Saints Timothy and Titus, Bishops - Travel to the Holy Land

Icon of St. Paul ordaining St. Titus

Saints Timothy and Titus were two of the most beloved and trusted disciples of St. Paul, whom they accompanied in many of his journeys.

St. Timothy has been regarded by some as the "angel of the church of Ephesus", Rev 2:1-17.

According to the ancient Roman martyrology he died Bishop of Ephesus. The Bollandists (Jan. 24) give two lives of St. Timothy, one ascribed to Polycrates (an early Bishop of Ephesus, and a contemporary of St. Irenæus) and the other by Metaphrastes, which is merely an expansion of the former. The first states that during the Neronian persecution St. John arrived at Ephesus, where he lived with St. Timothy until he was exiled to Patmos under Domitian.

Timothy, who was unmarried, continued Bishop of Ephesus until, when he was over eighty years of age, he was mortally beaten by the pagans. According to early tradition Titus continued after St. Paul's death as Archbishop of Crete, and died there when he was over ninety.

* * *

O God, who adorned Saints Timothy and Titus with apostolic virtues, grant, through the intercession of them both, that, living justly and devoutly in this present age, we may merit to reach our heavenly homeland.  Through our Lord.

* * * * * *

TIME IN THE HOLY LAND, ROME

These days, I am journeying overseas to take part in a special gathering of bishops in the Holy Land, sponsored by the Neo-Catechumenal Way (January 27-31). 

Then I will travel to Rome for meetings (February 2-4). Readers of this blog will be remembered in the Holy Places; please keep me and my confreres in your thoughts and prayers.