St. Philip the Apostle COLLECTION (JMAS 10)

St. Philip (1st century) was born in Bethsaida like SS. Peter and Andrew and was a disciple of St. John the Baptist like St. John the Evangelist. He not only responded to the call “Follow Me” but also brought his friend St. Bartholomew aka Nathaniel to Christ. After the Ascension, St. Philip spread the Gospel in Greece and Asia Minor. He was martyred tied to a tall cross and stoned to death while preaching ca. 80 at Hierapolis, Phrygia (now Turkey); hence, his attribute here. + St. Philip shares a feast day with St. James the Less now on May 3. Except for their Apostleship, there is little in the Gospels to link St. Philip and St. James. The reason these Apostles celebrate a joint feast is circumstantial: Their earthly remains—or at least portions of them--are kept together in a church in Rome, Italy, dedicated to them on 1 May ?560. When Pope Pius XII instituted the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker, an Optional Memorial which coincides with May Day (International Workers' Day), their joint feast was moved from its original date of May 1 to May 3. + For a capsule biography and patronage list, see: catholicsaints.info/saint-philip-the-apostle/.