Apostle Evodus
The holy, glorious, all-laudable Apostle Evodius (also known as Euodios of Antioch, Euodus, Euodias, Evodias, Evodios) is numbered among the Seventy Apostles, and was first bishop of Syrian Antioch, after the holy Apostle Peter. He is commemorated by the Church on September 7 with Apostle Onesiphorus. The Apostles of the 70 were chosen and sent by the Lord Jesus Christ himself to preach. They were chosen some time after the selection of the Twelve Apostles (Luke 10:1-24). All seventy are commemorated by the Church on January 4.
Hieromartyr Ignatius the God-Bearer, disciple of the holy Apostle John the Theologian, mentions him in his Letter to the Antiochians: "Remember your blessed father Evodius, who was made your first pastor by the Apostles."
In one of St. Evodus' several compositions, he wrote that the Theotokos gave birth to the Savior of the world at the age of fifteen. Other writings of the saint have not survived. A book entitled The Star or The Beacon is mentioned by the fourteenth-century Church historian Nicephorus Callistus.
St. Evodius served as bishop for 27 years and died as a martyr in the year 66, under the emperor Nero (54-68).
Apostle Evodus | ||
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Preceded by: St. Peter |
Bishop of Antioch c.53-c.68 |
Succeeded by: St. Ignatius |