean or the Zealot; according to legend, preached in various places in the Middle East and suffered martyrdom by being sawed in two; in art, is depicted with a saw, the instrument of his death, or a book, symbolic of his zeal for the Law.

Jude Thaddeus: One of the Catholic Epistles, the shortest, bears his name; various traditions say he preached the Gospel in Mesopotamia, Persia and elsewhere, and was martyred; in art, is depicted with a halberd, the instrument of his death. Jude is so named by Luke and Acts. Matthew and Mark called him Thaddeus.

James the Less: Son of Alphaeus, called "Less" because he was younger in age or shorter in stature than James the Greater; one of the Catholic Epistles bears his name; was stoned to death in 62 or thrown from the top of the temple in Jerusalem and clubbed to death in 66; in art, is depicted with a club or heavy staff.

Matthias: A disciple of Jesus whom the faithful 11 Apostles chose to replace Judas Iscariot (Acts of the Apostles1:15- 26); uncertain traditions report that he preached the Gospel in Palestine, Cappadocia or Ethiopia; in art is represented with a cross and a halberd, the instruments of his death as a martyr.

Paul: Born at Tarsus, of a tribe of Benjamin, a Roman citizen; participated in the persecution of Christians until the time of his miraculous conversion on the way to Damascus; called by Christ, who revealed himself to him in a special way; became the Apostles of the Gentiles, among whom he did most of his preaching in the course of three major missionary journeys through areas north of Palestine, Cyprus, Asia Minor and Greece; 14 epistles bear his name; two years of imprisonment at Rome, following initial arrest in Jerusalem and confinement at Caesarea, ended with martyrdom, by beheading, outside the walls of the city in 64 or 67 during the Neronian persecution; in art, is depicted in various ways with St Peter, with a sword, in the scene of his conversion.