Description
St. Philip was from Bethsaida, the town of SS Peter and Andrew, and he followed the Lord immediately after them. St. Philip was one of the Twelve Apostles and preached in Asia and Greece. He worked with his sister Mariamna, St. John the Theologian and St. Bartholomew. In Hieropolis St. Philip and St. Bartholomew prayed and so killed a snake who was worshipped as a god by the pagans. St. Philip and St. Bartholomew were then seized by the pagans and crucified upside down, but an earthquake soon swallowed up the judge and others. When the townspeople rushed to take the Apostles down, St. Philip was already dead. St. Bartholomew went on to preach the Gospel in India and Armenia, where he also died as a martyr, crucified, flayed, and beheaded.
St. Barnabas was born in Cyprus, and knew St. Paul from the school of St. Gamaliel the Pharisee in Israel where they studied together. St. Barnabas converted and traveled with St. Paul after he had converted later, and also with St. Mark. St. Barnabas went to Antioch, Rome, and Milan, finally suffering martyrdom on his home island of Cyprus. All three shine now in Heavenly light.