The repose of the holy Apostle John the Theologian is celebrated by the Church on October 9translated

The repose (peaceful death) of one of the closest disciples of Jesus Christ and evangelist John the Theologian (+ beginning of the 2nd century) is celebrated by the Orthodox Church on October 9.

According to Tradition, Saint John was the son of Zebedee and Salome, the daughter of Saint Joseph the Betrothed. Before being called by Christ, he was a fisherman. The Savior called John along with his brother James to follow him when they were on Lake Gennesaret.

John the Theologian was one of Christ's favorite disciples. Thus, it was he who witnessed the Lord’s resurrection of Jairus’s daughter, as well as the Transfiguration of the Lord on Tabor. During the Last Supper, he reclined next to the Lord, clinging to His chest.

Saint John remained faithful to the Savior to the end, relentlessly following Him even to Golgotha, on which the Lord was crucified.

It was John the Theologian who was at the cross of the Lord with the Mother of God, and it was to him that Christ bequeathed to take care of His Mother. The Apostle John cared for the Mother of God like a loving son and served Her until Her Dormition, never leaving Jerusalem.

After the Dormition of the Mother of God, Saint John preached the Gospel together with his disciple Prochorus in Ephesus and other cities of Asia Minor.

During the persecution of Christians under the emperor...