Luka Holy Apostle and Evangelist Country: Greece

Biography of Saint Luke

Saint Luke, the Apostle and Evangelist, was born in Antioch of Syria. He was one of the 70 disciples and a close companion of Saint Paul (Phil. 1:24; 2 Tim. 4:10). Luke, a physician from a Greek background, came to Palestine and eagerly embraced the teachings of the Lord. As one of the 70 disciples, he was sent by Jesus Himself to preach the Kingdom of Heaven even during the Savior's earthly life (Luke 10:1-3).

During the crucifixion of Jesus, the Apostle Luke was among the few faithful who "stood at a distance and watched" (Luke 23:49). For his loyalty, he was among the first to witness the Resurrected Savior, who appeared to him and Cleopas on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13). Luke participated in Saint Paul's second missionary journey and from then on, they were inseparable. While all the other coworkers left Saint Paul, the Apostle Luke continued to share all the hardships of their missionary work (2 Tim. 4:10).

After the martyrdom of the chief apostles, Saint Luke left Rome and preached in Achaia, Libya, Egypt, and Thebes. At the age of 85, in the city of Thebes, he martyredly ended his earthly journey by being crucified on an olive tree.

The relics of Saint Luke became a source of numerous healings, and after the persecution of Christians ended, they were placed in the Church of the Holy Apostles in Constantinople under the throne together with the relics of the apostles Andrew and Timothy. For many centuries, the honorable head of the holy apostle has been preserved in the Russian Holy Pantaleimon Monastery on Mount Athos.

According to the Tradition of the Holy Church, the Apostle Luke painted the first icons of the Mother of God with the Pre-Eternal Infant in her arms. Upon seeing these icons, the Most Holy Theotokos, while blessing the images, prophesied, "Henceforth, all generations will call me blessed. The grace of Him who was born of Me and My mercy shall be with these icons." Saint Luke also painted icons of the holy chief apostles Peter and Paul. The Gospel was written by him in 62-63 A.D. in Rome, under the guidance of Saint Paul. In the first verses of his Gospel, Saint Luke clearly expressed the purpose of his work: to provide the most complete and chronological account of all that is known to Christians about Jesus Christ and His teachings, thereby giving a solid historical foundation for Christian hope (Luke 1:4). He diligently researched the facts, extensively used the oral tradition of the Church, and the accounts of the Most Holy Virgin Mary herself (Luke 2:19; Luke 2:51).

In terms of theological content, the Gospel of Luke is distinguished above all by its teaching on the universality of salvation accomplished by the Lord Jesus Christ and the universal significance of the Gospel preaching. Saint Luke also wrote the book of Acts of the Holy Apostles in 62-63 A.D. in Rome. The book of Acts, as a continuation of the Four Gospels, recounts the labors and exploits of the holy apostles after the Ascension of the Savior. At the center of the narrative is the Apostolic Council (51 A.D.), which served as the foundational church event, providing the doctrinal basis for distinguishing Christianity from Judaism and spreading it independently throughout the world (Acts 15:6-29). The theological subject of the book of Acts is primarily the Household of the Holy Spirit, which is realized in the Church founded by the Lord Jesus Christ from the Ascension and Pentecost until the Second Coming of Christ.