John, son of Zebedee, was a Galilean fisherman called by Jesus alongside his brother James. He is traditionally identified with the unnamed "disciple whom Jesus loved" in the Fourth Gospel, present at the Last Supper, at the foot of the cross — where Jesus entrusted his mother Mary to his care — and among the first to reach the empty tomb.
Christian tradition attributes to him the Gospel of John, three New Testament letters, and the Book of Revelation, written while exiled on the island of Patmos. He is traditionally held to be the only apostle who did not die a martyr's death.
Saint John the Apostle
Apostle and Evangelist
One of the Twelve Apostles, traditionally identified as the "beloved disciple" and author of the Gospel and Letters of John.
- Century
- 1st century
Categories
Why People Pray to Saint John the Apostle
Saint John is invoked by writers and theologians, and by those seeking a deeper contemplative love of Christ, reflecting his traditional title as the "beloved disciple."
