Christian Saints

St. John the Evangelist

St. John the Evangelist (Apostle) is a disciple of Christ; he followed Jesus after the miraculous draught of fishes on the Sea of Galilee and was with him at the most important moments. At the foot of the Cross he supported the failing Virgin. After the Apostles scattered, he traveled to Asia and settled in Ephesus with the Virgin. There he was arrested and thrown into burning oil, but was unhurt. Under Emperor Dominitian he was exiled to island Patmos, where in the company of an eagle he wrote the Revelations. After amnesty he returned to Ephesus, where he composed his Gospel. There he survived an ordeal set by the high priest of Ephesus: he was unaffected by a beverage concocted from snake’s venom, when offered a chalice, St. John blessed it, and the venom in the form of a snake, was miraculously drawn from the liquid. A legend also says that he was lifted up in an Assumption by an angel. He is the patron saint of booksellers. In fine arts he is often depicted with an Eagle, book (Gospel or Revelation), snake or dragon emerging from a cup or chalice.
See: Jacopo Bellini. St. John the Evangelist (left); The Apostle Peter (right).
Herri Met de Bles. St. John on Patmos.
Hieronymus Bosch St. John the Evangelist on Patmos.
Botticelli Virgin and Child Enthroned between Saint John the Baptist and Saint John the Evangelist;Coronation of the Virgin with the Saints John the Evangelist, Augustine, Jerome and Eligius. (San Marco altarpiece).
Agnolo Bronzino. St. John the Evangelist on Patmos.
Correggio Vision of St. John Evangelist, John the Evangelist.
Duccio di Buoninsegna. Maestà: Parting from St. John.
Anthony van Dyck Evangelist John.
Giotto Madonna and Child with St. Nicholas, St. John the Evangelist, St. Peter and St. Benedict. Vision of John the Evangelist on Patmos.
Benozzo Gozzoli. St. John. The Four Evangelists.
El Greco St. John the Evangelist.
Alexander Ivanov Head of John the Evangelist.
Jacob Jordaens. The Four Evangelists.
Masolino St. John the Evangelist and St. Martin of Tours.
Hans Memling Altar of Saints John the Baptist and John the Evangelist, St. John the Evangelist.
Piero della Francesca. St. John the Evangelist.
Pontormo. St. John the Evangelist and St. Michael the Archangel. St. John the Evangelist.
Titian St. John the Evangelist on Patmos.

Recommended reading:
The Book of Saints: The Lives of the Saints According to the Liturgical Calendar by George Angelini, Victor Hoagland (Editor). Regina Press, Malhame & Company, 1986.
365 Saints: Your Daily Guide to the Wisdom and Wonder of Their Lives by Woodeene Koenig-Brick (Author). Harper SanFrancisco, 1995.
Twelve Who Followed Jesus by Landrum P. Leavell. Broadman Press, 1975.
The Galilean Dialogues: On the Road With the Master and the Twelve by Joe F. Tarpley. Vantage Press, 1994.
Prophets & Apostles of the Last Dispensation by Lawrence R. Flake. Deseret Books, 2001.
Voices from Ancient Bethlehem: A Dialogue With Jesus and the Twelve Apostles by Scribe. Jodere Group, 2003.
Twelve Ordinary Men by John MacArthur (Author). W Publishing Group, 2002.
The Twelve: The Lives of the Apostles After Calvary by Bernard Ruffin. Our Sunday Visitor, 1998.

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