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| Saint Timothy | |
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| Born | c 17 |
| Died | c 80, Ephesus |
| Venerated in | Roman Catholic Church including Eastern Catholic Churches, Eastern Orthodox Church, Oriental Orthodoxy, Anglicanism, and Lutheranism |
| Feast | Eastern Christianity: 22 January West: 26 January (Roman Catholic Church, Lutheranism) 24 January (General Roman Calendar from 13th century to 1969) |
- For other uses of "Timothy," see Timothy (disambiguation).
Saint Timothy (Greek: Τιμόθεος; Timótheos meaning "honoring God") was a first-century Christian bishop who died about AD 80. Evidence from the New Testament also has him functioning as delegate or coadjutor of Paul the Apostle. Saint Timotheos is venerated as a saint and martyr by the Eastern Orthodox Church and in addition as an apostle by the Greek Orthodox Church, with his feast day on 22 January. In the Roman Catholic calendar of saints, St. Timothy is venerated together with St. Titus on 26 January, the date on which he is also commemorated, along with Titus and St. Silas, by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. As in pre-1969 calendars of the Roman Catholic Church, Timothy's feast is kept by the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod on 24 January.
Timothy is first mentioned in the Bible at the time of St. Paul's second visit to Lystra (Acts 16:1-2), where Timothy is mentioned as a "disciple" or "follower." St. Paul, having been impressed by his "own son in the faith," arranged that he should become his companion (Acts 16:3), and personally circumcised him because his mother was of the Jewish faith, so that he might be accepted by the Jews. He was ordained (1 Timothy 4:14) and went with Paul in his journey through Phrygia, Galatia and Mysia; also to Troas, Philippi, Berea (Acts 17) and Corinth (Acts 18:5). 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[1]. Timothy is praised by Paul for his knowledge of the Scriptures, and is said to have been acquainted with the Scriptures since childhood[2]. The Bible gives little information about Timothy's father; however, it does indicate that he was a Greek (Acts 16:1).
According to later tradition, St. Paul ordained St. Timothy as Bishop of Ephesus in the year 65, where he served for 15 years. In the year 80 (though some sources place the event during the year 97, 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.
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