By Bishop Gregorios of Mesaoria
The Church commemorates today the repose of the Holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian.
John was the “disciple whom Jesus loved.” (John 20:2) Jesus Christ deemed him worthy to receive many theological truths, which John the Evangelist wrote down in the fourth of the canonical gospels.
For the profound theological meanings in his texts, he was called “the first Theologian of the Church.” He is also called “Son of Thunder.” John the Theologian, his brother James, and Peter witnessed the Transfiguration of the Lord on Mount Tabor.
John was the sole witness of Jesus’ Crucifixion. The Crucified Lord suggested that John would concern himself over the Most Holy Virgin Mary.
He was exiled to Patmos, where he wrote the Book of Revelation, known also as the “Apocalypse,” the 27th book of the New Testament.
Saint John reposed when he was more than a hundred years old. He was disciple of John the Baptist and of Jesus Christ. Then he lived for 60 years, the years of the formation of the First Christian community in Jerusalem and then in Asia Minor.
SOURCE: Church of Cyprus
