Feast of Saint James the Apostle in Spain Home Calendar Holidays Spain Feast of Saint James the Apostle Feast of Saint James the Apostle in Spain Many people in Spain celebrate the life and deeds of James, son of Zebedee, on Saint James' Day (Santiago Apostol), which is on July 25. Saint James was one of Jesus' first disciples. Some Christians believe that his remains are buried in Santiago de Compostela in Spain. Santiago de Compostela Cathedral is situated in Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, Spain. The cathedral is the reputed burial-place of Saint James the Great, one of the apostles of Jesus Christ. Santiago de Compostela Cathedral is situated in Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, Spain. The cathedral is the reputed burial-place of Saint James the Great, one of the apostles of Jesus Christ. ©iStockphoto.com/Javier García Blanco What Do People Do? Many events are organized on and before Saint James' Day in the Basque Country and Galicia. These include: Special church services to honor the life and work of Saint James. Exhibitions of art work by artists born or living in or near Santiago de Compostela. Theatre productions and street shows.

Concerts of modern and traditional music, including bagpipe performances. Traditional dance events held outside. Special services are held in the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela on July 25. Church officials swing a large incense burner at full speed during this service. They fill the whole church with incense smoke. Public Life Saint James' Day is a public holiday in the autonomous communities of the Basque Country and Galicia on July 25. Public life is generally quiet. Many businesses and other organizations are closed. Many stores are closed but some bakers and food stores may be open. Public transport services generally run to a reduced schedule, although there may be no services in rural areas. Large events may cause some local disruption to traffic, particularly in Santiago de Compostela. Regional or local authorities may move the public holiday to a different date, particularly if July 25 falls on a Sunday. If July 25 falls on a Tuesday or Thursday, many businesses and organizations are also closed on Monday, July 24, or Friday, July 26. In the rest of Spain, July 25 is not a public holiday.

Background St James, son of Zebedee, was an apostles and a brother of John the Apostle, according to Christian belief. He lived at the same time as Jesus. He may have traveled to the area that is now Santiago de Compostela. St James was beheaded in Judea in the year 44 CE. Some Christians believe that his disciples carried his body by sea to Padrón on the Galician coast. They then buried his body under what is now the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela. St James' relics were discovered sometime between 791 CE and 842 CE. Santiago de Compostela then became a place of pilgrimage. Pope Leo XIII asserted that the relics of St James at Compostela were authentic in a papal bull. This papal bull was published on November 1, 1884. Symbols Common symbols of St James include a traveler's hat and a scallop shell. The scallop shell is used to mark a network of pilgrimage routes. These routes lead to the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela from many European countries, including: Austria. Portugal. Switzerland.

Thousands of people walk, cycle or ride a horse along the pilgrimage routes to Santiago de Compostela each year. Many people hope to arrive just before Saint James' Day. Feast of Saint James the Apostle Observances Select another year-range: Apostles, where buried Dictionary of Phrase and Fable — A Apostles, where buried According to Catholic legend, seven of the Apostles are buried at Rome. These seven are distinguished by a star (*). ANDREW lies buried at Amalfi (Naples). BARTHOLOMEW,* at Rome, in the church of Bartholomew Island, on the Tiber. JAMES THE GREATER was buried at St.Jago de Compostella, in Spain. JAMES THE LESS,* at Rome, in the church of the Holy Apostles. JOHN, at Ephesus. JUDE,* at Rome. MATTHIAS,* at Rome, under the altar of the Basilica. PAUL, somewhere in Italy. PETER,* at Rome, in the church of St. Peter. PHILIP,* at Rome. SIMON or SIMEON,* at Rome. THOMAS, at Ortona (Naples). (?

Madras.) MARK THE EVANGELIST is said to have been buried at Venice. LUKE THE EVANGELIST is said to have been buried at Padua. N.B.—Italy claims thirteen of these apostles or evangelists— Rome seven; Naples three, Paul somewhere in Italy, Mark at Venice, Luke at Padua. Apostles of Abyssinians, St. Frumentius. (Fourth century.) Alps, Felix Neff. (1798–1829.) Ardennes, St. Hubert. (656–730.) Armenians, Gregory of Armenia. (256–331.) English, St. Augustine. (Died 607.) St. George. Ethiopia. (See Abyssinians.) Free Trade, Richard Cobden. (1804–1865.) French, St. Denis. (Third century.) Frisians, St. Wilbrod. (657–738.) Gauls, St. Irenæus (130–200); St. Martin. (316–397.) Génilles, St. Paul.

Germany, St. Boniface. (680–755.) Highlanders, St. Columb. (521–597.) Hungary, St. Anastatius. (954–1044.) Indians (American), Bartolomé de Las Casas (1474–1500); Rev. John Eliot. (1603–1690.) Indies (East), St. Francis Xavier. (1506–1552.) Infidelity, Voltaire. (1694–1778.) Ireland, St. Patrick. (372–493). Netherlands, St. Armand, Bishop of Maestricht. (589–679.) North, St. Ansgar or Anscarius (801–864); Bernard Gilpin. (1517–1583.) Picts, St. Ninian. Scottish Reformers, John Knox. (1505–1572.) Slavs, St. Cyril. (Died 868.) Spain, St.James the Greater.

(Died 44.) Temperance, Father Mathew. (1790–1856.) Yorkshire, Paulinus, bishop of York and Rochester. (597–644). Wales, St. David. (480–544.) The Twelve Apostles. The last twelve names on the poll or list of ordinary degrees were so called, when the list was arranged in order of merit, and not alphabetically, as now; they were also called the Chosen Twelve. The last of the twelve was designated St. Paul from a play on the verse 1 Cor. xv. 9. The same term is now applied to the last twelve in the Mathematical Tripos. Apostle of the Sword. So Mahomet was called, because he enforced his creed at the point of the sword. (570–632.) Prince of the Apostles. The Twelve Disciples James was a son of Zebedee. Because there were two disciples named James, he is usually referred to as James the Greater.

(This was probably because he was the physically larger of the two men.) He and his brother John were also brother disciples, and they came from the same village and were fishermen with Simon Peter and Andrew. Because of their fierce loyalty and faith - and hot tempers - Jesus called them the "sons of thunder." James spread the Good News in Spain after Pentecost, but returned to Judea about 40 A.D. King Herod Agrippa (grandson of the Herod in the Christmas story) saw the Christians as a threat, and directed an oppressive persecution. James continued to openly preach the Good News, which resulted in his arrest and an order of execution. He was stabbed and beheaded in 44 A.D. James' martyrdom is the only one described in the New Testament, and he was the first of the disciples martyred for his faith. About 800 A.D. his remains were returned to Spain, where they are buried at St. James Church, Compostela, Spain. He is the Patron Saint of Spain. Image of James the Lesser taken from John was also the son of Zebedee, and became a disciple with his brother James.

He became known as the "beloved disciple" and was the only one who stood by Jesus after his arrest. He was with Jesus' mother Mary at His crucifixion. The Bible includes the Gospel of John, three epistles, and the Book of Revelation all written by John. There is a story that the Roman Emperor Domitian had John thrown into a vat of boiling oil, but John was not harmed. He was then exiled to the island of Patmos for a year. He spent the rest of his life in Ephesus, where he died in 100 A.D. John is the only disciple who escaped martyrdom. A church was erected over his grave, which later became a Muslim mosque. The ruins of the basilica constructed by the Emperor Justinian, and the gravesite of John, can be visited today. Image of John the Evangelist by Aiden Hart Philip was from the same place as Simon, Andrew, James and John and was called by Jesus the day after Simon became a disciple. He was married with three daughters when he chose to follow Jesus. He immediately told his friend Nathanael (Bartholomew) about Jesus, and he became a disciple, too.

After Pentecost Philip was a missionary in Greece and what is now Syria. Both he and another Christian missionary named Philip the Evangelist lived and worked around Hieropolis in Greece, and have often been confused. The disciple Bartholomew joined Philip in his ministry. Although Philip lived to an old age, he was crucified by Roman soldiers under the urging of the local Jewish heirarchy. Bartholomew was also sentenced to death but avoided execution. Philip's remains were later removed from Hieropolis and moved to Constantinople, and then to the Basilica of the Apostles in Rome. There has always been some doubt among historians as to whether these were actually the remains of Philip the Apostle or were really those of Philip the Evangelist. In 2011, archeologists reported finding the tomb of Philip the Apostle in Hieropolis. The design of the tomb and writings on the walls seem to prove that this is the true resting place of the apostle Philip. Portrait of Philip by Peter Paul Rubens Bartholomew was from Galilee and is generally believed to also have been known as Nathanael, the disciple that Philip brought to Christ.

After Pentecost Bartholomew's ministry brought him to India (perhaps with the disciple Thomas), Ethiopia, northern Greece, and western Turkey. He was preaching the Good News with his friend and fellow disciple Philip when both were arrested and ordered executed. Philip was crucified but for reasons that are not clear Bartholomew was ordered removed from the cross and released. Bartholomew and fellow disciple Thaddeus are credited with bringing Christianity to Armenia. They are the Patron Saints of the Armenian Apostolic Church. Thaddeus is said to have healed the Armenian king, Polymius. Bartholomew instructed Polymius and converted him to Christianity. The king's brother Astyages and the other noblemen were deeply angered by this and, when this disciple of Christ refused to give up his faith, Astyages ordered Bartholomew's execution. It was a horrible death. He was flayed (skinned alive) and then crucified upside down. The Monastery of St. Bartholomew in Armenia is said to have been built at the place where Bartholomew was martyred.

Like many of the other apostles, his remains were moved from Armenia to Constantinople and then to Rome, where his body is now buried at the St. Bartholomew Church. Relics are also found at Frankfurt Cathedral in Germany and Canterbury Cathedral in England. Portrait of Bartholomew by El Greco Matthew was a tax collector in Caperneum when Jesus called him to be a disciple. It is thought that he may have been part of the Jewish tribe of Levi, because that is the name used when the story of his calling is told in the Gospels of Mark and Luke The Pharisees were upset when Jesus and his disciples went to Matthew's house for a meal, because being a tax collector at that time was considered a very bad occupation. Jesus responded that He had not come to call the righteous, but to help sinners repent. After Pentecost Matthew taught about Jesus in Palestine. He wrote the Gospel of Matthew in Aramaic, which was the local language that Jesus himself had spoken. There is reason to believe that the persecution of Christians by Herod Agrippa led him to leave and travel to Ethiopia and Persia.

The circumstances of his death have been disputed, but it is generally believed that he was stabbed with a sword while preaching in Ethiopia and died of those wounds about 90 A.D. His remains are now believed to be buried at St Matthews Cathedral in Messina, Sicily. Portrait of Matthew from Thomas is most remembered because he doubted the story the other disciples told of seeing the risen Lord. When Jesus appeared again, Thomas was able to touch the wounds in His hands left by the nails of the crucifixion, and feel the wound left by the sword that had been thrust into His side on the cross. Thomas then believed with all his heart. After Pentecost Thomas first preached in Palestine, but about 50 A.D. he sailed to India, where today on the Malabar Coast there is still a community of "Christians of St. Thomas." In 72 A.D. he was martyred. Some stories say that he was killed with a spear, while others say he was tortured and then burned alive. He was first buried in Myalapore, India, and like many disciples, moved multiple times before being returned to the Cathedral of St. Thomas there. Thomas is the Patron Saint of India.

Portrait of Thomas by El Greco James the son of Alphaeus is often called "James the Lesser." He was a close family member, perhaps a first cousin, of Jesus. James was the first Bishop of Jerusalem, and officiated at the first formal Christian church service, or Holy Mass. Even though they disagreed with and were afraid of James as the leader of the Christians in Jerusalem, he was known as "James the Just" among the Jews of the city. Despite their respect for him, in 62 A.D. the Pharisees captured him and threw him from the highest point on the Temple in Jerusalem. He survived the fall, so he was then stoned to death. His remains were eventually moved to Rome and are now buried at the Holy Apostles Basilica there. James wrote the Book of James, which is described as a practical guide to living as a Christian. Martin Luther , however, was not impressed with this book and said that it was "an epistle of straw" and "of the dust" because it emphasized good works and not the Grace of God as the means to salvation. Portrait of James the Lesser by Giuseppi Vermiglio Thaddeus is now more commonly known as Jude.

He was James the Lesser's brother, so he was also a close family member to Jesus. There is a story that the king of Edessa fell very ill and asked that Jesus come and heal him. Jesus instead sent Thaddeus, giving him a cloth He had pressed against His face. Thaddeus visited the king and gave him the cloth. The king was healed and became a Christian. After Pentecost he is believed to have traveled through Mesopotamia for about 10 years before returning to Jerusalem. Thaddeus and the disciple Simon then spread the Good News in Libya and Persia, where Simon was martyred. He traveled to Armenia where he healed King Polymius of a mysterious deadly illness and converted him to Christianity. The king's brother and other nobles did not accept Christianity, and in about 65 A.D. Thaddeus (Jude) was beaten to death and then beheaded. His body was returned to Rome and buried under St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. Portrait of Thaddeus by Anthony van Dyck Simon was from Canaan.

The Eastern Orthodox church says that Simon was the Canaanite in the story of the wedding Jesus attended and at which he turned water into wine. In this version, Simon was so amazed that he left his home and new bride to follow Jesus. This story isn't commonly told in the European church. After Pentecost Simon reportedly traveled in Africa, Egypt, Persia and perhaps even Great Britain spreading the Good News. He may have been traveling with Thaddeus when he was crucified by a Syrian governor. His body was eventually entombed in the Altar of the Crucifixion at the Vatican in Rome. Some historians believe that the apostle Simon was a brother of James the Lesser and referred to as Simeon, who took over as Bishop of Jerusalem after James' death. Still others suggest that Simon was actually a brother or half-brother of Jesus (He is known to have had a brother named Simon). This is all speculation, and whether these are historically correct, just myth or confusion because of the similar names is almost impossible to figure out. Portrait of Simon by El Greco BBC Religion & Ethics - Who were the twelve disciples? Who were the twelve disciples?

The Last Supper was the final meal Jesus and 12 disciples shared together The twelve disciples, also known as the twelve apostles, were Jesus's closest followers. Disciple is a Biblical term meaning learner or pupil. They were men who travelled with Jesus and learned from him. The twelve and Jesus ate together at the Last Supper on the night before Jesus was executed. After Jesus's death, they separated and began to spread his teachings. Disciple was also used to refer to other followers of Jesus - but the 12 apostles were Jesus's closest companions before his crucifixion. There is some disagreement among Biblical scholars as to who exactly should be counted as an apostle. Paul of Tarsus called himself an apostle. He was active in the early Christian church but did not meet Jesus while he was alive - but Paul argued that he received revelation from the risen Jesus directly. Mary Magdalene, a female follower of Jesus, is often referred to as a disciple. She is also sometimes called the apostles' apostle. This article uses the names listed in the Gospel of Matthew, of the 12 main followers of Jesus during his lifetime. The Twelve Disciples What are they famous for?

What did they do after Jesus's death? How did they die? Peter, originally called Simon Peter was a fisherman who was called to be a disciple by Jesus at the start of his ministry. This took place at the Sea of Galilee according to the first three Gospels, or in Judea according to the Gospel of John. Peter's original name was Simeon or Simon, and he is also referred to in John's Gospel as "Simon, son of John". His brother Andrew was also a disciple. Peter is usually regarded as the leader of the disciples. He was singled out by Jesus to found his Church. On the night of his arrest, Jesus predicted that Peter would deny knowing him three times before the cock crowed in the morning. This happened as Jesus predicted. Peter was the leader of the early church. He appointed Matthias as an apostle to replace Judas. Peter allowed non-Jews to join the church without first having to convert to Judaism. He was arrested and imprisoned by Herod Agrippa I around AD44. An angel released him from his chains and he escaped. Christian tradition says that Peter went to Rome and founded a church, which became the Roman Catholic Church, but this is not directly stated in the Bible.

Peter is considered to be the first Pope. An early Christian document, the First Epistle of Clement, strongly suggests that Peter was martyred (killed for his faith) in Rome c AD64. The Church History, a fourth-century text, says Peter was executed by being crucified upside down. Reportedly, Peter requested this because he did not consider himself worthy of dying in the same way as Jesus. Roman Catholics believe Peter is buried in the catacombs under the Vatican but there is some theological disagreement as to the location of Peter's last resting place. Andrew Andrew, a fisherman, was the brother of Peter. Jesus called them both from their boats, telling them he would make them fishers of men. This is recorded in Matthew, Mark and Luke's Gospels. According to John's Gospel, before Andrew joined Jesus's disciples he was a follower of John the Baptist, the Jewish prophet (a person who speaks messages from God) who baptised Jesus. Legends of the early church place Andrew in the area around the Black Sea, where he spread the teachings of Jesus. Church History says he preached in Scythia, a region covering eastern Europe and western Asia.

The Bible does not describe how Andrew died, but later accounts dating from the fourth century to medieval times say he was crucified on an X-shaped cross. This became known as the St Andrew's Cross. The Catholic Encyclopaedia says that his execution was ordered by Aegeas, the Roman governor of Patras in Greece, and that Andrew was tied to the cross, not nailed. His remains were taken from Patras and moved several times, eventually being brought to Rome. In 1964 AD Pope Paul VI gave Andrew's head back to Patras. James (the Greater) James was also known as James the Greater. He was the elder brother of John. Matthew's Gospel also calls him "James the son of Zebedee". In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus nicknames James and John the "sons of thunder" for their tempers. Spanish tradition reported in the Catholic Encyclopedia says that James went to preach in Spain. James is the only apostle whose martyrdom is recorded in the New Testament. Herod Agrippa I had him beheaded with a sword. According to Spanish tradition, James's remains were brought to the city of Santiago de Compostela in northern Spain.

Christian pilgrims visit his shrine there, which by the Middle Ages was the third most important Christian pilgrimage site after Rome and Jerusalem. The pilgrimage route is now a World Heritage Site. John John was James's brother. He is also called John the Evangelist or John the Divine. He is believed to be the author of both the Gospel of John and the Book of Revelation, the last book in the Bible. John sat next to Jesus at the Last Supper with his head on Jesus's breast, as recorded in his Gospel. He referred to himself as "the disciple whom Jesus loved" rather than by name. John was present at the crucifixion and afterwards took on the care of Jesus's mother Mary. Not much is known for certain about John's life after Jesus's death. An early Church father, Irenaeus, wrote in Against Heresies c AD180 that John wrote his Gospel at Ephesus, in modern-day Turkey. John's official shrine is found there. John spent time in exile on the island of Patmos, according to a line in Revelation, which he wrote there.

A book called The Acts of John contains further stories about him, but it is considered apocryphal (of doubtful accuracy, not part of official scripture) by churches. Tertullian, a second-century Christian writer, wrote that John was plunged into boiling oil in Rome and came out miraculously unhurt. Early traditions say John did not die at all, but ascended into heaven like the Jewish prophets Enoch and Elijah, although the Catholic Church believes that he died in around AD100 "at a great age". Philip Philip is only mentioned in passing in Matthew, Mark and Luke's Gospels. The Gospel of John goes into more detail about him. He came from Bethsaida in modern-day Jordan and was a follower of John the Baptist before joining Jesus. Philip was one of the disciples who took part in Jesus's miracle of the loaves and fishes. Philip the Apostle is often confused with Philip the Deacon, another member of the early Church. Bishop Polycrates of Ephesus, writing in the late second century, claims Philip had three daughters. Another document of similar age, the Dialogue of Caius, mentions a Philip with four daughters, but this may be Philip the Deacon, or a confusion of the two.

According to Bishop Polycrates, Philip was buried in Hieropolis, in modern-day Turkey, with two of his daughters who had died of old age. This makes it likely that Philip died naturally. However, the apocryphal Acts of Philip says that he was crucified upside down in Hierapolis. Bartholomew Bartholomew may have been the man John's Gospel calls Nathaniel, who joined Jesus at the same time as Philip. The name Bartholomew means "son of Tolmai", so it is possible that Nathaniel was his given name. This is not accepted by all Christian scholars, but Pope Benedict XVI talks about them as the same man, for example in a sermon he gave in St Peter's Square in October 2006. John's Gospel describes Nathaniel as being from Cana in Galilee and a friend of Philip. Although initially prejudiced against anyone coming from Nazareth, Nathaniel let Philip take him to meet Jesus. Jesus described Nathaniel as an Israelite with no guile, and proved his power by saying he had seen him in the past under a fig tree.

John's Gospel does not explain what the fig tree incident was, or if it was a figure of speech, but this convinced Nathaniel, who immediately said that Jesus was the son of God. The 4th-century bishop Eusebius, known as the "Father of Church History", records a legend that Bartholomew preached in India and gave the Church there a treasured copy of the Gospel of Matthew written in Hebrew. In the 2nd century, when St. Pantaenus of Alexandria travelled to India, he was shown the Gospel and told Bartholomew had been there before him. Bartholomew is said to have died at Albanopolis in Armenia, where he had converted the King Polymius to Christianity and was killed by the king's brother Astyages in revenge. Most legends say his skin was flayed off his body and he was crucified upside down. Others say he was beheaded. The Catholic Encyclopedia lists both but does not give their original sources. Thomas Thomas is also called Didymus, meaning "the twin", and his full name is sometimes given as Judas Thomas. The Gospels do not give details of his life before meeting Jesus.

An apocryphal text called The Acts of Thomas suggests that he was the twin brother of Jesus and a carpenter and stonemason by profession, but this is not widely accepted. We know most about Thomas from John's Gospel. When Jesus planned to return to Judea, where he would be in danger of being put to death, Thomas bravely spoke up "Let us also go, so that we may die with him." At the Last Supper, Jesus announced that he was going to prepare a place for his disciples to be with him. Thomas did not understand and asked how they would know the way there, to which Jesus replied with his famous words "I am the way, and the truth, and the life". Thomas's most famous moment, and the source of his other nickname, "Doubting Thomas", came after Jesus was resurrected. When the other disciples told Thomas what they had seen, he refused to believe it until he saw Jesus and touched his crucifixion wounds for himself. Although Jesus rebuked Thomas for doubting, this event resulted in Thomas being the first to acknowledge Jesus's divinity aloud with the words "My Lord and my God!" Eusebius recorded that Thomas preached in Syria and Persia.

The apocryphal Acts of Thomas records that he travelled from there to India, where he converted the king of Mylapore, near Madras (modern day Chennai), and performed further miracles. Thomas is supposed to have been martyred in India, but there is no support for this, even in the apocryphal Acts of Thomas. Matthew Matthew is introduced as Levi in Mark and Luke's Gospels. It is possible Jesus named him Matthew after recruiting him as a disciple. He is sometimes also called Matthew the Publican. Jesus met Matthew in a customs house in Capernaeum, modern-day Israel. "Publican", in a Biblical context, means a man who collected taxes on behalf of the Roman Empire. In Matthew's case, he would have worked for Herod Antipas. These tax workers were figures of hatred among the Jews of Judea, so for Jesus to recruit one as a disciple was an unpopular move. In Matthew's Gospel, the first of the Gospels to be written, the author himself is not often mentioned. After meeting Jesus in the customs house, Matthew invited him and his disciples to his home for a meal. After this, he left home to follow Jesus.

The rest of Matthew's life is not recorded in the Bible. Irenaeus wrote that Matthew preached to the Hebrews. Eusebius recorded that Matthew wrote and distributed his Gospel in the Hebrew language wherever he travelled. He may have visited Ethiopia and Persia. Most sources agree that Matthew died a martyr's death, but there is disagreement about how he died. The Catholic Encyclopaedia mentions burning, stoning or beheading. James (the son of Alphaeus) James is called "St James the Less" to distinguish him from the other Apostle James. He is called "James the brother of the Lord" (Jesus) in the book of Galatians, but despite this apparent Biblical evidence he may not have been Jesus's brother by blood or even a brother-in-law from Joseph's earlier marriage. The Catholic Church considers James, and other men referred to as Jesus's "brethren", to be his close associates rather than relatives. This is partly because tradition says that Jesus's mother Mary had no other children, and partly because at his crucifixion Jesus sent Mary to live with the apostle John, which would not have been necessary if she had had other sons to take care of her.

In the book of Corinthians, St Paul records that Jesus appeared to James after his resurrection. When Paul came to Jerusalem after his conversion, he met Peter and James the brother of the Lord. James appears to have been highly placed in the Jerusalem Church: Church History records that he was their first bishop. James supported Peter in the decision to let uncircumcised non-Jews into the Church. The second-century Jewish Christian Hegesippus, recorded that James became known as "James the Just" and was very pious, never drinking alcohol or eating meat, and that he never bathed, shaved or anointed himself. The early theologian Clement of Alexandria, quoted in Church History, wrote that James was thrown from the roof of the temple in Jerusalem and "beaten to death with a club by a fuller". Lebbaeus, also called Thaddaeus or Jude Lebbaeus is also referred to as Jude in some Gospels. Jude is clearly distinguished from Judas Iscariot, another disciple and later the betrayer of Jesus.

Opinion is divided on whether Jude the apostle is the same as Jude, brother of Jesus, who is mentioned in the Gospel of Mark The Armenian Apostolic Church honours him along with Saint Bartholomew as its patron saints. In the Roman Catholic Church he is the patron saint of desperate cases and lost causes. According to tradition after Jesus's death he preached the Gospel in Judea, Samaria, Idumaea, Syria, Mesopotamia and Libya. He is also said to have visited Beirut and Edessa. According to the Armenian tradition, Saint Jude suffered martyrdom about AD 65 in Beirut, in the Roman province of Syria, together with the apostle Simon the Zealot, with whom he is usually connected. Simon Simon is known as Simon the Zealot to distinguish him from Simon Peter. His name is sometimes wrongly translated as "the Canaanite". The New Testament says nothing about Simon apart from listing him as a disciple. The apocryphal Acts of Simon and Jude describes the two disciples travelling to preach in Persia. According to his apocryphal Acts, Simon was martyred in Persia by being cut in half with a saw.

Judas Iscariot Judas was the son of Simon Iscariot. The origin of his surname may be a place name, Karioth in Judea, making him "Judas of Karioth". Another theory is that Iscariot was derived from the Sicarii, a radical Jewish group of the time that included some terrorists who fought against Roman rule. "Sicarius" is Latin for murderer or assassin. This gave rise to a minority theory that Judas, in keeping with his radical roots, wanted to provoke a conflict so that Jesus could drive out the Romans and become the ruler of the Jews on earth. This would mean that Judas was well-intentioned but had completely misunderstood Jesus's message. However, most Christians reject this idea. Judas is always the last to be mentioned in lists of the disciples. He was in charge of the group's funds and the Gospels say that he had a habit of stealing the money for himself. Judas is most famous for betraying Jesus, which resulted in Jesus's execution by crucifixion. Judas approached the Jewish authorities to make this offer and was paid thirty pieces of silver to reveal where Jesus was hiding and point him out to them.

After the Last Supper, Jesus and some of his followers went to the garden of Gethsemane. Judas guided a group of soldiers there and identified Jesus by greeting him and kissing him on the cheek. John and Luke's Gospels say that Satan entered into Judas to make him betray Jesus. The Gospels of Matthew and Mark do not mention this, giving the impression that Judas did it purely for the reward. An apocryphal Gospel of Judas says that Judas was acting under Jesus's instructions, having had secret knowledge revealed to him that the other disciples did not know. In this version, Judas betrayed Jesus in the knowledge that his death was necessary to redeem humanity. This idea is also rejected by most Christians. Although Jesus had to die, the general view is that Judas was acting selfishly and carrying out God's plan without knowing it. Matthew's Gospel says that Judas did not live to see Jesus's execution. After hearing of the death sentence, he was overcome by remorse and tried to return the bribe to the priests, ending up by throwing the money on the floor. According to Matthew's Gospel, after returning the bribe, Judas hanged himself.

The priests, who did not want to take the blood money back, used it to buy a potter's field for use as a graveyard for strangers. The field became known as Hacedalma, meaning "the field of blood". The book of Acts seems to disagree with this, saying that Judas himself bought the field with the money and "being hanged, burst asunder in the midst: and all his bowels gushed out". Share this page Apostles, where buried Dictionary of Phrase and Fable — A Apostles, where buried According to Catholic legend, seven of the Apostles are buried at Rome. These seven are distinguished by a star (*). ANDREW lies buried at Amalfi (Naples). BARTHOLOMEW,* at Rome, in the church of Bartholomew Island, on the Tiber. JAMES THE GREATER was buried at St.Jago de Compostella, in Spain. JAMES THE LESS,* at Rome, in the church of the Holy Apostles. JOHN, at Ephesus. JUDE,* at Rome. MATTHIAS,* at Rome, under the altar of the Basilica. PAUL, somewhere in Italy.

PETER,* at Rome, in the church of St. Peter. PHILIP,* at Rome. SIMON or SIMEON,* at Rome. THOMAS, at Ortona (Naples). (? Madras.) MARK THE EVANGELIST is said to have been buried at Venice. LUKE THE EVANGELIST is said to have been buried at Padua. N.B.—Italy claims thirteen of these apostles or evangelists— Rome seven; Naples three, Paul somewhere in Italy, Mark at Venice, Luke at Padua. Apostles of Abyssinians, St. Frumentius. (Fourth century.) Alps, Felix Neff. (1798–1829.) Ardennes, St. Hubert. (656–730.) Armenians, Gregory of Armenia. (256–331.) English, St. Augustine. (Died 607.) St. George. Ethiopia. (See Abyssinians.) Free Trade, Richard Cobden. (1804–1865.) French, St. Denis. (Third century.) Frisians, St. Wilbrod.

(657–738.) Gauls, St. Irenæus (130–200); St. Martin. (316–397.) Génilles, St. Paul. Germany, St. Boniface. (680–755.) Highlanders, St. Columb. (521–597.) Hungary, St. Anastatius. (954–1044.) Indians (American), Bartolomé de Las Casas (1474–1500); Rev. John Eliot. (1603–1690.) Indies (East), St. Francis Xavier. (1506–1552.) Infidelity, Voltaire. (1694–1778.) Ireland, St. Patrick. (372–493). Netherlands, St. Armand, Bishop of Maestricht. (589–679.) North, St. Ansgar or Anscarius (801–864); Bernard Gilpin.

(1517–1583.) Picts, St. Ninian. Scottish Reformers, John Knox. (1505–1572.) Slavs, St. Cyril. (Died 868.) Spain, St.James the Greater. (Died 44.) Temperance, Father Mathew. (1790–1856.) Yorkshire, Paulinus, bishop of York and Rochester. (597–644). Wales, St. David. (480–544.) The Twelve Apostles. The last twelve names on the poll or list of ordinary degrees were so called, when the list was arranged in order of merit, and not alphabetically, as now; they were also called the Chosen Twelve. The last of the twelve was designated St. Paul from a play on the verse 1 Cor. xv. 9. The same term is now applied to the last twelve in the Mathematical Tripos. Apostle of the Sword. So Mahomet was called, because he enforced his creed at the point of the sword. (570–632.) Prince of the Apostles.

Apostles, Disciples, fate and death, Thomas, Bartholomew, John, Peter, Andrew 1. INTRODUCTION Readers of the New Testament may eventually find themselves wondering about the fate of the many people that appear, especially the apostles who were so important to Jesus and to whom he gave his commission to take the Gospel to the world. Little can be gleaned from the New Testament, but other sources throw some light on what may have happened to a few of these men (and women). Of the twelve original apostles, Judas Iscariot died at the time Jesus was sentenced to death. Of the remaining eleven, there is only a New Testament account of the death of James the Greater, the son of Zebedee and brother of the apostle John some ten years later. The fate of the remainder and where they preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ comes from a variety of ancient traditions. Such traditions also apply to Matthias who replaced Judas Iscariot, and to the death of the apostle Paul. Few, if any of the traditions can be proved, but for some, the circumstantial evidence appears quite strong.

This part actually starts with John the Baptist whose fate, in contrast with most of the apostles, is documented in three of the Gospels. Map - Traditional Locations Where the Apostles Preached and Died Key: + - the traditional place(s) of death of the Apostles and John the Baptist Most of the locations where the Apostles preached and died come from various ancient traditions. Paul's travels are recorded in Acts 2. JOHN THE BAPTIST (Matthew 14:1-12; Mark 6:14-29; Luke 9:7-9) Matthew 14:1-12 - "About this time (as Jesus was being rejected in Nazareth for the second time) Herod, governor of the province (Herod Antipas, tetrarch of Galilee and Perea), heard the reports about Jesus (healing and preaching) and said to his men, "This must be John the Baptist: he has risen from the dead.

That is why miraculous powers are at work in him." For previously Herod had arrested John and had him bound and put in prison (believed to be the fortress of Machaerus in Perea), all on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip (not Philip the tetrarch of Iturea and Trachonitis). For John had said to him, "It is not right for you to have this woman." Herod wanted to kill him for this, but he was afraid of the people, since they all thought John was a prophet. But during Herod's birthday celebrations Herodias' daughter (Salome, daughter of Philip and Herodias) delighted him by dancing before his guests, so much so that he swore to giver her anything she liked to ask. And she, prompted by her mother, said, "I want you to give me, here and now, on a dish, the head of John the Baptist!" Herod was aghast at this, but because he had sworn in front of his guests, he gave orders that she should be given what she had asked. So he sent men and had John beheaded in the prison.

Then his head was carried in on a dish and presented to the young girl who handed it to her mother. Later John's disciples came, took his body and buried it. Then they went and told the news to Jesus." Mark 6:14-29 - "All this (preaching and healing of the twelve apostles) came to the ears of king Herod, for Jesus' reputation was spreading, and people were saying that John the Baptist had risen from the dead, and that was why he was showing such miraculous powers. Others maintained that he was Elijah, and others that he was one of the prophets of the old days come back again. But when Herod heard of all this, he said, "It must be John whom I beheaded, risen from the dead!" For Herod himself had sent and arrested John and had him bound in prison, all on account of Herodias, wife of his brother Philip.

He had married her, though John used to say to Herod, "It is not right for you to possess your own brothers wife." Herodias herself was furious with him for this and wanted to have him executed, but she could not do it, for Herod had a deep respect for John, knowing that he was a just and holy man, and protected him. He used to listen to him and be profoundly disturbed, and yet he enjoyed hearing him. Then a good opportunity came, for Herod gave a birthday party for his courtiers and army commanders and for the leading people in Galilee. Herodias' daughter came in and danced, to the great delight of Herod and his guests. The king said to the girl, "Ask me anything you like and I will give it to you!" And he swore to her, "I will give you whatever you ask me, up to half of my kingdom!" And she went and spoke to her mother, "What shall I ask for?" And she said, "The head of John the Baptist!" The girl rushed back to the king's presence, and made her request. "I want you to give me, this minute, the head of John the Baptist on a dish!" she said.

Herod was aghast, but because of his oath and the presence of his guests, he did not like to refuse her. So he sent one of the palace guardsman straightaway to bring him John's head. He went off and beheaded him in the prison, brought back his head on the dish, and gave it to the girl who handed it to her mother. When his disciples heard what had happened, they came and took away the body and put it in a tomb." Luke 9:7-9 - "All these things (the preaching and healing by the twelve apostles) came to the ears of Herod the tetrarch and caused him acute anxiety, because some people were saying that John had risen from the dead, some maintaining that the prophet Elijah had appeared, and others that one of the old-time prophets had come back. "I beheaded John," said Herod.

"Who can this be that I hear all these things about?" And he (Herod) tried to find a way of seeing Jesus." The twelve original apostles follow in the same order as Matthew 10:2-4 3.1 SIMON, GIVEN THE NAME PETER or CEPHAS, 'THE ROCK' - A FISHERMAN Peter worked among the Jews before he eventually reached Rome, where he was traditionally the first bishop. Along with the Apostle Paul, he may have been executed around AD64 during the persecutions of Emperor Nero, or later in AD67. Apparently he was crucified, head-down, at his own request. Later traditions claim that St. Peter's in Rome was built over his grave. Mark's Gospel is based on Peter's teaching, and Peter wrote The First Letter of Peter. Scholars still question the authenticity of the Second Letter of Peter. Apocryphal works associated with his name, but dating from the 2nd century and later include the Gospel of St. Peter and the Apocalypse or Revelation of St. Peter. 3.2 ANDREW, BROTHER OF SIMON PETER - A FISHERMAN Andrew was originally a disciple of John the Baptist.

After the death and resurrection of Jesus, claims are that Andrew preached in Achaia (southern Greece) and Scythia (Ukraine and southern Russia - St. Andrew is the patron saint of Russia), and was crucified at Patras in Achaia. A later tradition describes him as being crucified in a spread-eagled position - hence the St. Andrew's cross of Scotland. 3.3 JAMES, SON OF ZEBEDEE - A FISHERMAN (Acts 12:1-2) During the persecutions of Herod Agrippa I, King of the Jews, in c AD44, the apostle James was beheaded - 'put to the sword' (Acts 12:1-2 following). Before his death, James the Greater as he is known to distinguish him from James, son of Alphaeus, preached in Jerusalem and Judea, modern Israel. A later Spanish tradition is that James preached the Gospel there sometime before his death. Acts 12:1-2 - "It was at this time (of great famine, possibly around AD44) that King Herod laid violent hands on some of the Church members.

James, John's brother, he executed with the sword ....." 3.4 JOHN, BROTHER OF JAMES and SON OF ZEBEDEE - A FISHERMAN According to John's Gospel (19:26-27), it was probably John who took Mary, the mother of Jesus as his adopted mother. He preached in Jerusalem, and later, as bishop of Ephesus, south of Izmir in western Turkey, worked among the churches of Asia Minor. During the reigns of either Emperor Nero (AD54-68) or Domitian (AD81-96), he was banished to the nearby island of Patmos, now one of the Greek islands in the Aegean Sea. He was subsequently freed and died a natural death at Ephesus c AD100. After decades of debate, many scholars accept that the apostle John wrote the Book of Revelation, perhaps as early as c AD68-70, and that he either wrote or provided the material and theology for John's Gospel and the three Letters of John. 3.5 PHILIP Philip preached the Gospel in Phrygia (west central Turkey) before dying or being martyred there at Hieropolis.

The apostle should be distinguished from Philip the "deacon" or Evangelist, who preached to the people of Samaria and baptised the Ethiopian eunuch, Acts 8:4-8,26-39. 3.6 BARTHOLOMEW, also NATHANAEL The missionary work of Bartholomew is linked with Armenia (present day Armenia, eastern Turkey, northern Iraq, north western Iran) and India. Other locations include Egypt, Arabia, Ethiopia and Persia (Iran). Traditionally he met his death by being flayed or skinned alive, and then beheaded. Derbent, north of present day Baku on the Caspian Sea may have been his place of martyrdom. Alternatively he may have suffered this cruel fate in what is now India. 3.7 THOMAS DIDYMUS - 'DOUBTING THOMAS' Thomas may have laboured for the Gospel in Parthia (including modern Iraq and Iran), but stronger traditions link him with southern India. Indian Christians from the west coast Kerala area claim they were evangelized by Thomas, who was later speared to death near Madras on the east coast. Mount St.

Thomas, close to Madras is associated with his name. Apocryphal writings include the 3rd or 4th century Acts of Thomas, and the Gospel of Thomas. 3.8 MATTHEW, also LEVI - TAX-COLLECTOR/PUBLICAN Nothing definite is known of Matthew's career. After preaching in Judea, different traditions place his missionary work and possible martyrdom in Ethiopia or Persia. The first Gospel of the New Testament has from the earliest times been attributed to Matthew. This is now disputed by many scholars. 3.9 JAMES, SON OF ALPHAEUS Known as James the Less, to distinguish him from James the Greater, son of Zebedee, but more likely because of his smaller stature than his relative importance. He, and Jude following, should not be confused with James and Jude (or Judas), the brothers of Jesus. Most commentators treat them as separate sets of brothers. Tradition claims he first worked in Palestine (Israel) before preaching and martyrdom in Egypt. 3.10 JUDE, also THADDAEUS Jude is also confused in some sources with Jude, one of the brothers of Jesus.

He may have preached in Assyria (eastern Iraq) and Persia (Iran), before joining with Simon the Zealot and being killed with him in Persia. 3.11 SIMON THE ZEALOT or PATRIOT Simon is referred to both as the "Cananaean" and the "Zealot". The titles may refer to him being "zealous", or to his membership of one of the Jewish revolutionary movements known as Zealots. Nothing else is known about him. One tradition is that he first preached in Egypt, before joining Jude and travelling to Persia, where both were martyred. Simon may have been crucified or hacked to death. 3.12 JUDAS ISCARIOT (Matthew 27:3-10; Acts 1:18-19) Matthew 27:3-10 - "Then (as Jesus was being handed over to Pilate) Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that he was condemned and in his remorse returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and elders, with the words, "I was wrong - I have betrayed an innocent man to death." "And what has that got to do with us?" they replied.

"That's your affair." And Judas flung down the silver in the Temple and went outside and hanged himself. But the chief priests picked up the money and said, "It is not legal to put this into the Temple treasury. It is, after all, blood-money." So, after a further consultation, they purchased with it the Potter's Field to be a burial-ground for foreigners, which is why it is called "the Field of Blood" to this day. And so the words of Jeremiah the prophet came true: 'And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the value of him who was priced, whom they of the children of Israel priced, and gave them for the potter's field, as the Lord directed them' (Zechariah 11:12,13; Jeremiah 32:6-9)." Acts 1:18-19 - "(After his crucifixion and resurrection, Jesus ascends to heaven.

The disciples meet to choose a successor to Judas Iscariot, and his fate is briefly described by Luke in his Acts of the Apostles ....) This man (Judas) had bought a piece of land with the proceeds of his infamy, but his body swelled up and his intestines burst. This fact became well known to all the residents of Jerusalem so that the piece of land came to be called in their (Aramaic) language Akeldama, which means "the field of blood"." 4. MATTHIAS As a disciple from the time of Jesus' baptism through to his death and resurrection, and possibly one of the 72 sent out to preach and heal, Matthias was chosen by prayer and the drawing of lots to replace Judas Iscariot as the twelfth apostle, Acts 1:15-26. No more is heard of him in the New Testament, and the various traditions are made more confusing because of the similarity of his name to Matthew's. He may have preached and been martyred in Ethiopia, Other traditions place him in Judea, and later Cappadocia (eastern Turkey) and the Caspian Sea area. 5.

PAUL OR SAUL OF TARSUS Paul travelled widely, made at least three major missionary journeys, wrote many letters of which thirteen still exist (some scholars dispute three of them), and his life and work is touched upon in a variety of ways in his letters. On returning to Jerusalem after his third journey, he was arrested and during his subsequent trials, as a Roman citizen "appealed to Caesar" for judgement - all covered by Acts 21-26. Chapters 27 and 28 then describe Paul's voyage and journey to Rome in fascinating nautical detail. Thereafter his life, and death is a matter of conjecture and tradition. For some two years after his arrival in Rome, he was under house-arrest, before possibly being executed in the persecutions of Emperor Nero that followed the burning of Rome in AD64. If so, Paul's authorship of the three "Pastoral Letters" - 1 and 2 Timothy, and Titus - can be open to doubt. However, there are strong traditions that on appeal to the Emperor on what was a Jewish religious charge, he was acquitted.

He remained free for perhaps three years, revisiting Ephesus and other churches, and even going as far as Spain, before being re-arrested and sentenced to death. In his cell, he wrote his last letter - the Second Letter to Timothy - before execution around the year AD67. Tradition is he was beheaded at a place now called Tre Fontane in Rome, and that the church of St. Paul stands over his grave. The apocryphal "Acts of Paul" comes from the second century. They describe Paul as "a man small of stature, with a bald head and crooked legs, in a good state of body, with eyebrows meeting and nose somewhat hooked, full of friendliness; for now he appeared like a man, and now he had the face of an angel!" Tombs of the Apostles - History in the Headlines Tombs of the Apostles July 29, 2011 By History.com Staff St. Philip Martyrium in Hierapolis, Turkey Share this: Google This week, archaeologists excavating the ancient Greco-Roman city of Hierapolis, located in southwestern Turkey, reported that they found a tomb believed to be that of St. Philip the Apostle.

According to tradition, Philip died a martyr there in 80 A.D., but evidence of his grave had eluded researchers for years. Find out more about this discovery and the purported burial sites of some of Jesus’ other apostles. St. Philip Martyrium in Hierapolis, Turkey According to some accounts, Philip the Apostle was executed in the Greco-Roman city of Hierapolis, located in southwestern Turkey, around 80 A.D. Archaeologists have been searching for his grave for years. On July 27, 2011, the Turkish news agency Anadolu reported that a tomb believed to be Philip’s was unearthed among Hierapolis’ ruins. While the grave has yet to be opened, it is traditionally thought that his remains were transported to Constantinople and later to the Santi Apostoli church in Rome. St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome One of the largest churches in the world, St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome’s Vatican City was completed in 1626 and partly designed by Michelangelo. According to tradition, the original church on the site was constructed in the fourth century above the grave of Peter the Apostle, who was crucified around 67 A.D.

during the Roman emperor Nero’s persecution of Christians. While some historians question whether Peter was ever in Rome to begin with, in 1968 Pope Paul VI announced that excavations beneath the basilica had yielded the saint’s remains. Basilica of St. Andrew in Patras, Greece According to tradition, Andrew the Apostle preached in various cities along the Black Sea, setting up parishes in Russia, Greece and Constantinople. It is believed that he was crucified and buried in Patras, Greece, in roughly 60 A.D. His remains were purportedly relocated to Constantinople around 357 and then to Amalfi, Italy, where an elaborate tomb was built for him, in 1208. Some of the purported relics were returned to Patras in the 1960s and enshrined in the Basilica of St. Andrew, constructed in the Byzantine style in the early 20th century. Others are housed in several churches throughout Europe, including St. Mary’s Cathedral in Edinburgh and the Church of St. Andrew and St. Albert in Warsaw. Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Spain The destination of a pilgrimage route known as the Way of St.

James, the Romanesque cathedral of Santiago de Compostela was built in the 12th century on the site of several earlier churches. According to legend, the original ninth-century chapel marked the tomb of James, son of Zebedee, whose remains were miraculously transported there after his beheading in Judea in 44 A.D. Some theologians have questioned traditional aspects of James the Apostle’s biography, including whether he actually preached the Gospel in Spain, as well as the authenticity of the relics at Compostela. Basilica of St. John the Apostle in Ephesus, Turkey Roman Catholic tradition holds that John outlived all of the other apostles, dying in Ephesus, Turkey, around 100 A.D. It is believed that a magnificent church was built above his tomb there in the sixth century, commissioned by the Byzantine emperor Justinian I. Only ruins of the building now remain. Santhome Basilica in Chennai, India Thomas the Apostle is believed by some to have traveled as far as India to spread the Christian faith. According to tradition, he angered an Indian king by converting his wife and was speared to death in the city of Chennai.

Portuguese explorers constructed a church over his alleged burial site in the 16th century; it was then rebuilt in the Neo-Gothic style by the British in 1893. Thomas’ remains, meanwhile, were ostensibly transported to Mesopotamia in the third century and later to the Greek island of Chios before being enshrined in the Basilica of St. Thomas the Apostle in Ortona, Italy. Tags 1000+ images about The Twelve Apostles on Pinterest | The church, Christ and Transfiguration of jesus Forward JAMES: Name Meaning: Supplanter, or one who follows. James the Greater (the Elder) was one of the twelve apostles. He was a son of Zebedee and Salome, and brother of the apostle John. He was a fisherman by occupation. James the greater was a witness to the transfiguration of Jesus, the raising of Jairus' daughter and the agony of Christ. James was martyred by Herod Agrippa.

See More The 12 Apostles: Skinned, Stoned, Sawed, Burned and Beheaded | scanned thoughts scanned thoughts The 12 Apostles: Skinned, Stoned, Sawed, Burned and Beheaded (LjI) AS we remember the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ this Holy Week, have you ever wondered what happened to the 12 Apostles after Jesus died on the cross? We all know that the Romans and the powerful Jewish leaders in Jerusalem were all looking for them for being guilty “by association”. This source tells us that the Apostles (except, of course, Judas Iscariot) “… locate a ship and sailed away” to another city, leaving Jerusalem for fear of being arrested. They only came back to Jerusalem– after all the excitement and controversy quieted down– during Pentecost (originally a Jewish festival celebrating grain harvest and commemorating Moses receiving the Ten Commandments). But, according to Acts 2:1:4, while the Apostles gathered for the feast: “…Suddenly there was a noise from heaven like the sound of a mighty wind. It filled the house where they were meeting.

Then they saw what looked like fiery tongues moving in all directions, and a tongue came and settled on each person there. The Holy Spirit took control of everyone, and they began speaking whatever languages the Spirit let them speak.” That’s how they received the Holy Spirit—and soon after, they courageously left their hiding place and started preaching and performing miracles, in the name of Jesus Christ, right in the streets of Jerusalem and in different languages! Try to imagine the simplest, most quiet and easily intimidated man you know (most of the Apostles were fishermen, remember) suddenly speaking out like the smartest university professor you admire or a veteran politician on a reelection campaign trail—and you’ll get the idea on how miraculous this was. During that time according to this source, “many religious Jews from every country in the world were living in Jerusalem … they were hearing everything in their own languages.” The noise and activity attracted a huge crowd and the Apostle Peter preached a sermon to the crowd with great effectiveness that “On that day about three thousand believed his message and were baptised…” (Acts 2:41) establishing a solid and unstoppable Christian group in Jerusalem.

And as Jesus asked of them in Mark 16:14: “Go yea into all the world and preach the good news to every creature.” SO THEY DID. But where did they go? What did they do? And what happened to them? Let us use Da Vinci’s “Last Supper” (photo above) as our starting point: Bartholomew (skinned alive and beheaded)—Preached the Gospel in Mesopotamia (Iraq), Persia (Iran), Turkey, Armenia and India. He was skinned alive and beheaded at Derbent (Azerbaijan, near Russia) on the Caspian Sea by order of a local king after a majority of the people of Derbent converted to Christianity. Some of Bartholomew’s skin and bones are still kept in The Basilica of St. Bartholomew in Rome, a part of his skull is in Frankfurt, Germany and an arm is venerated at the Canterbury Cathedral in England. James, the Lesser (stoned and clubbed-to-death)—Believed to have preached in Damascus (Syria) and acknowledged as the first bishop of the Christians in Jerusalem (Israel).

Historians say he was sentenced to be stoned-to-death by the Jews for challenging Jewish Laws and for convincing some of members of the Jewish community to convert to Christianity. James died when during the stoning, one person from the crowd approached him and bashed his head with a fullers club (a piece of wood used for bashing-washing clothes). He was buried on the spot where he died, somewhere in Jerusalem. Andrew (crucified upside down on an X-shaped cross)—Preached in Georgia (Russia), Istanbul (Turkey), Macedonia and finally Greece. There in Patros, Greece, the Governor Aegiatis was angered by the apostle’s preaching and the conversion of his own family to Christianity. He ordered Andrew to renounce his faith in front of a tribunal. When Andrew resisted, the governor ordered that Andrew be crucified. He was tied upside down to an X-shaped cross with thick, tight ropes but Andrew kept preaching to spectators. He was able to convince many to accept Christianity just before he died after suffering for three days. Parts of his remains are in Constantinople (Turkey), Scotland (United Kingdom), but his skull is kept in Patras to this day.

Judas Iscariot (suicide, death by hanging)—Best known as the apostle who betrayed the Lord by divulging His location, leading to His arrest and persecution. He received 30 pieces of silver from Jewish priests for the information he gave. Prior to this, Judas served as the treasurer of the 12 Apostles; in charge of keeping the group’s budget/money. Sources could not agree on how he died. There are three accepted versions: (1) he committed suicide by hanging himself to a tree, (2) he accidentally fell on a field– head first (3) he was crushed by a passing chariot (4) he was stoned-to-death by the other 11 Apostles. But all four agree that “his bowels gushed out” (Ewwww!) on all four accounts. Authors and scholars also agree that his guilt was a major part of the cause of his death. Peter (crucified upside down)—Recognized as the head of the original Christian community in Jerusalem (Israel), he left the city when King Herod Agrippa I started to persecute all Christians in Jerusalem and ordered the beheading of the Apostle James (the Great) .

After escaping from Jerusalem, Peter preached in Judea (originally Palestine) and in Antioch (Syria) where he is historically considered as the first patriarch (bishop) of the Orthodox Church. After staying in Antioch for some time, Peter went to Rome and converted thousands into Christianity. The emperor at the time, Nero, did not like the idea of Romans becoming Christians and used the new members of the group for his amusement (e.g. feeding them to lions or wild dogs, and then burning them at stake in Rome’s coliseum—yes, the tourist spot– if they do not renounce their faith). Peter was one of the most prominent victims of this persecution. He was captured and crucified upside-down at his own request, because he said he was not worthy to be crucified the same way as our Lord. St. Peter’s body lies below the altar of St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican City, in Rome. John (thrown into boiling oil, but survived)—For most of his labours, John was with Peter in Jerusalem up until the persecution of Herod Agrippa I. During this period, scholars agree that Johh escaped and preached for sometime in Asia Minor (an area around Turkey).

Years later, scholars have traced that he went to Rome where it was believed he was persecuted with other Christians and was thrown into a cauldron of boiling oil—he miraculously survived. The Roman emperor at the time, Dominitian, decided after the incident to banish John to the island of Patmos (in Greece). When Dominitian died, John went back to Ephesus (in Turkey) where he spent the rest of his days. He died a very old man, the only Apostle to do so. Thomas (impaled by a spear)—Called by most Christians as the “Doubting Thomas” for disbelieving the Lord’s Resurrection. But after his doubts were erased by touching Jesus’ wounds, he became a fearless preacher of the Gospel and builder of churches. He was the only Apostle who witnessed the Assumption of Mary and the one of the first Apostles who preached outside the boundaries of the vast Roman Empire (out of Europe). He preached in Babylon (present day Iraq) and established its first Christian church. Then he went to Persia (Iran) and travelled as far as China and India. He was martyred in Mylapore, India when a local king named Masdai condemned Thomas to death.

The Apostle angered the Brahmins (high ranked priests/scholars who served as the king’s advisers) who thought Christianity disrespected India’s Caste System . Thomas was brought to a nearby mountain and was stabbed-to-death with a spear. He is believed to be buried around the suburb of Madras, in India. James, the Great (beheaded)—Brother of the Apostle John. He decided to preached the Gospel in Iberia (around Spain) and be the first to build a Christian foundation in the area. But according to some scholars, the Virgin Mary appeared to James and told him to return to Judea (around Israel) to help the other Apostles. He was captured and condemned to die by Herod the Agrippa 1 to please Jewish leaders who were furious at the rapid growth of the Church. James’ chief accuser was later convinced that the Apostle was indeed blessed by the Lord, he himself requested to be beheaded with James. After this, James’ body was brought back to Spain by his disciples and was buried in the area where the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela is located, which is now considered as a major religious site.

Phillip (crucified)—Preached in Greece, Syria and in Turkey (in the cities of Galatia, Phrygia and Hierapolis). Philip partnered with Bartholomew in his missions. Like all Apostles, Philip became an exceptional speaker. According to sources “Through his miraculous healing and preaching, Philip converted the wife of the Preconsul of the city” of Hierapolis. Of course, this event angered the Preconsul and ordered that both Philip and Bartholomew be tortured and crucified upside down. While on the cross, Philip continued to preach and he was able to convince the crowd and the Preconsul to release Bartholomew, while insisting that he (Philip) remained crucified. Bartholomew was released but Philip died on the cross and was later buried somewhere within the city. Matthew (burned-to-death?)—Was a rich tax collector and the most educated among the Apostles. Christian tradition says he preached in Ethiopia (in Africa), Judea (Israel today), Macedonia, Syria and Parthia (northeast Iran). Bible scholars have different versions on how he died. Some say he was either killed with a sword in Parthia or he died a natural death in Ethiopia.

The most interesting and dramatic story appeared here , where it says Matthew came to a city (unnamed) and was able to convert the family of the local king to Christianity. This angered the king and ordered his soldiers to capture Matthew. In front of a huge crowd, they nailed him unto a bed, covered his whole body with paper, oil, brimstone, asphalt and brushwood and then they set him ablaze. Matthew was able to endure the torture while praising and preaching, but eventually died “a happy death”. Everyone who touched the burnt bed after was miraculously healed and converted into Christianity, including the king who asked for forgiveness and became a staunch Christian believer. Jude Thaddeus (sawed or axed to death?)—the Patron Saint of Desperate Cases and Lost Causes was a farmer before becoming an Apostle. He was a partner of Simon the Zealot and together they preached and converted non-believers in Judea (Israel), Persia (Iran), Samaria (Israel), Idumaea (near Jordan), Syria, Mesopotamia (Iran) and Libya. It is also widely believed that Jude travelled and preached in Beirut, Lebanon. He also helped Bartholomew in bringing Christianity to Armenia.

The cause of his death in unclear because of the existence of two versions: (1) He was crucified in Edessa, Turkey; (2) He was clubbed-to-death and his body was either sawed or axed in pieces after (together with Simon the Zealot). Some sources say he was buried either in Northern Persia or the most accepted version that his remains are buried in a crypt at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. Simon the Zealot (sawed or axed-to-death?)—Before becoming an apostle, Simon was a member of the “Zealots”, a political movement rebelling against the Roman occupation of Jerusalem. Identified by some as the second Bishop of Jerusalem after James the Lesser (who was beheaded). He’s also believed to have preached in the Middle East, North Africa, Egypt, Mauritania and even Britain. His martyrdom is being debated by scholars and historians who claim Simon might have been crucified by the Romans in Lincolnshire, Britain, crucified in Samaria (Israel) after a failed revolt or sawed-to-death in Suanir, Persia with Jude Thaddeus. Sources:

Question: Which of Christ's 'Twelve Apostles' is buried in Spain?
Answer: ST. JAMES (The Great)