About St. Luke
Feast Day: October 18
St. Luke is the author of the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles. He is thought to be the Luke identified by St. Paul in the epistles. He is thought to have been a physician.
Luke is thought to have been born a Gentile, and probably Greek. His gospel seems to be particularly aimed at Gentiles. The Gospel of Luke is the only gospel to tell the beloved story of the Good Samaritan and of the thankfulness of the Samaritan who is healed of leprosy. These are just a couple examples of how Gentiles are shown in a positive light in his gospel.
This gospel also emphasizes Jesus care and mercy for the poor and outcasts. It also shines light on our Blessed Mother and contains many details about the birth of Jesus which the other gospels do not.
The symbol of St. Luke is the ox. His gospel shows Jesus as a priest and the temple is of importance in it. This symbol is appropriate because of the sacrifices which were performed at the temple.
Luke was a companion to St. Paul and was very faithful to him, even when Paul was imprisoned by the Romans and others deserted him.
Patron Saint
He is the patron saint of physicians, surgeons, butchers, and artists (particularly painters).
Resources
Introduction to the Gospel of Luke
Read an overview of the Gospel according to Luke and learn about major themes in this gospel, including its emphasis on social justice, mercy, and compassion.
Introduction to the Acts of the Apostles
This summary explains how Acts takes up the narrative where the Gospel of Luke leaves off. The gift of the Holy Spirit enables the early Christian community to spread despite persecution from without and conflicts from within.
The Magnificat
This beautiful prayer of the Virgin Mary is only found in the Gospel of Luke. Download and share this social media graphic.
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