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Also known as:
Apostle of Charity; Beloved
Apostle; Beloved Disciple; Giovanni Evangelista; John the Divine; John the
Evangelist
Memorial: 27 December (Roman Catholic); 8 May (Greek Orthodox)
Profile
Son of Zebedee and Salome. Fisherman. Brother of Saint James the Great,
and called one of the Sons of Thunder. Disciple of Saint John the Baptist.
Friend of Saint Peter the Apostle. Called by Jesus during the first year
of His ministry, and traveled everywhere with Him, becoming so close as to
be known as the beloved disciple. Took part in the Last Supper. The only
one of the Twelve not to forsake the Savior in the hour of His Passion,
standing at the foot of the cross. Made guardian of Our Lady by Jesus, he
took her into his home. Upon hearing of the Resurrection, he was the first
to reach the tomb; when he met the risen Lord at the lake of Tiberius, he
was the first to recognize Him.
During the era of the new Church, he worked in Jerusalem and at Ephesus.
During Jesus' ministry, he tried to block a Samaritan from their group,
but Jesus explained the open nature of the new Way, and he worked on that
principle to found churches in Asia Minor and baptizing converts in
Samaria. Imprisoned with Peter for preaching after Pentecost. Wrote the
fourth Gospel, three Epistles, and possibly the Book of Revelation.
Survived all his fellow apostles.
Traditional stories:
Emperor Dometian had him brought to Rome, beaten, poisoned, and thrown
into a cauldron of boiling oil, but he stepped out unharmed and was
banished to Patmos instead.
When John was en route to preach in Asia, his ship was wrecked in a storm;
all but John were cast ashore. John was assumed dead, but 2 weeks later
the waves cast him ashore alive at the feet of his disciple Prochoros.
When John denounced idol worship as demonic, followers of Artemis stoned
him; the rocks turned and hit the throwers.
He prayed in a temple of Artemis; fire from heaven killed 200 men who
worshipped the idol. When the remaining group begged for mercy, he raised
the 200 from the dead; they all converted and were baptized.
Drove out a demon who had lived in a pagan temple for 249 years.
Aboard ship, he purified vessels of sea water for drinking.
Ceonops, a magician, pretended to bring 3 dead people come to life; the
"people" were actually demons who mimicked people so the magician could
turn people away from Christ. Through prayer, John caused the magician to
drown and the demons to vanish.
Once a year his grave gave off a fragrant dust that cured the sick.
Born: unknown
Died
c.101 at Ephesus (modern Turkey); a church was built over his tomb, which
was later converted to a mosque
Name Meaning: God is gracious
Patronage
against poison, art dealers, Asia Minor, authors, bookbinders,
booksellers, burns, diocese of Cleveland, Ohio, compositors, editors,
engravers, friendships, lithographers, diocese of Milwaukee, Wisconsin,
painters, papermakers, poisoning, printers, publishers, tanners, Taos New
Mexico, theologians, typesetters, writers
Representation
book; cauldron in allusion to his being a martyr in will but not in deed;
chalice with a serpent in allusion to the cup of sorrow foretold by Jesus;
chalice; eagle in his role as evangelist; serpent
Writings
canonical Gospel According to Saint John
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