Catholic Saints
Saint Timothy
Feast Day 01/26/2013
Patronage Against Intestinal Disorders, Against Stomach Disorders
St. Timothy was born in Lystra, and was the son of a Greek father and his mother was a converted Jew. He joined St. Paul when Paul was preaching in Lystra, replacing Barnabas. He became Paul’s close friend and confidant. Timothy is addressed as the recipient of the Epistles of Timothy. The Bible mentions that Timothy is a Disciple, and Paul calls Timothy his “own son in the faith”. While Timothy traveled with Paul, he never met Jesus.
St. Timothy was Ordained, and went with St. Paul on his journeys through Phrygia, Galatia, Mysia, Troas, Philippi, Veria and Corinth. His mother Eunice and his grandmother Lois are noted for their piety and faith. St. Paul praised Timothy for his knowledge of the Scriptures. Timothy was jailed at least once during the period of writing the New Testament; it is implied by the writer of Hebrews, mentioning Timothy’s release at the end of the Epistle. St. Timothy is the patron saint of stomach and intestinal ailments, owing it to St. Paul’s advice in 1 Timothy 5:23, “No longer drink water exclusively, but us a little wine for the sake of your stomach”.
“I command you to stay there in Ephesus”, to prevent heresy from infecting the Church in Ephesus was the advice from St. Paul in 1 Timothy 1. He was also given instructions for establishing Elders and Deacons there. These very guidelines have become the commonly used guidelines among Churches across the world to this day. Paul consecrated Timothy as the Bishop of Ephesus in the year 65, and he served 15 years. When Timothy was 80, in the year 97, he tried to stop a pagan procession of idols, ceremonies and songs. In response to his preaching of the Gospel, the angry pagans beat him, dragged him through the streets, and then stoned him to death. In the 4th century, his relics were transferred to the Church of the Holy Apostles in Constantinople. His feast day is celebrated in the Roman Catholic Church on January 26th.
Practical Take Away
St. Timothy was born in Lystra to a Greek father and a Jewish mother. He was very learned in early Scripture and knew the stories of Jesus, although he never met him. He met St. Paul while preaching in Lystra, and became a close friend of St. Paul. He traveled with St. Paul throughout the region, and eventually was ordained. St. Paul consecrated him as Bishop of Ephesus. He remained Bishop of Ephesus for fifteen years, and at the age of 80, was beaten, dragged through the streets, and then stoned by pagans. He was martyred for his faith in Jesus.