Cathedral of the 70 Apostles. Whom does the Church honor among these saints?

The Bible is filled with number symbolism. The numbers 70, 40, 12, 10, 7, 4, 3, 2 and 1 are periodically repeated on the pages of Holy Scripture and have a certain sacred meaning.

In particular, the number “70” is mentioned 106 times on the pages of the Bible. Thus, seventy nations came from the forefather Noah. Seventy interpreters translated the Old Testament into Greek (see Septuagint). This number is a symbol of completion and completeness. This is probably why, in addition to the twelve closest disciples, the Lord Jesus Christ chose seventy other apostles.

The First Seventy Apostles

The seventy apostles are first mentioned in the tenth chapter of the Gospel of Luke: “After this the Lord chose seventy others (disciples), and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself wanted to go, and said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but there are few workers; Therefore, pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest” (Luke 10:1-2).

By sending seventy apostles to preach, the Lord not only instructed them to proclaim his teaching, but also endowed them with the gift of miracles and healings. This is discussed further in the text of the tenth chapter. Returning, the disciples joyfully informed the Savior: “Lord! and the demons obey us in Your name.”

The apostles witnessed the great miracles that the Lord performed, and during their travels they themselves marveled at the power of miracles they received. Surprisingly, despite all this, shortly before the beginning of the Savior’s redemptive journey, almost all seventy apostles left Him forever.

In the Gospel of John it is described as follows: “And he said: For this reason I told you, that no one can come to Me unless it is given to him from My Father. From that time on, many of His disciples left Him and no longer walked with Him. Then Jesus said to the twelve, “Will you also go away?” Simon Peter answered Him: Lord! who should we go to? You have the words of eternal life: and we have believed and known that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (John 6:66-69).

Thus, in the cathedral of the 70 apostles we do not honor these first disciples of Christ. But then who?

Other seventy

In the fifteenth chapter of the First Epistle to the Corinthians, the Apostle Paul testifies that at the time of the Savior’s death on the cross and His resurrection from the dead, about 500 disciples followed him, since after the resurrection He: “appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, of whom most some are alive to this day, and some have died” (1 Cor. 15:6).

In the V-VI centuries, the Holy Fathers compiled a list of the new 70 apostles from these first 500 disciples and preachers of Christianity (in different sources there are 72-73). The earliest such list is attributed to Saint Dorotheus, Bishop of Tire and dates back to 361.

This list of apostles included those saints of the 1st century who were mentioned by name in the New Testament: the Brothers of the Lord and other relatives of the Savior according to His named father Joseph the Betrothed, the evangelists Mark and Luke, the assistants of the 12 apostles and the Apostle Paul in preaching the Gospel, six of the seven first deacons, as well as some of the first bishops.

It is worth noting that among the new 70 apostles there could also be some of the 70 originally chosen by the Lord. After all, according to the Gospel: “many of His disciples departed from Him and walked with Him no more,” and not all of them.

The celebration of the Council of the Seventy Apostles was established by the Church in order to emphasize their equal dignity in church veneration, since they all worked in the field of evangelism. Throughout the entire church year, each of the 70 apostles is also remembered separately.

The most famous apostles from the 70s

Holy Apostle James, Brother of the Lord

The eldest son of the righteous Joseph the Betrothed. According to Tradition, he accompanied his father and the Blessed Virgin during their flight to Egypt from King Herod and their return from there. The Apostle was distinguished by his strict observance of the Law of Moses, which is why he also had the nickname “righteous” among the people and was deeply respected by all Jews.

When the righteous Joseph wanted to divide his estate among his sons and give one share to the Savior, all of Joseph’s sons according to the flesh opposed this decision. And only Jacob, in order to avoid strife, divided his part of the estate with his named brother. For this act the apostle is called “Brother of the Lord.”

After the resurrection from the dead, the Lord appeared separately to many disciples and, separately, to the Apostle James. Later, this Brother of the Lord became the first bishop of Jerusalem and converted several thousand people to Christianity.

Out of fear of converting the entire people to Christ, the Pharisees threw righteous Jacob from the roof of the Jerusalem Temple and finished him off with stones. While dying, the apostle prayed to the Lord to forgive his offenders.

Holy Apostle Luke

A former slave set free by his master (the Gospel is dedicated to him). Companion and long-term companion of the Apostle Paul. The author, in addition to the Gospel, is also the book of the Acts of the Holy Apostles.

He is a doctor by profession and probably an artist. The brushes of the Apostle Luke are attributed to several images of the Mother of God. For example, the Vladimir Icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Tretyakov Gallery).

Holy Apostle Mark

Author of another of the four canonical Gospels. Companion of the Apostle Peter and nephew of another apostle from the 70, Barnabas.

Founder of the Alexandrian Church (Alexandria of Egypt). The authorship of the Apostle Mark is also attributed to one of the Liturgies.

Saint Stephen the Apostle

One of the 7 first deacons whom the 12 apostles chose to help them focus on preaching. Deacons were initially involved in the economic activities of the Church.

Archdeacon and First Martyr Stephen was one of the first Christians to suffer from the Jews for his faith. Radical persecutors of Christians seized the apostle during his sermon and stoned him. According to Tradition, the Apostle Paul (Saul of Tarsus, who had not yet turned to the Lord) guarded the clothes of the murderers while they dealt with the righteous man.

Holy Apostle Clement

Disciple of the first apostles (see “Men of the Apostles”). Third Bishop of Rome. He is credited with the authorship of two letters to the Corinthians. Also, on his behalf, the book “Apostolic Constitutions” was written, containing some rules of the early Church.

During the persecution he was exiled to Crimea, where he worked in quarries. Even during this period he did not give up preaching, for which he was captured by the authorities and drowned in the Sevastopol Bay.

List of apostles from 70

The open Orthodox encyclopedia “Tree” contains a list of 70 apostles, containing 73 names, which we present below. By clicking on the name, you can read more about each of them:

Jacob, brother of the Lord
Mark the Evangelist
Luke the Evangelist
Cleopas
Simeon
Barnabas
Just (Joseph, Barsabas, Josiah)
Thaddeus
Ananias
Stephen the First Martyr, Archdeacon
Philip
Prokhor
Nikanor
Timon
Parmen
Timofey
Titus
Philemon
Onesimus
Epaphras
Arkhippus
Force
Silouan
Crescent
Crisp
Epenet
Andronik
Stachy
Amply
Urvan
Narkiss
Apellius
Aristobulus
Rodion (Herodion)
Agave
Rufus
Asyncrit
Phlegont
Erm
Patrov
Ermiy
Lin
Gaius
Philologist
Lukiy
Jason
Sosipater
Olympus (Olympan)
Tertius
Erast
Quart
Evod
Onesiphorus
Clement
Sosthenes
Apollos
Tichicus
Epaphroditus
Caesar
Carp
Kodrat
Mark
Zina
Aristarch
Pud
Trofim
Mark
Artema
Akila
Fortunatus
Akhaik
Dionysius the Areopagite
Simeon Niger

Interesting Facts

Saint Dmitry of Rostov in his “Four Menaions” additionally includes among the number of apostles from the 70 the former chief of publicans Zacchaeus, Bishop of Antioch Ignatius the God-Bearer (from among the “men of the apostles”), Joseph of Arimathea, Lazarus the Four-Day, as well as the centurions Longinus and Cornelius.

He also mistakenly included “Cephas” (that is, the Apostle Peter) in the list of 70 apostles.

Some of the 70 apostles had never seen the Savior in person and were already disciples of his disciples. For example, Onesimus, Dionysius the Areopagite, Clement of Rome.

Andrey Szegeda

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Canon to the Council of the Holy Seventy Apostles

Song a҃.

Irmos:

Ѿeverzꙋ ᲂу҆stà is mine, and ҆ fill dh҃а, and ҆ word ѿrýgnꙋ tsr҃icѣ mt҃ri, and ҆ ꙗ҆vlyuѧ holy celebrations ꙋ́ѧ, and ҆ sing ̀, glad, that’s why.

For Christ's sake, for the sake of the things of the body, for the sake of all things, all the valiant, enlighten the whole world with the dawn of goodness , tmꙋ̀ ruined the godless.

Corruption is more defiled and worthless, hrⷭ҇tꙋ̀ after the crusade, and prokhѡr, and andronik, thaddey and nekanor, sv The former maids of the day.

The fortress of the victorious city, the glorious fortress of dhga: by the fury of godlessness the final weakened fortresses are fulfilled and blessed gѡ timesꙋmѣnїѧ.

We are like the flesh of the last century where an amplitude of preaching, stakhѵ́y and philosophy, ꙗ҆́кѡ а҆пⷭ҇li, ꙗ҆́кѡ of God are natural і҆ера́рси, ꙗ҆́кѡ are truly ꙋ connected with ꙋ́н more than ᲂу҆ма̀.

Bgorodichen:

We will honor the Bzhⷭ҇tvennoy ward of the tsr҃évꙋ, in any case, with all our pleasure, with unfavorable ꙋsomꙋ́zhnꙋyu and є҆дінꙋ btsⷣꙋ, є҆ѧ́zhe For the sake of God, let us sing praises.

Song of the city.

Irmos:

Your hymnologists, btsⷣe, lively and unenviable source, face yourselves as a scoop, plshyѧ spirit, in your own glory The very essence of glory.

Like the rivers, your word has been sent to the whole earth, filling this world, filling everyone, replenishing the spirit of life, and the flames of the world. Thank you.

Let us recall the theme of the Bzhⷭ҇tvennago, the village and the village, and with faith we will praise the glorious one, and the truth Christian preachers.

Blessed is the former, and the truly blessed god has already learned: and first of all, everyone, the participants show their blessedness.

Bgorodichen:

Pure before the rzhⷭ҇tva, and in the rzhⷭ҇tvѣ̀, and in the rzhⷭ҇tvѣ̀ truly, two mt҃i, was the same: bgga bo gave birth to the є҆сѝ, є҆го́зе а҆п ⷭ from the class of the Most Holy Sermon.

Sedalen, voice g.

The pillars of the unshakable church, the newly pious former disciples of our God, observe this in a harmless manner, driving away flattering temptations , and please God always grant us great mercy.

Glory, and now:

From the birth of two deaths, and from the baptism of the Lord, from the bottom of the sky, visible in the form of a goal no. Segѡ̀ for the sake of prⷪ҇ро́къ с а҆гггылгылгахлаш, calling: glory to your coming, bless you, glory to your kingdom, glory to your sight Yes, I am more loving than anyone.

Song of the day.

Irmos:

Unexplored life's council, two of them, embodied by you above, prⷪ҇rók a҆vvakꙋ́m ᲂу҆змѧ́ѧ, call: glory s Where is yours?

The sea is possible, it is a language, it entered into everything, everyone, the skin of horses, saved the disciples, and saved the world with water and water.

Illustrious, the sun on the earth, pꙋd, apelliya and philologist, and Iridadїѡn, rꙋ́f and patrov: and verdant enlightenment Sha, we are ignorant and spare.

For example, sent arrows to you, ꙗ҆́кѡ из̾ѡ зрснны, b҃го ꙋrobbed, arrows to hide the enemy, and ҆ lute ᲂу҆ѧ́ннѧ, sla Outside, with the grace of God and healing.

We will bring praise to the deliverer, the hymn of the blessed god, and the glorious one, and the blessed one, and the blessed one. nago i҆ gaїa.

Bgorodichen:

The same, the dearest ancient face of the future of the souls, the blessed ones, the big one named, everything, the door and I'm happy with the mountain.

Song є҃.

Irmos:

Oh, the horror of all your glory: you, unquestionably fellow two, had it in the throne above all gods , and gave birth to a lifeless dream, giving peace to all who sing.

Please, all-embracing ones, and decide, if only you have the power, to resolve these words. Also, your memory is celebrating, and you are rejoicing.

Divine aristarch and almost hymns, tertiy, і҆assѡnj and sѡsѳen, Caesar and Mark, lꙋka, sѡsїpatr, kꙋart and A divine apellia, a climate and a paphrodiation and all the other growth.

You, two of us, send a message to eradicate all the godless, to instill in all people the knowledge of the divine light, Glorious a҆pⷭ҇toli, praying women of our people.

Bgorodichen:

Illumine, two, my hearts, the dawn of my soul: here we are, the door of light, and the refuge of all, the vernacular of those who sing.

Song of ѕ҃.

Irmos:

This divine and everything-celebrating celebration, God of God, Mother of God, come, let us praise the rivers, and glorify the God who was born. .

I have a frying of the living, ѻ҆blas ѡ҆d ѡ҆deshelnnes ꙗ҆ ꙗ҆ ꙗ҆ ꙗ҆pⷭ҇toli, and ҆ ҆ ѡ҆ ѡ҆ ѡ҆ ѡ҆persist.

The verb is the strength of your rhetoric, victory with much ferocity, and in a different way Hello, everyone.

Bzhⷭ҇tvennyj pꙋ́́дь и҆ trophі́мъ, йлімѡ́н ́glorious, ҆҆рїста́рхъ, ѻ҆ні́фогъ and ҆ ѷхі́къ all-time, ꙗ҆́кѡᲂу Let the disciples of the word be magnified.

Bgorodichen:

I sing to you, who sings everything, I glorify you in your dreams, the blessed one, and the blessed one, from the south of the blessed generation, the two blessed ones.

Kontakion, voice v҃.

Christ's ᲂu҆ch҃nkѡ́v faces of the seventieth bzhⷭ҇tvenna, vѣ́rnїi, in the songs we praise: therefore, all the skills of trⷪ҇tsꙋ are not revered separate, and the lamps of the holy faith abide.

Ikos:

Seventy apⷭ҇lѡv faces agree, vernїi, with sung hymns, let us praise: Stefan, prokhѡara and sіlꙋ, and nїkanora: tіm ѡna, i҆ amplía, i҆ parmena: а҆пе́лїа, і҆а́кѡва, філі́пка, а҆ріста́рха, и҆ ма́ка, и҆ матѳі́а, и҆и҆рѡдїѡ́на. Criskenta and phlegonta, varnavꙋ, lina and ѻ҆лі́mpa, а҆нїнїу, lꙋkꙋ̀ and а҆сѷгкрі́та, and others: the holy luminaries abide ѧ faith.

Song z҃.

Irmos:

Not after the life of the creature, let alone the one who created the step, but the fiery evil one has greatly improved, rejoicing, singing: venerable one I bless you and bless you.

Having grasped the word, and extracted from the depths of godlessness, multi-faceted languages, signs, and the essence of the earth ъ, mꙋ́drii a҆pⷭ҇li, pꙋtvozhdyh lost.

Having entered into the quietest haven, the waves of the fierce saviors and rulers of the sea, chanting: ѻ҆ц҃є́въ Гдⷭ҇ь and Blessed are you.

Everything is ok and karpa ᲂу҆blazhim, and ҆ tѷkhі́ka and ҆ kífꙋ, і҆ꙋ́sta and ҆artem ꙋ, zine ꙋ same glorious, ꙗ҆́кѡ хрⷭ These are the disciples, chanting: God bless you.

The lightning-glassy spirit of the former khrⷭ҇tovy and ҆пⷭ҇toli ѡ҆derzhivayѧ noshchї nevѣdѣnїѧ and izbaviste, and to the light of life mentor howl You always: bzhe, bless you.

Bgorodichen:

The purity, all-blameless, was the dream of all sinners, having given birth to the natural world of the sin-absorbent, Christ, we also call: Blessed be with you.

Song and.

Irmos:

The lines of piety in the cave rzhⷭ҇tvo bgorodichko saved the є҆́st, then ᲂу҆́бѡ ѡ҆пгімꙋ́, now active ꙋ, universal ꙋ He exults to sing to you: where do you sing, and exalt him to all ages.

Once again, we are blessed, in vain words, all-glorious, and in them are the saving seeds of the whole race, and the pious class is a hundredfold. Hey, there are many who have been saved, where are we all?

With praises from Bzhⷭ҇tvennymi, Kleѡ́pꙋ, Varnavꙋ and Stefan, Narcissa to everyoneꙋ́drago, Mark, A҆rїstovꙋla, and ҆аpе́ллїа we honor and ҆пⷭ Where are the gods, we cry out: where do you sing the deeds, and exalt them to all ages.

Krⷭ҇t together with the armor of the nose, to all mꙋ Even the captivity of people is captured by faith, and the life-giver brought to the owner.

Bgorodichen:

This is where it's at! how you give birth, and how you remain virgins, everything is banoneless; the word boda є҆сѝ ѻ҆ц҃ꙋ̀ is meaningless. We sing everything: where do you sing, and exalt to all ages.

Song ѳ҃.

Irmos:

Let all earthly beings leap, enlighten us, and let the bodiless nature, which honors the sacred triumph of God, celebrate, and let us cry out ъ: glad, all-blessed btsⷣe, ever pure.

Healed our hearts, our short hearts, through the prayers of those who loved them, and who preached in all our languages. And where, the co-conspirator of all, and all the darkness of those who were persecuted by the light of the preaching.

Ꙗ҆́мінїѧ мі́ръ ѡ҆свѣтиша, лꙋка вкꙋнѣпѣ и҆ є҆рмъ, мáркі и҆нінїа, и҆ съ маѣѧсѧвѧаѧнѧвѧснѧ ѧлѵпѣпѣ , and with faith and fulfillment we will enlighten, and with faith today we will honor the dear ones and honest hymns.

Let us become blessed in our house, and we bless the preachers and teachers, and the rich people, and the saviors, and ҆ defenders, and representatives of all the people who honor them.

Ѡ҆zarishasѧ with the light of the insubstantial dh҃а а҆кѵ́ла, ҆хах́їкъ, лꙋкі́й іґй й ҆ртꙋнатъ, with sixty and sixty хрⷭ҇that Our students and our dear students: and the hearts of all of them are filled with light-bearing memories today.

Bgorodichen:

This shining light is yours, and for the whole sunflower, and the representative of the sun, the Mother of God of all, and Praise be given to all people for their salvation, the unceasing voices of those praising them.

Luminous.

And all the valiant khrsⷭ҇ta, all-desirable people, and ᲂuchn҃tsy, and ҆ God's witnesses, do not remain silent, please pray to us, for your loving memory of those who perform Yes, may we have sinful and divine blessings on this day.

What you can and cannot do on January 17

It was forbidden to harm animals. Otherwise, one could bring upon oneself troubles and illnesses. Pets and livestock were treated with care and love throughout the day. They were given the leftover food from the table.

The crumbs could be fed to the birds. It was assumed that if birds quickly flocked to the crumbs and pecked them all off, they would save a person from problems.

Mercy was also shown to people on this day. Helped the poor, sick and homeless.

It was forbidden to go out on the street while intoxicated. They believed that those who drank alcohol would be taken with them by evil spirits.

Foul language, swearing, conflicts and insults were also punished by evil spirits.

Pregnant ladies shouldn't meet new people.

We refrained from traveling, going on long journeys and going into the forest alone. The day was not suitable for any undertakings, important matters, hunting or fishing.

There had to be honey on the table on January 17th.

In the evening they made fires and jumped over the fire. It was believed that this allowed one to cleanse oneself of everything negative and scare away evil spirits.

To drive out evil spirits, they also walked around their house with an icon, while reading a prayer.

Unmarried girls could tell fortunes about the groom.

Another tradition was the expulsion of the devil from the village. One of the residents was dressed up in it, and they jokingly drove him away from their houses.

The day was not suitable for water procedures. They said that you can get rid of memories along with dirt.

The nightmares seen on January 17 could not be told to anyone, so that they would not come true.

Gospel reading January 17, 2021:

Gospel of Mark, chapter 1, verses 1-8

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1 The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God,

2 As it is written in the prophets: Behold, I send My angel before You, who will prepare Your way before You.

3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

4 John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

5 And all the country of Judea and the people of Jerusalem came out to him, and they were all baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins.

6 And John wore a robe of camel's hair and a leather belt around his waist, and ate locusts and wild honey.

7 And he preached, saying, He who is mightier than I is coming after me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to stoop down to untie;

8 I baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.

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Priest Anthony (Borisov) comments

Gospel of Luke, chapter 10, verses 1 - 15

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1 After this the Lord also chose seventy other disciples, and sent them two by two before Him into every city and place where He Himself wanted to go,

2 And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; Therefore, pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.

3 Go! I send you out like lambs among wolves.

4 Do not take a bag, a scrip, or shoes, and do not greet anyone on the road.

5 Whatever house you enter, first say: Peace to this house;

6 And if the son of peace is there, then your peace will rest on him, but if not, then it will return to you.

7 Stay in that house, eat and drink whatever they have, for the worker is worthy of reward for his labors; do not move from house to house.

8 And if you come to any city and they receive you, eat what they offer you,

9 And heal the sick who are in it, and say to them, “The kingdom of God has come near you.”

10 But if you come to any city and they do not receive you, then go out into the street and say:

11 And we shake off the dust that clings to us from your city for you; however, know that the Kingdom of God has drawn near to you.

12 I tell you that on that day it will be more tolerable for Sodom than for that city.

13 Woe to you, Chorazin! woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the powers that were demonstrated in you had been demonstrated in Tire and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes;

14 But it will be more tolerable for Tire and Sidon in judgment than for you.

15 And you, Capernaum, who were exalted to heaven, will be brought down to hell.

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Priest Stefan (Domuschi) comments

Apostolic reading:

Second Epistle of the Apostle Paul to Timothy, chapter 4, verse 4 - 8

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4 And they will turn away their ears from the truth and turn to fables.

5 But be vigilant in all things, endure tribulations, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

6 For I am already becoming a sacrifice, and the time of my departure has come.

7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith;

8 And now there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who loved His appearance.

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Listen to the commentary on radio "Vera"

The Epistle of the Apostle Paul to the Romans, chapter 8, verse 8 - 14

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8 Therefore those who live according to the flesh cannot please God.

9 But you do not live according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit, if only the Spirit of God dwells in you. If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.

10 And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the spirit is alive because of righteousness.

11 If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

12 Therefore, brethren, we are not debtors to the flesh, to live according to the flesh;

13 For if you live according to the flesh, you will die, but if through the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the flesh, you will live.

14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

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Bishop Feoktist (Igumnov) comments