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 Saint Peter
A Galilean fisherman, the chief Shepherd of Christ's flock, was chosen by
Him to be the Prince of the Apostles, and the Rock upon which He was to
build His indestructible Church.
Symbol: crossed keys, silver and gold keys signify Saint Peter's
divinely-given power of binding and loosing
Saint Andrew
A follower of John the Baptist, then of Christ, who led his brother, Saint
Peter, to Christ. He preached the Gospel in Asia Minor and then in Greece,
where he was crucified.
Symbol: transverse cross, it was on this kind of cross that Saint Andrew,
brother of Peter, was crucified in Greece
Saint John
The Apostle Jesus particularly loved Saint John, probably because of his
great innocence and purity. It was to the care of this apostle that the
crucified Christ entrusted His blessed Mother.
Symbol: chalice, an allusion to Christ's words concerning Saint John: "Of My
cup you shall indeed drink."
Saint Philip
A Galilean, who is remembered for telling Nathanael that he had found the
Messias, and for taking him to Christ His preaching took him to Phrygia,
where he suffered martyrdom.
Symbol: Latin cross, Saint Philip is pictured carrying the cross of Christ,
which was the theme of his preaching
Saint Bartholomew
Believed to be the Nathanael whose innocence and simplicity won high praise
from the lips of Christ when Philip brought him to our Lord. He suffered and
died in Armenia.
Symbol: knife, the traditional symbol for Saint Bartholomew it was this
instrument which was used to flay him alive
Saint Thomas
Famous for his refusal to believe that Christ had risen until he had touched
the wounds of His hands and side. Saint Thomas is said to have evangelized
parts of Persia and India.
Symbol: builder's square, from an ancient story that Saint Thomas built a
palace for King Guduphara in India
Saint Matthew
Was a wealthy tax collector of Capharnaum when he was called to follow
Christ The first Gospel was written by him. He preached in Ethiopia,
where he died a martyr's death.
Symbol: ax, Saint Matthew may have been beheaded in Asia for his preaching;
hence the symbol of his death
Saint James The Less
Was the brother of Saint Jude and a cousin of Jesus. While serving as
Jerusalem's first bishop, he was arrested by the Jews and killed by being
hurled down from the Temple roof.
Symbol: fuller's club, after being cast from the Temple roof Saint James was
beaten to death with such a club
Saint Jude
A brother of Saint James the Less and a cousin of Jesus, wrote a Catholic
Epistle of the New Testament. It is customary with many to pray to him in
seemingly "hopeless" situations.
Symbol: halberd, this long-handled and ax-like weapon was used by the
Persian executioners of Saint Jude
Saint Simon
The brother of James and Jude, who is surnamed the Zealot. He and Saint Jude
are said to have preached in Egypt and Persia and to have suffered martyrdom
for the faith in Mesopotamia.
Symbol: saw, usual symbol for Saint Simon, since, according to legend, he
was martyred by being sawed into pieces
Saint Matthias
Followed Jesus from John's baptism to the Ascension, was chosen to take the
place of Judas among the Apostles. Little is known with certainty of his
life and martyrdom.
Symbol: lance, it is an old tradition that Saint Matthias was martyred in
southern Asia with such a weapon
Saint James the Greater
James is called James the Greater because another younger apostle was named
James. (He should not be confused with this James, or the James who is a
relative of Jesus, or the James who was an elder of the Church in Jerusalem
and heard Peter's defense of baptizing Gentiles.)
Symbol: three shells, the sign of his pilgrimage by the sea
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