ST. TIMOTHY

Who was St. Timothy?

St. Timothy was the first Bishop of Ephesus.

You may remember him better as the young man the Apostle Paul took with him on his missionary journeys. His mother was Jewish, and his father was a Gentile – which, combined with his thorough study of the Scriptures from his youth, uniquely fitted him to complete St. Paul’s work to forge a universal catholic church of former Jews and former Pagans upon the foundation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

St. Timothy grew from a mere youthful assistant – handpicked by St. Paul – to an accomplished protégé who would eventually ascend to the Pauline missionary Bishopric as the first Bishop of Ephesus. Timothy was martyred for his preaching against the worship of idols, specifically the worship of the goddess Diana. He was beaten and stoned to death.

His martyr’s symbolic shield is a red shield with a club surrounded by stones.

Feast Day: January 24th.

Collect: Almighty and merciful God, who didst call Saint Timothy to endure hardship, as a good soldier of thy Son: Strengthen us in like manner to stand firm in adversity, that we may obtain salvation with eternal glory; through the grace of Christ Jesus our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with three and the Holy Ghost ever, one God, world without end. Amen.