Simon/Peter

     Andrew, Peter’s brother, preached to the Scythians (modern day Georgia), Sogdians, and the Sacae in Sebastopolis, Ethiopia. In the year A.D. 80.  he was crucified by Aegeas, the governor of the Edessenes, and buried in Patrae, in Archaia (Greece).  Bernard and Cyprian mention the confession and martyrdom of this blessed apostle.  Partly from them and partly from other reliable writers, we gather the following material.

     When Andrew, through his diligent preaching, had brought many to the faith of Christ, Aegeas the governor asked permission of the Roman senate to force all Christians to sacrifice to and honor the roman idols.  Andrew thought he should resist Aegeas and went to him, telling him that a judge of men should first know and worship his Judge in heaven.  While worshiping the true god, Andrew said, he should banish all false gods and blind idols from his mind. 

     Furious at Andrew, Aegeas demanded to know if he was the man who had recently overthrown the temple of the gods and persuaded men to become Christians—a “superstitious sect” that had recently been declared illegal by the Romans.

     Andrew replied that the rulers of Rome didn’t understand the truth.  The Son of God, who came into the world for man’s sake, taught that the Roman gods were devils, enemies of mankind, teaching men to offend God and causing Him to turn away from them.  By serving the devil, men fall into all kinds of wickedness, Andrew said, and after they die, nothing but their evil deeds are remembered.

     The proconsul ordered Andrew not to preach these things any more or he would face a speedy crucifixion.  Whereupon Andrew replied, “I would not have preached the honor and glory of the cross if I feared the death of the cross.”  He was condemned to be crucified for teaching a new sect and taking away the religion of the roman gods.

     Andrew, going toward the place of execution and seeing the cross waiting for him, never changed his expression.  Neither did he fail in his speech.  His body fainted not, nor did his reason fail him, as often happens to men about to die.  He said, “O cross, most welcome and longed for!  With a willing mind, joyfully and desirously, I come to you, being the scholar of Him which did hang on you, because I have always been your lover and yearned to embrace you.”

James, Son of Zebedee

     The "beloved disciple," was brother to James the Great. The churches of Smyrna, Pergamos, Sardis, Philadelphia, Laodicea, and Thyatira, were founded by him. From Ephesus he was ordered to be sent to Rome, where it is affirmed he was cast into a cauldron of boiling oil. He escaped by miracle, without injury. He was the only apostle who escaped a violent death.  Domitian afterwards banished him to the Isle of Patmos, where he wrote the Book of Revelation.

Philip

    Was born at Bethsaida, in Galilee and was first called by the name of "disciple." He labored diligently in Upper Asia, and suffered martyrdom at Heliopolis, in Phrygia. He was scourged, thrown into prison, and afterwards crucified in Hierapolis (what today is eastern Turkey), A.D. 54.

Bartholomew

     Preached in several countries, and having translated the Gospel of Matthew into the language of India, he propagated it in that country. He was at length cruelly beaten and then crucified by the impatient idolaters.

Thomas

     Called Didymus, preached the Gospel in Parthia and India, where exciting the rage of the pagan priests, he was martyred by being thrust through with a spear.

Matthew/Levi

    Whose occupation was that of a toll-gatherer, was born at Nazareth. He wrote his gospel in Hebrew, which was afterwards translated into Greek by James the Less. The scene of his labors was Parthia, and Ethiopia, in which latter country he suffered martyrdom, being slain with a halberd in the city of Nadabah, A.D. 60.

James, Son of Alphaeus

    He was elected to the oversight of the churches of Jerusalem; and was the author of the Epistle ascribed to James in the sacred canon. At the age of ninety-four he was beat and stoned by the Jews; and finally had his brains dashed out with a fuller's club.

    Of James, the brother of the Lord, we read the following.  James, being considered a just and perfect man, governed the church with the apostles.  He drank no wine or any strong drink, ate no meat, and never shaved his head.  He was the only man allowed to enter into the holy place, for he never wore wool, just linen.  He would enter into the temple alone, fall on his knees, and ask remission for the people, doing this so often that his knees lost their sense of feeling and became hardened, like the knees of a camel.  Because of his holy life, James was called “The Just” and “the safeguard of the people.”

     When many of their chief men had been converted, the Jews, scribes, and Pharisees began to fear that soon all the people would decide to follow Jesus.  They met with James, saying, “We beg you to restrain the people, for they believe Jesus as though he were Christ.  Persuade those who come to the Passover to think correctly about Christ, because they will all listen to you.  Stand on the top of the temple so you can be heard by everyone.”

     During Passover the scribes and Pharisees put James on top of the temple, calling out to him, “You just man, whom we all ought to obey, this people is going astray after Jesus, who was crucified.”

     And James answered, “Why do you ask me of Jesus the Son of Man?  He sits on the right hand of the Most High, and shall come in the clouds of heaven.”

     Hearing this, many in the crowd were persuaded and glorified God, crying, “Hosannah to the Son of David!”

     Then the scribes and Pharisees realized they had done the wrong thing by allowing James to testify of Christ.  They cried out, “Oh, this just man is seduced, too!” then went up and threw James off the temple.

     But James wasn’t killed by the fall.  He turned, fell on his knees, and called, “O Lord God, Father, I beg You to forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

     They decided to stone James, but a priest said to them, “Wait! What are you doing?  The just man is praying for you!”  But one of the men there- a fuller- took the instrument he used to beat cloth and hit James on the head, killing him, and they buried him where he fell.  James was a true witness for Christ to the Jews and the Gentiles.

Thaddaeus

     Preached the Gospel in Mauritania, Africa, and even in Britain.   There are some accounts which have him traveling from Britain to the Black Sea. Other strands put him in Egypt and Mesopotamia. His death is similarly ambiguous: some say he was crucified in Samaria; others say he was sawn in half in Suanir, Persia; still others write that he was martyred at Weriosphora in Iberia.

Matthias

Of whom less is known than of most of the other disciples, was elected to fill the vacant place of Judas. He was stoned at Jerusalem and then beheaded.