St John
Meet the Beloved Disciple who soared to the heights of theology. St John, the youngest apostle, stood at the foot of the Cross, received care of the Blessed Virgin, and gave the Church a Gospel that reveals Christ as the eternal Word made flesh.
The BelovedDisciple
St John, son of Zebedee and brother of James, was a fisherman on the Sea of Galilee when Jesus called him. He became one of the inner circle of three apostles, present at the Transfiguration, the raising of Jairus's daughter, and the Agony in the Garden. His Gospel identifies him as "the disciple whom Jesus loved."
John alone among the apostles stood at the foot of the Cross, where Jesus entrusted Mary to his care. His Gospel, written last, is the most theological, opening with the majestic prologue: "In the beginning was the Word." John emphasises Christ's divine nature, his "I am" sayings, and the commandment to love one another.
John lived to great old age in Ephesus, the only apostle to die a natural death. Tradition records that when too frail to preach, he would simply repeat, "Little children, love one another." He also wrote three epistles and the Book of Revelation. His symbol is the eagle, representing the soaring heights of his theology.
At a Glance
“God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.”
St John
1 John 4:16
The Apostle of Love
St John gave the Church its deepest theology of divine love. His writings teach that God is love, that we must love one another, and that love casts out fear. His witness endures to the end of time.