St. John the Apostle

Their story

John was a fisherman on the Sea of Galilee, the son of Zebedee and the brother of James. Jesus called the two brothers as they were mending their nets, and they left everything to follow him. Jesus nicknamed them Sons of Thunder, perhaps for their fiery temperament. Together with Peter, they witnessed the Transfiguration and were near Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. Tradition identifies John as the beloved disciple of the Fourth Gospel, who rested close to Jesus at the Last Supper. He was the only apostle who stood at the foot of the cross. There Jesus entrusted his mother to him, saying, “Behold, your mother,” and from that hour John took Mary into his home (John 19:27). On Easter morning, he ran with Peter to the empty tomb, saw, and believed. The Gospel of John, three New Testament letters and the Book of Revelation are traditionally connected with him. His writings return again and again to love: “God is love” (1 John 4:8). Tradition says he was exiled to the island of Patmos and later lived in Ephesus, where he died in old age, the only apostle not to die as a martyr.