Feast Day of Saint John, The Apostle and Evangelist
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The Feast Day of Saint John, The Apostle and Evangelist is celebrated on December 27th.
Saint John, The Apostle and Evangelist
Saint John the Apostle, the son of Zebedee and Salome, was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus. John was called to be an Apostle by our Lord in the first year of His public ministry. He is considered the same person as John the Evangelist, John of Patmos and the Beloved Disciple.
John's older brother was St. James the Great, another one of Jesus' Twelve Apostles. Jesus referred to the brothers as "Boanerges," meaning "sons of thunder." John is believed to be the longest living apostle and the only not to die a martyr's death.
John is known as the author of the Gospel of John and four other books in the New Testament - the three Epistles of John and the Book of Revelation. The authorship of the Gospel is credited to the "disciple whom Jesus loved," and John 21:24 claims the Gospel of John is based on the "Beloved Disciple's" testimony.
-Catholic.org
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Saint John, the beloved Disciple
John, along with Peter and James, were the only witnesses of the raising of Daughter of Jairus, and the closest witnesses to the Agony in Gethsemane. John was the one who reported to Jesus they had "'forbidden' a non-disciple from casting out demons in Jesus' name." This prompted Jesus to state, "he who is not against us is on our side."John and Peter were the only two apostles sent by Jesus to make preparations for the final Passover meal, the Last Supper. During the meal, Saint John sat next to Jesus, leaning on him rather than lying along the couches.
John was the only one of the Twelve Apostles who did not forsake the Savior in the hour of His Passion. He stood faithfully at the cross when the Savior made him the guardian of His Mother.
After the Assumption of Mary, John went to Ephesus, according to Church tradition. He later became banished by the Roman authorities to the Greek Island of Patmos; this is where he allegedly wrote the Book of Revelation. It is said John was banished in the late 1st century, during the reign of the Emperor Domitian, after being plunged into boiling oil in Rome and suffering no injuries. It is also said that all those who witnessed the miracle in the Colosseum were converted to Christianity. Emperor Domitian was known for his persecution of Christians.
The "beloved disciple" died in Ephesus after AD 98.
-Catholic.org
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In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came to be through him, and without him nothing came to be. What came to be through him was life, and this life was the light of the human race; the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
John 1: 1-5
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The Gospel According to John
There is ample evidence for crediting Saint John the Apostle as the author of this Gospel. Although never identified by name, the author refers to himself as "the disciple whom Jesus loved"and states that he is an eyewitness to the events he relates (cf. John 19:35; 21:19-24). The early Church Fathers identified Saint John overwhelmingly as this beloved disciple. The comparison of certain passages that have parallels in the Synoptic Gospels also seem to identify this unnamed disciple as Saint John. Certain awkward transitions and chronological discrepancies within the text have led some to speculate that this Gospel was assembled from a collection of accounts written over the course of years and perhaps edited by someone other than Saint John while at the same time testifying that the testimony belongs to the beloved disciple.
What is the date of the Gospel of John?
The date of composition has been suggested as anywhere from AD 60 to later than 150, but most scholars place its writing between AD 90 and 100. Saint Ignatius of Antioch appears to have known about Saint John's Gospel by about AD 107. Tradition has Saint John writing his Gospel from Ephesus.
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What are the main themes of John's Gospel?
If Luke is the most eloquently structured Gospel, John is perhaps the most poetic. St. John's stated purpose was to prove that Jesus is the Son of God, the source of life for those who believe in him (cf. John 20:31), a point he emphasizes with his beautiful prologue about the Word of God becoming flesh (cf. John 1:1-18). In so doing, he takes Gospel events reported by the other Evangelists to a new and deeper level, often with additional details. He is more interested in theological reflection than in mere narrative; for example, he offers the beautiful Bread of Life discourse (cf. John 6:35-58), but does not repeat the words of the institution of the Eucharist at the Last Supper. He also quotes a lengthy address of Christ at the Last Supper about the meaning of his New Commandment of Love, illustrating its theme of service with his account of the washing of the disciples'feet (cf. John 13:1-17).
Saint John, more than any other Evangelist, speaks explicitly of the Blessed Trinity and of how every human person is called to become a son or daughter of God. This is accomplished by coming to know God through faith, receiving rebirth in Baptism, and receiving spiritual nourishment in the Eucharist. -
Why the symbol of the Eagle?
Saint John is often depicted in art as the author of the Gospel with an eagle, symbolizing "the height he rose to in his gospel."
He is called the Apostle of Charity, a virtue he had learned from his Divine Master, and which he constantly instilled by word and example.
Saint John is the patron saint of love, loyalty, friendships, and authors.
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What is apostolic succession?
Apostolic succession is the transmission by means of the sacrament of Holy Orders of the mission and power of the Apostles to their successors, the bishops. Thanks to this transmission the Church remains in communion of faith and life with her origin, while through the centuries she carries on her apostolate for the spread of the Kingdom of Christ on earth.
-Compendium, CCC
LEARN MORE about Apostolic Succession
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