About St. John, Apostle and Evangelist
Feast Day: December 27
St. John the Evangelist was one of the 12 apostles of Jesus Christ. He is the brother of the apostle James the Greater. The two brothers were called “the sons of thunder”. They were both fishermen and were probably disciples of John the Baptist before following Jesus.
John was extremely loyal and was present at the crucifixion of Jesus. He was entrusted with the care of Mary after the death of Jesus.
In his gospel, John refers to himself as “the disciple whom Jesus loved”.
John is the author of the Gospel of John, the Epistles of John, and the Book of Revelation.
His symbol is the eagle.
Patron Saint
He is the patron saint of authors, love, and loyalty.
Daily Mass Readings for the Feast Day
- First Reading – 1 John 1:1-4: “What we have seen and heard we proclaim now to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; for our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We are writing this so that our joy may be complete.”
- Responsorial Psalm – Psalm 97: “Rejoice in the Lord, you just!”
- Gospel – John 20:1a and 2-8: “On the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them, ‘They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we do not know where they put him.’”
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Learn more about the Gospel of John
Resources
Understanding the Book of Revelation
Understanding the Book of Revelation can be difficult. Every time we participate in the Eucharistic celebration we are actually taking part in a liturgy where heaven intersects with earth.
Who is St. John the Evangelist?
This 90 second video from Catholic Faith gives a brief overview of the life of John, also known as “the beloved disciple”.