Saint of the Day - Saint Onesiphorus (September 6th)
Channel: House of Prayers for Everyone (HOPE)
Date: 2023-09-05

Every September 6th, the Roman Catholic Church commemorates the Feast Day of St. Onesiphorus (September 7th in the Orthodox Church).

Seventy Disciples

According to Orthodox tradition, Saint Onesiphorus was one of the seventy disciples chosen and sent by Jesus to preach. They were chosen sometime after the selection of the Twelve Apostles as mentioned in Luke 10:1:

"After these things, the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come."

2 Timothy

The persecution of Christians during Roman Emperor Nero’s reign made Rome a dangerous city for Christians. However, it never hampered Onesiphorus' hospitality and kindness. He never turned his back nor deserted St. Paul at the time when he was being persecuted, and the latter praised him for this courage.

In 2 Timothy 1:16-18, Paul sends a greeting to the man’s household in Ephesus and refers to the help he showed Paul earlier in Ephesus. Timothy, who led the Ephesian church, is familiar with these acts. Paul's praise of Onesiphorus is significant because it was written shortly before Paul's death as a final encouragement to Timothy.

16 The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus; for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain:

17 But, when he was in Rome, he sought me out very diligently and found me.

18 The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day: and in how many things he ministered unto me at Ephesus, thou knowest very well.

Paul spoke of Onesiphorus, wished blessings upon his house (family), and mercy for him "in that day", suggesting that Onesiphorus was already dead at the time of the correspondence.

Towards the end of the same letter, in 2 Timothy 4:19, Paul sends greetings to "Priscilla and Aquila, and the house of Onesiphorus". Paul's reference to Onesiphorus is cited by Catholics as one of the early examples of prayer for the dead.

Life and Works

St. Onesiphorus was the Bishop at Colophon (Asia Minor), and later at Corinth. Based on tradition, Onesiphorus has made a 1000-mile journey over 3 large bodies of water, from one continent to another, from Ephesus (Turkey) to Rome (Italy), to visit Paul in prison, so as to comfort him.

Both the Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches hold that he died a martyr in the city of Parium (not far from Ephesus) on the shores of the Hellespont.

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Image attributed to the following:
- By Ikonopisatelj - http://chattablogs.com/aionioszoe/archives/70Apostles.jpg, Public Domain, Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons