Luke the Evangelist
Luke the Evangelist is one of the Four Evangelists—the four traditionally ascribed authors of the canonical gospels. The Early Church Fathers ascribed to him authorship of both the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles. Prominent figures in early Christianity such as Jerome and Eusebius later reaffirmed his authorship, although a lack of conclusive evidence as to the identity of the author of the works has led to discussion in scholarly circles, both secular and religious.
Luke the Evangelist | |
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Miniature of Saint Luke by Armenian manuscript illuminator Toros Roslin, 13th century. | |
| Apostle, Evangelist, and Martyr | |
| Born | Between 1 AD and 16 AD Antioch, Syria, Roman Empire (modern-day Antakya, Hatay, Turkey) |
| Died | Between 84 AD and 100 AD (traditionally aged 84) Thebes, Boeotia, Achaea, Roman Empire (modern-day Thebes, Greece) |
| Venerated in | Most of all Christian Churches that venerate saints, and in the Druze faith |
| Major shrine | Padua, Italy |
| Feast | 18 October |
| Attributes | Evangelist, Physician, a book or a pen, accompanied by a winged ox or calf, painting an icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a brush or a palette |
| Patronage | Artists, notaries, bachelors, physicians, goldsmiths, butchers, brewers, glass workers, and others |
| Major works | Gospel of Luke, Acts of the Apostles |
Luke of Antioch | |
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| Occupation | Christian missionary and Historian |
| Language | Koine Greek |
| Notable works | Gospel of Luke and Acts |
The New Testament mentions Luke briefly a few times, and the Epistle to the Colossians refers to him as a physician (from Greek for 'one who heals'); thus he is thought to have been both a physician and a disciple of Paul.
Since the early years of the faith, Christians have regarded him as a saint. He is believed to have been a martyr, reportedly having been hanged from an olive tree, though some believe otherwise. The Catholic Church and other major denominations venerate him as Saint Luke the Evangelist and as a patron saint of artists, physicians, bachelors, notaries, butchers, brewers, and others; his feast day is 18 October.