The Twelve

Jesus individually chose all twelve by name to be his devoted followers, to be the pillars of the Church, to be his apostles. As an apostle, they were with Jesus through his ministry, at the Last Supper, the Crucifixion, the Resurrection, the Ascension, and Pentecost.

St. Peter 
St. Peter, affectionately known as the model apostle, for his journey of faith. Born in the first century as Simon, Jesus called him to be a disciple at the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry; he was given the name Peter.Throughout the New Testament, the bond between Peter and Jesus is undeniable. Peter frequently is the apostle who asks Jesus questions about his teachings, his ministry and his journey. He is depicted as a leader, even among the other apostles, which is fitting because he is the first pope, in the Roman Catholic tradition. His feast day is June 29th. Read more.

St. James (the Lesser)
St. James, the son of Alphaeus, is also known as James the Lesser, so to not confuse him with St. James, the son of Zebedee, another apostle known as James the Greater. He is an example of missionary discipleship should be, and serves as a reminder of the fact that, as Christians, we will be tested. His feast day is May 3rd. Read more. 

St. James (the Greater)
St. James, the son of Zebedee, also known as St. James the Greater. James and his brother St. John were among of the first four disciples of Jesus. Jesus called, and John and James followed. The brothers were passionate followers; Jesus referred to the two brothers as “sons of thunder.” St. James exemplified how zeal for the Lord brings us closer to God. James is among those closest to Christ. James was one of the three disciples Jesus allowed to be present when he revived the daughter of the synagogue official; James was also present during the Transfiguration and the Agony in the Garden. Consistently, it was Peter, James and John, who Jesus called to him out of the Twelve. His feast day is July 25th. Read more

St. Jude Thaddaeus
His feast day is October 28th. 
Check out the St. Jude Shrine in Baltimore, MD to learn more. 

St. Andrew
Andrew was an apostle, a missionary, a brother, a martyr, a disciple of Jesus and a disciple of John the Baptist. He was one of Jesus’ first disciples. Jesus called out to two brothers fishing, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.’ At once they left their nets and followed him.” (Matthew 4:18-20) These two brothers were Andrew and Simon. Simon was renamed “Peter” by Jesus. Andrew and Peter left their jobs, their livelihoods as fishermen on the Sea of Galilee, like James and John, to follow Jesus. His feast day is November 30th. Read more.  

St. Philip
Jesus said, “Follow me,” and Philip turned to Nathanael and said, “We have found the man whom Moses wrote about in his teachings and whom the prophets wrote about. He is Jesus, son of Joseph, from the city of Nazareth.” (John 1:45) but Nathanael did not believe – at first. Philip truly embodies what it means to “gossip the Gospel.” His feast day is May 3rd. Read more.

St. Simon
His feast day is October 28th.

St. Matthew
Jesus said, “Follow Me,” and Matthew became his disciple. Matthew, a tax collector – a
profession often viewed as corrupt and untrustworthy – was working in Capernaum when he
encountered Jesus. He is a great example of the transformative power of faith. He wrote the one of the four Gospels in the New Testament. His feast day is September 21st. Read more. 

St. John
John and his brother James were among of the first disciples of Jesus. Jesus called, and John and James followed. Matthew 4:21-22 paints the scene where James and John “were in a boat, with their father Zebedee, mending their nets. He called them, and immediately they left their boat and their father and followed him.” John – also known as St. John the Divine – was an apostle, a Gospel writer, an evangelist, a brother, and a fisherman. He was a major player in developing and supporting the early Church, especially after the Resurrection. He stood faithfully at the cross when Jesus made him the guardian of the Blessed Virgin Mary. After the Assumption of Mary, John went to Ephesus (in present day Turkey). His feast day is December 27th. Read more. 

St. Thomas
The nickname, “Doubting Thomas” still lives on today because it was Thomas who questioned whether Jesus had truly risen. But Thomas was a devoted apostle to Jesus who helps us confront doubt. His belief – in this moment – hinged on his personal encounter with God. Jesus understands and meets that need by inviting Thomas to put his hands in his wounds. Thomas exclaims, “My Lord and My God.” This is also representative of Thomas, the apostle because there were other moments when Thomas’ faith in Jesus was courageous and bold. His feast day is July 3rd. Read more.

St. Bartholomew
His feast day is August 24th.

St. Matthias
St. Matthias stepped in as the twelfth disciple in Judas Iscariot’s place. Early historians and Church archives verify that Matthias was one of the 72 disciples sent out two-by-two by Jesus in the Gospels. Saint Matthias is actually only mentioned once in the entire New Testament – in the Acts of the Apostles, which records Matthias being elected by the casting of lots. His feast day is May 14th. Read more.