THE LIFE OF THE HOLY APOSTLE AND EVANGELIST LUKE Part II

My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ Our Only True Lord, God, and Savior,

CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.

THE LIFE OF THE HOLY APOSTLE AND EVANGELIST LUKE [Part II]

When, at the end of his Third Missionary Journey, the Holy Apostle Paul again visited Philippi, Greece, Luke, on his instruction and as the choice of all the faithful, went to Corinth, Greece to collect alms for the poor Christians of Palestine. When he had finished what he had been sent to do, Saint Luke departed with the Holy Apostle Paul for Palestine, stopping along hte coast of Asia Minor, in Phoenicia, and in Judaea. When the Holy Apostle Paul was kept under guard in prison in the city of Caesarea of Palestine, the Holy Luke remained by his side. And he would not forsake him even when he was sent to Rome to stand trial before Caesar. Together with the Holy Apostle Paul he endured all the difficulties of their voyage across the sea, and nearly lost his life. On arriving in Rome, the Holy Luke again stayed by the Holy Apostle Paul’s side and, together with Mark, Aristarchos, and several other of the Apostles’ companions, preached Christ in the capital city.

In Rome, the Holy Apostle Luke the Evangelist wrote his Gospel and the Book of Acts of the Apostles. In his Gospel, he described the earthly life of our Lord Jesus Christ, not only on the basis of what he himself had seen and heard, but also taking into account all that had been handed down by those "WHO FROM THE BEGINNING BECAME EYEWITNESSES, AND SERVANTS OF THE LOGOS/WORD [Luke 1:2]. He included many details not mentioned by the other Evangelists, including the CONCEPTION OF THE HONORABLE FORERUNNER AND BAPTIST JOHN, THE ANNUNCIATION OF THE EVER VIRGIN MARY, AND OTHER POINTS IN CHRIST’S NATIVITY, PASSION, AND ASCENSION. He certainly is known to have recorded the most Parables as spoken by the Lord to His Disciples and the Jews. Now the Holy Apostle Paul guided him in this labor and afterward approved the Gospel written by Saint Luke. In the same way was the Book of Acts of the Apostles written, as the Holy Tradition of the Church says, at the command of the Apostle Paul. He indubitably received an excellent education in general, for the quality of the Greek language of his writings is far more pure and correct than that of the other New Testament writers.

It is quite possible that Saint Luke was also a witness to the Martyrdom of the Holy Apostle Paul in Rome. After the repose of his teacher, the Holy Luke, as the Holy Tradition of the Church informs us, spread the Gospel of Christ in Italy, Dalmatia, Gaul, and, especially Macedonia, in which he had labored before for several years. He also Evangelized Achaia. When he was already quite elderly, the Holy Apostle Luke undertook a journey to faraway Egypt and there labored greatly and endured many afflictions for the Holy Name of Jesus. He arrived in Egypt, having first passed through all of Libya, and in the Thebaid of Egypt converted many to Christ. In the city of Alexandria he ordained as bishop a certain Abilius to be a successor to Annas, who had been ordained by the Evangelist Mark and had carried out his ministry for twenty-two years.

Returning to Greece he again set up churches there, primarily in Voeotia, ordained priests and deacons, and healed those sick of body and soul. In the Metropolis of Theves of Voetia, known in ancient times for its Seven Pillars, the Holy Evangelist had great concerns. He destroyed the altars of the idols and drove out the deception of idol madness. Churches were built to the honor of Christ and the number of Christians was growing.

Like his friend and Mentor, the Holy Apostle Paul, Saint Luke fought the good fight, finished his course, and kept the Faith [2 Timothy 4:7]. At the age of 84, he died a Martyr’s death in Achai, crucified on an olive tree in lieu of a cross. His Precious body was buried in Theves, the principal city of Voetia, where his holy relics, which were responsible for a multitude of healings, were not to be found until the second half of the 4th century; they were subsequently translated (transported) to Constantinople, the Capital of the Eastern Empire. The location of the holy relics of the Holy Apostle Luke became known in the 4th century because of the healings worked there. A great many cures were worked through them for those who suffered from diseases of the eyes.

The Holy Evangelist Luke also PAINTED ON BOARDS THE IMAGES OF THE HOLY PREEMINENT APOSTLE PETER AND PAUL, AND WAS THUS HIMSELF THE INITIATOR OF THE GOOD WORK OF ICONOGRAPHY, TO THE GLORY OF GOD, THE MOTHER OF GOD, AND ALL THE SAINTS, unto the adornment of the Holy Churches and the salvation of the faithful who piously venerate them. Amen. [Resource: The Great Synaxaristes of the Orthodox Church]

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"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!"
– Saint John Chrysostomos
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With sincere agape in His Divine and Glorious Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+ Father George