Index

SOME OF THESE LACK RELIABLE SUPPORT, BUT THEY HAVE BEEN COMMONLY RETOLD AS THE TRADITIONAL STORIES OF THE APOSTLES’ DEATHS

ANDREW

Andrew was martyred in the year 70 bound to a cross in Patrae (Patras to day) a sea-port in the Peloponnesus, in western Greece on the Gulf of Patras. He preached to his persecutors until he died. He may have been the first bishop of Byzantium (Constantinope) Believed to be buried at Amalfi.

BARTHOLOMEW

Bartholomew was martyred in 44 in Armenia by being flayed alive. He was associated with the spread of the gospel in Lycanonia (an ancient county in southern Asia Minor) India, and Armentia (an ancient country in western Asia, part of the Soviet Union in its time, Northwest of Iran and east of Turkey.) He is believe to be buried in the church so named, on the Tiber Island

JAMES THE GREATER

James was martyred by beheading in Jerusalem. Believed to be buried in Santiago de Compostella in Spain

JAMES THE LESS

James was martyred in Jerusalem by stoning according to Josephus. There are two different tradition to his death. A century after his death it arose that he was taken to the pinnacle of the temple and ordered to dissuade the assembly from belief in Christ. He preached Christ instead, and so was hurled to the ground and stoned where he fell. The other one is that he was clubbed with a fuller’s pole. (A fuller’s pole was used in a special process in the manufacture of cloth by which it is cleansed and thickened) Believed to be buried in the Church of Saints Philip

JOHN

After his return to Ephesus from being banished to Patmos (Revelation 1:9) an island off the southwest coast of Asia Minor, where he is said to have written the Book of Revelation, he died a natural death. In 96 during the Domitian persecution he was immersed in boiling oil but delivered unharmed. Also Aristrodemos, a priest of the Italian goddess Diana, challenged John to drink a chalice of poison. First John blessed the drink where upon a dragon-form of Satan flew from in, then John drinking it with no harm. Believed to be buried in Ephisus

JUDAS

Matthew 27:5 records that after the betrayal of Jesus, Judas took his own life by hanging.

JUDE (THADDAEUS)

An apocryphal account says he evangelized in Persia (Iran today) and with arrows was shot to death. Believed to be buried in St. Peter’s

LUKE (EVANGELIST)

An ancient source says he labored in Greece and died at the age of eighty-four. Believed to be buried in Padua

MARK (EVANGELIST)

He became the evangelist of Alexandria, Egypt, and its first Bishop. He was martyred after being dragged through the streets, during the reign of the Emperor Trajan. Believed to be buried in Venice

MATTHEW

Matthew preached in Judea for fifteen years, then took the gospel to Ethiopia, or Persia, where he was killed by a sword. Believed to be buried at Salerno

MATTHIAS

Stoned and then beheaded. Believed to be buried in St Peter’s

PAUL

Paul was beheaded in 66 at Rome whereupon milk flowed from his veins after he converted one of Nero’s favorite concubines. Tradition says the place of his martyrdom is called Tre Fontane now. His body is buried where the Church of St. Paul Outside the Walls stands.

PETER

Peter confounded Simon Magus, who was at Nero’s court as a magician. Around 64 or 66 under Nero he was crucified upside down because he deemed himself unworthy of a death the same as Christ. Tradition has it that his tomb is under the high altar of St. Peter’s in Rome.

PHILIP

Philip is believed to preached the gospel in Phrygia (an ancient country in central and northwest Asia Minor) He is to believe to have died in Hierapolis, believed to be buried in St. Peter’s

SIMON (THE ZEALOT)

Simon evangelized in Egypt and then went to Persia (Iran today) where he was martyred, some say along with Jude. Believed to be buried in or near Naples

THOMAS

Thomas is mentioned in the apocryphal Acts of St. Thomas. One account says he was martyred at Melia pour in South India when he was run through with a spear or lance at Coromandel. Believed to be buried at Cortona