Italic Text taken from The Saint Andrew Daily Missal.
Roman Text and Illustrations taken from Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia,
unless otherwise stated.
Double.
Red Vestments.
Saint Timothy (17 A.D. - 97 A.D.)
(orthodox icon).
Bishop and Martyr.
Author: Unknown.
(Wikimedia Commons)
Saint Timothy is mentioned in the Bible at the time of Paul's second visit to
Lystra, in
Anatolia, where Timothy is mentioned as a
"disciple". Paul calls Timothy his "own son in the faith". Timothy often travelled with Paul. Timothy's mother was Jewish and his father was Greek, but he had not been
circumcised, and Paul now ensured that this was done, according to the text, to ensure Timothy’s acceptability to the
Jews.
According to
McGarvey, Paul performed the operation "with his own hand", but others claim this is unlikely and nowhere attested. He was ordained and went with Paul on his journeys through
Phrygia,
Galatia,
Mysia,
Troas,
Philippi,
Veria, and
Corinth. His mother, Eunice, and his grandmother, Lois, are noted as eminent for their piety and faith, which indicates that they may have also been Christians. Timothy is praised by Paul for his knowledge of the
Scriptures (in the 1st-Century, mostly the
Septuagint; see
Development of the New Testament canon - Clement of Rome), and is said to have been acquainted with the Scriptures since childhood.
Deutsch: Timotheus und seine Großmutter.
Current location: Deutsch: Sammlung Earl of Ellesmere, London.
Sourece/Photographer: The Yorck Project: 10.000 Meisterwerke der Malerei. DVD-ROM, 2002.
(Wikimedia Commons)
That Timothy was jailed at least once during the period of the writing of the New Testament is implied by the writer of
Hebrews mentioning Timothy's release at the end of the epistle. It is also apparent that Timothy had some type of stomach malady, owing to Paul's advice in 1 Timothy 5:23, counseling Timothy to "No longer drink water exclusively, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments."
Paul commanded Timothy to remain in Ephesus (1 Timothy 1), "I command you to stay there in Ephesus", to prevent heresy from infecting the church in Ephesus. Paul also gave Timothy instructions for establishing Elders and Deacons there. These very guidelines have become the commonly-used guidelines among churches across the world to this day.
According to later tradition, Paul consecrated Timothy as B
ishop of Ephesus in the year 65 A.D., where he served for 15 years. In 97 A.D., (with Timothy dying at age 80), Timothy tried to halt a pagan procession of
idols, ceremonies, and songs. In response to his preaching of the
gospel, the angry pagans beat him, dragged him through the streets, and
stoned him to death. In the 4th-Century, his relics were transferred to the
Church of the Holy Apostles in
Constantinople.
Saint Timothy, born at Lystra (Asia Minor), of a pagan father and a Jewish mother, was already a Christian when Saint Paul came to that town. Saint Paul, whose conversion we celebrate tomorrow, was struck by Timothy's holiness and took him as a companion on his travels.. Saint Timothy thereupon gave up everything and became his disciple (Gospel).
Saint Paul conferred on him full sacerdotal powers (Introit) and committed to his care the government of the Church of Ephesus. We read in the Epistle a passage of one of the two admirable Letters which his master wrote to him. Saint Timothy was stoned to death in his episcopal city (+ 97 A.D.).
Let us, with Timothy, confess the Divinity of Christ in this Season after Epiphany, which is its Liturgical manifestation.
Mass: "Statuit". Of a Martyr Bishop, p. 1615, except the Proper Epistle.