The Seventy Apostles and Disciples
THE SEVENTY HOLY APOSTLES AND DISCIPLES
This is related by Bishop (the seventieth) Dorotheus of Tyre who was one of the seventy and also a pious martyr in the reign of Emperors Licinius and Constantine.
He wrote on various subjects in Greek and
Latin and after the deaths of Diocletian and Licinius, Julian "the torturer" came to power and killed christians secretly to avoid public censure. Dorotheus journeyed to the city of Odessus where he was seized on Julian’s orders
and after suffering torture, but still confessing Christ, he died
as a martyr in his advanced age. He speaks
of "seventy apostles and disciples of Christ" who were bishops and who St. Paul
mentions by salutations in his epistles. After the Resurrection he found all of the names and thus recorded them for posterity.
(quote)
- JACOB , brother of the Lord, first bishop of
Jerusalem, who was ordained by the Lord Himself, whose head was crushed by a
whiffletree and he died.
- CLEOPAS was the second bishop of Jerusalem like
Simeon, brother of the Lord; he saw the Lord after the resurrection, and died
crucified by Emperor Dometian.
- THADDEUS , who carried the letter to Avgar in
Edessa: he cured the latter of his illness.
- ANANIAS , who baptized the holy Apostle Paul, was
bishop of Damascus.
- STEPHEN , the first martyr, died after being stoned
by the Jews.
- PHILIP , one of the seven [deacons], who baptized
Simon the sorcerer and Canalace’s eunuch, was bishop of Asian Tralia.
- PROCHORUS , also one of the seven, was bishop of
Bithynian Nicomedia.
- NICANOR , one of the seven, died on the same day as
Saint
- Stephen , together with two thousand believers in
Christ.
- TIMON , one of the seven, was bishop of the island
of Arbia, and died after being burned by the Hellenes.
- PARMENAS , also one of the seven, died in front of
the apostles’ eyes while he was serving.
- NICOLAS , also one of the seven, was bishop of
Samaria; but he deviated from the true faith together with Simon.
- BARNABAS , who served the Word together with Paul,
and preached Christ in peace, was bishop of Milan.
- MARK the Evangelist was ordained bishop of
Alexandria by the Apostle Peter.
- SILAS who preached the Gospel together with Paul,
was bishop of Corinth.
- LUKE , who preached the Gospel all over the world
together with Paul, was bishop of Salonika. Luke the Evangelist came from
Syrian Antioch, and went to Macedonian Thebes as a doctor during the reign of
Emperor Trajan. He first wrote the holy Gospel to a certain ruler Theophilus,
who believed in Christ. Then, many years after the passion of our Lord, and
the holy Apostle Peter having commanded him to narrate the acts of the holy
apostles, Saint Luke narrated the acts of the holy apostles to the same
TheophiIus, And having done this, he gave up his soul to God in peace; and
thus he died in Thebes. His holy relics were translated from Thebes to the
church of the Holy Apostles, and were layed under the altar table.
- SILVANUS , who preached the Gospel together with
bishop of Salonika.
- CRISPUS , whom the apostle (Paul) mentions in his
epistle to Timothy, was bishop of Galilean Chalcedon.
- EPENETUS , whom the apostle mentions in his epistle
Romans, was bishop of Carthage.
- ANDRONICUS , whom the apostle mentions in his
epistle to the Romans, was bishop of Pannonia.
- AMPLIAS , whom the apostle mentions in his epistle
to the Romans. was bishop of Odissa.
- URBAN , whom the apostle mentions in the epistle to
the Romans, was bishop of Macedonia.
- STACHYS , whom the apostle mentions in his epistle
to the Romans; when Andrew the apostle, traversing the sea of Hellespont,
reached Agricopolis, he ordained Stachys as bishop of Byzantium.
- APELLES , whom the apostle mentions in his epistle
to the Romans, was bishop of Heraklion.
- PHYGELLUS was bishop of Ephesus; later he converted
to Simon’s teaching.
- HERMOGENES was bishop of Thracian Megara.
- DEMAS , whom the apostle mentions in his second
epistle to Timothy, opposed the teaching of God just as Phygellus and
Hermogenes did; Demas loved this present world and in Salonika was a priest of
the idols; he was one of whom the apostle John writes: they came from us, but
were not one of us. APOLLOS, whom the apostle mentions, was bishop of Smyrna
before Saint Polycarpus.
- ARISTOBULUS , whom the apostle mentions in his
epistle to the Romans, was bishop of Britannia.
- NARCISSUS , whom the apostle mentions in his
epistle to the Romans, was bishop of Athens.
- HERODION , whom the apostle mentions in his epistle
to the Romans, was bishop of Patfas.
- AGABUS , who is mentioned in the acts of the
apostles, who received the gift of prophecy.
- RUFUS , whom the apostle mentions in his epistle to
the Romans, was bishop of Thebes.
- ASYNCRITUS , whom the apostle mentions in his
epistle to the Romans, was bishop of Hyrcania.
- PHLEGON , whom the apostle mentions in his epistle
to the Colossians, was bishop of Marathon.
- HERMAS , whom the apostle mentions in his epistle
to the Romans, was bishop of Dalmatia.
- PATROBAS , whom the apostle mentions in his epistle
to the Romans, was bishop of Pottole.
- HERMES , whom the apostle mentions in his epistle
to the Romans, was bishop of Philipopolis.
- LINUS , whom the apostle mentions in his epistle to
the Romans, was bishop of Rome after the holy apostle Peter.
- GAIUS , whom the apostle mentions in his epistle to
the Romans, was bishop of Ephesus after the apostle Timotheus.
- PHILOGOGUS , whom the apostle [Paul] mentions, was
ordained bishop of Sinope by Andrew the apostle.
- RODION , whom the apostle mentions, was beheaded by
Nero in Rome, together with the holy apostle Peter.
- LUCIUS , whom the apostle mentions in his epistle
to the Romans, was bishop of Syrian Laodicea.
- JASON , whom the apostle mentions in his epistle to
the Romans, was bishop of Tarsis.
- SOSIPATER , whom the apostle mentions in his
epistle to the Romans, was bishop of Iconium.
- TERTIUS , who wrote the epistle to the Romans, was
the second bishop of Iconium.
- ERASTUS , whom the apostle mentions, was
chamberlain of the church in Jerusalem; later he was bishop of Paneas.
- APOLLOS , whom the apostle mentions to the
Corinthians, was bishop of Caesarea.
- CEPHAS was bishop of Iconium.
- SOSTHENES , whom the apostle mentions, was bishop
of Colophon.
- TYCHICUS . whom the apostle mentions, was also
bishop of Colophon.
- EPAPHRAS , whom the apostle mentions, was bishop of
Andriaca.
- CAESAR , whom the apostle mentions, was bishop in
Dyrrhachium.
- MARK , the nephew of Barnabas, whom the apostle
mentions, was bishop of Apollonias.
- JESUS , called Justus, whom the apostle mentions in
the Acts, was bishop of Eleutheropolis.
- ARTEMUS , whom the apostle mentions, was bishop of
Lystra.
- CLEMENT , whom the apostle mentions, saying: “and
with Clement, and with my other fellowworkers,” was bishop of Sardice.
- ONESIPHORUS , whom the apostle mentions, was bishop
of Cyrene.
- TYCHICUS , whom the apostle mentions, was the first
bishop of Bithynian Chalcedon.
- QUARTUS , whom the apostle mentions, was bishop of
Berytus.
- CARPUS , whom the apostle mentions, was bishop of
Thracian Berrhoe.
- EUODIUS was bishop of Antioch after Saint Peter.
- ARISTARCHUS , whom the apostle mentions, was bishop
of Syrian Apamea.
- MARK , called John, who is mentioned by Luke in the
Acts, was bishop of Byblos.
- ZENAS the lawyer, whom the apostle mentions, was
bishop of Giospolis.
- PHILEMON , to whom the apostle Paul wrote an
epistle, was bishop of Gaza.
- Another ARISTARCHUS,
- PUDENS ,
- TROPHIMUS : these three suffered together with the
apostle Paul through all his persecutions; in the end they were beheaded in
Rome by Emperor Nero.
- ONESIMUS died in Potiole at the hands of the Roman
ruler Tertillus.
(end quote)
Oftentimes when the term "Apostle" is mentioned in the early fathers, it refers not only to the original 12 but also to these additional unless clearly set out by the authors.
We try to distinguish between the original "Twelve Apostles" and those "like unto the apostles" because early in church history "errors" were experienced. Such a one is Simon Magus and his followers who is mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles as attempting to buy the ability to give the Holy Spirit to those upon whom he should decide to lay hands. But as we can see he had followers who were also bishops with the power to ordain.
In living the "true apostolic faith" we need to know which are counterfeit beliefs and how they came to the fore. In John's Revelation this is the "iniquity which already doth work".