July 13 is a holiday date in the Orthodox calendar. This is the day of remembrance of the 12 apostles of Jesus Christ. Men who have such powerful patrons among the saints of the Russian Orthodox Church traditionally celebrate name days on this day.
Who celebrates the name day on July 13
On July 13, the Orthodox Church celebrates a holiday - the Cathedral of the Glorious and All-Praised 12 Apostles. These days, men are congratulated with their names: Andrey, Peter, Ivan, Yakov, Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matvey, Judas, Simon. Each of the apostles is also commemorated on the day of death.
Icons depicting Jesus Christ and his 12 apostles will be a good birthday present on this day.
The Council of 12 Apostles has been celebrated since the 4th century - this is how the church honors the disciples and those close to Christ, who were the first of all to believe in his word and followed him. The word "apostle" came to us from the Greek language and means "messenger" or "servant." Three years before his death, Christ chose his disciples from poor families and commissioned them to serve people, delivering the word of God to them. They left their families and friends, accompanying Jesus Christ on his wanderings, preaching at his direction and sharing with him all the hardships and hardships.
Life of the Apostles
After the death and resurrection of Christ, the apostles continued their wanderings and preaching in different parts of the world. Saint Peter wandered through Nicaea, Syria, Asia Minor, Sicily, Corinth, Spain, Carthage, Egypt, Britain. He became the first Roman bishop. His brother Andrew the First-Called preached in Byzantium, Thrace, Macedonia, Asia Minor, Alania, Crimea, the Black Sea region, in Russia; Jacob Zebedeev - in Spain; John the Theologian - Asia Minor, Jerusalem, Ephesus, on about. Patmos; the holy apostles Philip and Bartholomew - in Syria and Asia Minor; Thomas - in India, Parthia, Media, Persia; Matthew - in Macedonia, Syria, Persia, Parthia, Media, Ethiopia; Matthew's brother Jacob Alfeyev - in Edessa, Judea, Gaza, Southern Palestine, Egypt. The brother of the Lord in the flesh Judas Jacob or Thaddeus traveled through Judea, Galilee, Samaria, Idumea, Arabia, Syria, Mesopotamia, Persia. Simon Zilot preached in Egypt, Mauritania, Libya, Numidia, Kyrenia, Abkhazia; and Matthias, chosen as the twelfth apostle instead of the traitor Judas Iscariot, was in Judea, Colchis and Macedonia.
Also on July 13 is the commemoration day of St. Sophrontius, Bishop of Irkutsk, and the Martyr Teletius of Nicomedia.
Of all the apostles, only John the Theologian lived to old age and died a natural death. The other apostles, having lived a difficult life full of suffering, ended it with a martyr's death. Saints Andrew the First-Called, Peter, Jacob Alfeyev, Jude Jacob, Matthew, Bartholomew, Philip and Simon Zealot were crucified on the cross. Moreover, Peter and Andrew refused to be crucified in the likeness of their Lord, so Peter was crucified upside down, and Andrew - on an X-shaped cross. Bartholomew was subjected to monstrous torture in Armenia, meeting with misunderstanding on the part of the Gentiles. Matthias was stoned to death in Judea. The brother of John the Theologian, Jacob Zebedeev, as a citizen of Rome, died a quick death - his head was cut off. Their mission of converting gentiles and pagans to Christianity was not easy. They met humiliation and aggression in the countries where they preached. But each of them stood to the end, giving his life to serve God.
