Commemorated January 22

by Fr George Poulos

St Timothy was born in Lystra in Lyconia of a pagan Greek father and a Jewish mother named Eunice. His grandmother was a Christian and it was perhaps through her influence and teaching that he came to follow Christ. When the Apostle Paul visited Lystra, the young Timothy was already a full member of the Christian Church and after the two discussed the many difficulties Christianity was facing, the younger man expressed a desire to serve as a missionary, despite its hazards. It was after the departure of Sts Barnabas and Mark that St Paul summoned St Timothy to accompany him as a colleague in the cause of Christ.

About a quarter of a century after Christ, Sts Timothy and Paul travelled to Europe, accompanied by St Silas, in a missionary task of staggering proportion. In most areas theirs was at best a thankless job, but with the zeal born of a profound love of the Saviour, they succeeded in securing a foothold in spiritually darkened corners. They brought this about with administrative skill in the face of odds which might have discouraged less hardy souls. In a fury of religious oratory, they summoned thousands to the fold and established Churches of God where for centuries people had worshipped mere objects or beasts out of fear and superstition.

When St Paul was summoned to Athens, he commissioned St Timothy to carry the word of Christ to Corinth, Thessaloniki, and Phillipi. To these areas St Timothy displayed his talents to the fullest in establishing a nucleus of Christian Churches which became the cornerstone from which Christianity has grown to its present day proportions. St Timothy made his way to Ephesus were he was established as Bishop of the city. A frenzied mob of resentful pagans whom he denounced stoned him to death. St Timothy died a martyr for Christ on January 22 AD 72.

To the man St Timothy fell the solemn honour of being the recipient of two letters from the great Apostle St Paul entitled First Timothy and Second Timothy.

Dismissal Hymn (Fourth Tone)

Since you had been instructed in uprightness thoroughly and was vigilant in all things, you was clothed with a good conscience as befitteth one holy. You took from the Chosen Vessel ineffable mysteries; and having kept the Faith, you finished a like course, O Hieromartyr and Apostle Timothy. Intercede with Christ God that our souls be saved.

Kontakion (First Tone)

With hymns let us, the faithful, sing Timothy's praises as Paul's divine disciple and faithful companion; with him let us also laud Anastasios the godly-wise, who shone forth with splendour like a star out of Persia and drove away from us our bodily sickness and spiritual maladies.