St.Peter.
Feast: June 29
Crucified,
head down by Nero
| A Galilean fisherman, the chief Shepherd of Christ's flock, was chosen by Him to be the Prince of the Apostles, and the Rock upon which He was to build His indestructible Church. Symbol: Crossed keys, silver and gold keys signify Saint Peter's divinely-given power of binding and loosing. |
St.Andrew.
Feast: November 30
Crucified
| A follower at first of John the Baptist, then of Christ. Brother of Saint Peter, he preached the Gospel in Asia Minor and then in Greece, where he was crucified. Symbol: transverse cross, on which he was crucified. |
St.John.
Feast: December 27
Died of old age
| The Apostle Jesus particularly loved, because of his great innocence and purity. It was to the care of this apostle that the crucified Christ entrusted His Blessed Mother. He was also one of the four Evangelists and the younger brother of Saint James. Symbol: Chalice, an allusion to Christ's words concerning Saint John: "Of My cup you shall indeed drink." |
St.Philip.
Feast: May 3
Crucified
| A Galilean, is remembered for telling Nathanael that he had found the Messiah, and for taking him to Christ. His preaching took him to Phyrgia, where he suffered martyrdom. Symbol: Latin cross, Saint Philip is pictured carrying the cross of Christ, which was the theme of his preaching |
St.Bartholomew
Feast: August 24
Flayed alive
| Believed to be the Nathanael whose innocence and simplicity won high praise from the lips of Christ when Philip brought him to our Lord. He suffered and died in Armenia. Symbol: Knife, the instrument which was used to flay him alive. |
St.Thomas
Feast: July 3
Pierced with lance
| Famous for his refusal to believe that Christ had risen until he touched the wounds of His hands and side. Saint Thomas is said to have evangelized parts of Persia and India. Symbol: Builder's square, from an ancient story that Saint Thomas built a palace for King Guduphara in India. |
St.Matthew
Feast: September 21
Beheaded
| Was a wealthy tax collector of Capharnaum when he was called to follow Christ. The first Gospel was written by him. He preached in Ethiopia, where he died a martyr's death. Symbol: Ax, the instrument of his beheading. |
St.James the Less
Feast: May 3
Clubbed to death
| Was the brother of of Saint Jude and a cousin of Jesus. While serving as Jerusalem's first bishop, he was arrested by the Jews and killed by being hurled down from the Temple roof. Symbol: Fuller's club with which he was beaten after being thrown from the Temple roof. |
St.Jude
Feast: October 28
Axed to death
| A brother of Saint James the Less and a cousin of Jesus. Wrote an Epistle of the New Testament. Patron saint of "hopeless" situations. Symbol: Halberd, this long-handled and ax-like weapon was used by the Persian executioners of Saint Jude. |
St.Simon
Feast: October 28
Sawed into pieces
| The brother of James and Jude, is surnamed the Zealot. He and Saint Jude are said to have preached in Egypt and Persia, and to have suffered martrydom for the faith in Mesopotamia. Symbol: Saw, he was martyred by being sawed into pieces. |
St.Matthias
Feast: May 14
Pierced with lance
| Followed Jesus from John's baptism to the Ascension, was chosen to take the place of Judas aong the Apostles. Little is known with certainty of his life and martrydom. Symbol: Lance, the weapon of his martyrdom in southern Asia. |
St.James the Greater
Feast: July 25
Beheaded
| Saint James was the older brother of Saint John the Evangelist. Together they were known as the sons of Zebedee. James is called James the Greater because another younger apostle was named James, also. James is the patron saint of hatmakers, rheumatoid sufferers, and laborers. |
