Their task was to preach the Gospel, to carry the teachings of Jesus Christ into the world. However, there was considerable danger in doing so, as the new religion was not welcomed everywhere. Most of the apostles were martyred by crucifixion. Thus died Peter, Andrew, James, Philip, and perhaps Simon. Mateusz and Jakub died by being beheaded with a sword. Bartholomew was skinned and Tomasz was pierced with a spear. John was the only one to die a natural death, and after Christ was handed over, Judas committed suicide. The one who took his place also died a terrible death - Maciej was stoned to death.
The term "Apostle" is derived from the Greek word "Apostolos" meaning a messenger. According to the New Testament, Jesus Christ chose twelve disciples to become his companions and entrusted them with the mission of spreading Christianity on earth. Their number was to symbolize the rebirth of the twelve peoples of Israel, a new hope for the chosen people.
Jesus' public activity lasted several years. It began with baptism by John the Baptist on the Jordan River. Shortly thereafter, the twelve disciples were chosen to accompany Jesus until he died in agony on Golgotha, near Jerusalem. Unfortunately, most of the students also died a martyr's death. Only one of them died a natural death.
Simon Peter
Simon called Peter. He is always mentioned as the first and beloved disciple of Jesus among the apostles. He became the first bishop of Rome - the pope of the Catholic Church.
The date of his birth is unknown. He came from Bethsaida, a town on Lake Gennesaret. Simon Peter's father was John. It is known that he was married - his wife was to be St. Perpetua, and the fruit of their relationship was a daughter - St. Petronella.
He died in Rome by crucifixion. It most likely took place in 64 CE. during the persecution of Christians by Emperor Nero, accused of setting the city on fire. Some researchers locate Peter's martyrdom in AD 67, but both dates are equally uncertain. The Apostle was to tell his tormentors that he was not worthy to depart like his Teacher and that he, therefore, died by being crucified upside down.
Andrew
Andrzej was Peter's brother. At first, he was a disciple of John the Baptist, but he and his brother joined Jesus. After receiving the gifts of the Holy Spirit, Andrzej began preaching the Word of God in Byzantium. According to the legend, he reached the lands where the city of Kyiv developed in later years.
Andrew died, like his brother, a terrible death. He was taken from the Greek city of Patras between 62 and 70. He was stretched on crosses in the shape of the letter X, which is the first letter of the name "Christ" in Greek.
This form was later dubbed the "Saint Andrew's Cross" and is now displayed in front of railroad crossings as a road warning sign.
James the Greater
Another disciple of Jesus was James, known as the Greater. He was the son of Zebedee and Salome, who also occasionally accompanied Christ. James and his brother John earned their living with Peter as fishermen on the Sea of Galilee.
When Jesus sent his disciples to preach His teaching to the world, James the Greater was to go to the Iberian Peninsula, from where he soon returned to Judea, where he became the first bishop of Jerusalem.
James was the first of the apostles to die in the name of the Gospel. This took place between AD 40 and 42. He was condemned to death by the King of Judea - Herod Agrippa - and therefore his death can be considered "less terrible" or more humane if you can see it that way. Jacob died with a sword. Shortly before his death, he was to convert his executioner, and his body was supposed to miraculously reach Spain, where a special place of his worship still functions - Santiago de Compostella.
John the Evangelist
John the Evangelist's origins as a disciple of Jesus were the same as that of his brother James. He was probably the youngest of the apostles. He is spoken of as the beloved disciple of Christ, one of the most trusted. Together with his brother, they were nicknamed "sons of thunder."
Only John the Evangelist out of Christ's twelve disciples did not end his life in torment. He was fortunate enough to belong to the people who died a natural death. He died around AD 100 in Ephesus.
Philip
Philip was another of the apostles from Bethsaida. He was probably married and also had daughters.
Little is known about his fate after Christ's ascension. Even as to his death, there are several versions of her circumstances, but they are all equally terrible. He was to die in Hierapolis in 80 CE. One legend claims that he was hanged on a pole, another that he was crucified and stoned to death.
Nathanael
Apostle of two names, though sometimes considered to be two different persons. He was to be among Christ's disciple's thanks to Philip. It is known that he preached the Word of God in Armenia, India, Arabia, and also Ethiopia.
He died around 70 in what is now Armenia. It can be said without exaggeration that he passed away in torments that none of the other apostles experienced. The martyred man was stretched out on the cross and skinned alive. Then he was crucified and beheaded.
Thomas
Little is known about him, but most likely he was also a fisherman. Perhaps he had siblings and, according to some gnostic movements, was to be the twin brother of the Lord himself. Thomas functions in tradition as an "unbeliever", although a "non-believer" would be preferable. It was he who was the only one of the apostles absent during the revelation of the risen Christ, he did not want to believe the words of his companions about Jesus later.
He was one of those Christ's disciples who died far from home. He was martyred in India, where he was on a Christianization mission. He was inflicted terrible torments, taking his life by stabbing him with a pike or a sword.
Matthew - Levi
Matthew was from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth. He also had a middle name - Levi - and was the son of Alphaeus. Before joining Jesus, he was a tax collector, collecting payments from Jews for Rome.
Matthew is one of the apostles we are not sure about or where they died. We only know about them that they were martyred. In the case of Matthew, the date of death is around AD 60. The place of death is either Ethiopia or Persia. Most likely he was beheaded with a sword.
Simon the Canaanite
Simon the Canaanite also called the Zealot, is the least known of the apostles. He preached the Gospel from North Africa to Great Britain, traveling with another apostle - Jude Thaddeus.
According to sources, the disciples died in Persia or the Caucasus, and Simon could also have died in Jerusalem. They probably died by crucifixion or cutting them in two with a saw. It is worth noting, however, that on the occasion of Judy Tadeusz's death, padding with sticks is mentioned as the cause.
Jacob
Jacob, son of Alphaeus and Mary, is known as the Lesser (or the Younger). He was the brother of Juda Tadeusz. After Christ's ascension, he took care of the development of Christianity in Jerusalem, where he was to serve as a bishop.
He died a terrible death in AD 62. Fearing its importance, the Pharisees arrested him and led him to the Sanhedrin, who condemned the apostle to stone and ordered him to execute the sentence immediately. The condemning high priest, however, was effectively removed from office, although this did not restore Jacob to live.
Juda Tadeusz
Juda Tadeusz was the brother of Jakub the Younger. According to sources from the 2nd century, he was to have a wife and children. It is assumed that he was an educated person. He was one of Jesus' later disciples, and therefore the Scriptures devote less space to him.
There are several versions regarding his death. Due to the fact that he accompanied Simon on some journeys, it is sometimes considered that the apostles died together. However, it is sometimes considered that they died separately - Juda Tadeusz was to have died a martyr's death in Lebanon or in Persia around 80 AD. It is assumed that he died after being beaten with sticks.
Judas Iscariot
Judas Iscariot is always mentioned as the last of Christ's twelve apostles. Little space is devoted to his life and origins, with a greater focus on the role he contributed to Jesus' death on the cross. He was to sell the Teacher for thirty pieces of silver.
Gospel of St. Matthew reports that after Jesus was betrayed, he committed suicide. It is assumed that he hanged himself, although after Peter's words it can also be assumed that he was thrown upside down from a mountain. He died as the first of the disciples, but it is difficult to compare his death with the martyrdom to which the other apostles were subjected.
After Judas' suicide, Matthias was appointed to the group of twelve, who was also a witness of Christ's teaching from the moment of his baptism. He also joined the group of those who died a tragic death for their faith. After many people were converted, he was accused of blasphemy and brought before the Sanhedrin. There he was sentenced to stoning. There are, however, the writings of the Fathers of the Church according to which he was to die a natural death.
Apart from John, who died a natural death, the other apostles died as martyrs. The trust that Jesus Christ placed in them and their evangelizing missions led them to be martyred in the name of the Christian faith. Like many other Christians, not only in the first centuries of the development of this religion.
Bibliography:
- Bosak P. C., Jesus Christ and the Apostles, Petrus, Kraków 2020
- https://brewiarz.pl/czytelnia/swieci/10-28.php3 (accessed: March 4, 2021)
- Kelly J. N. D., Encyclopedia of Popes, State Publishing Institute, Warsaw 1997
- The Holy Bible of the Old and New Testaments, Pallottinum, Poznań - Warsaw 1971
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