Luke, Saint

Related Category: Early Christianity: Biographies

[Gr. Lucas], traditional author of the third Gospel (see Luke, Gospel according to Saint) and of its sequel, the Acts of the Apostles. Paul's letter to the Colossians identifies him as “the beloved physician” and implies that he was a Gentile. Eusebius in his Ecclesiastical History affirms the tradition that Luke accompanied Paul on his second missionary journey and on his journey to Rome. According to tradition he was a painter and died a martyr. As an evangelist his symbol is an ox. Feast: Oct. 18.