Holy Apostle Titus

Life

One of the Seventy. Born on Crete and raised on Greek philosophy and poetry. On account of a dream, he took to reading the Prophet Isaiah and came to doubt all the wisdom of the Hellenes. Hearing of Christ the Lord, he went to Jerusalem with some other Cretans, and personally heard the words of the Savior and beheld His mighty works. His youthful heart cleaved wholly to Christ. Later he was baptized by the Apostle Paul, whom he served as a son serves a father in the work of the Gospel. Paul so loved Titus that he called him at one time his son (Titus 1:4) and at another his brother (II Corinthians 12:18). Titus traveled much with the great Apostle to the nations, and was by him appointed Bishop of Crete. During the suffering of Paul in Rome, Titus was also present, and he honorably buried the body of his teacher and spiritual father. After that he returned to Crete, where with great success he baptized the pagans and wisely governed the Church of God until a ripe old age. He reposed in the ninety-fourth year of his life.