"Holy Apostle Philip of the Seventy, one of the 7 Deacons is not to be confused with St Philip one of the Twelve Apostles (November 14). This Philip was born in Palestine, was married and had children.
After the Descent of the Holy Spirit, the Twelve Apostles made Philip a deacon in the Church of Jerusalem. Along with the other six deacons, they appointed him to deal with the offerings of the faithful and attend to the concerns of the widowed, the orphaned and the needy. The eldest among the seven deacons was the holy Archdeacon Stephen. When the persecution of Christians began, the Jews stoned the Protomartyr Stephen. The Apostle Philip left Jerusalem and settled in Samaria. There he successfully preached Christianity. Among the disciple's converts was the noted magician Simon, who "after being baptized, continued with Philip." (Acts 8:9-13)
St. Philip, as mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles, had four daughters who had the gift of prophecy (Acts 21:8). St. Nikodemos of the Holy Mountain, in the Great Synaxaristes, names two, St. Ermione (who is commemorated September 4th), and Eutychis (who I have been unable to confirm if she is actively honored as a Saint). (http://www.snhell.gr/references/synaxaristis/search.asp?id=1435)
St. Ermione (Hermione) was a great physician, ascetic, and martyr of the early Church. For more information see: http://full-of-grace-and-truth.blogspot.com/2009/09/st-ermione-hermione-daughter-of-st.html.
Also note, the Skull of St. Philip the Deacon is treasured in the Holy Monastery of St. John the Theologian on Patmos, where his feast is honored. (http://www.patmosmonastery.gr/hmerologio%202009.pdf)
Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!
2 comments:
Do you know if the four names of his daughters are well documented....meaning do you have a lot of confidence in that info? I'm asking for an icon including his four daughters that I'm doing and I'd like to name them all correctly.
Thank you for your post!
It turns out I must have been mistaken with this documentation.
It is true that St. Philip the Deacon celebrates on October 11th. On the same day celebrates Sts. Zenais and Philonilla, who are described as "relatives of St. Paul the Apostle" according to St. Nikodemos of the Holy Mountain, but they are not described anywhere I've seen as being two of St. Philip's daughters. (http://www.snhell.gr/references/synaxaristis/search.asp?id=1435)
As we know from the Acts of the Apostles, St. Philip had four pious daughters who had the gift of prophecy (Acts 21:8). Two are named by St. Nikodemos: St. Ermione (whose full life is given in the Great Synaxaristes) and Eutychis (who is just mentioned in passing, and is not mentioned in the Menaion of September 4th, so I am unsure if she is actively honored as a Saint or not). (http://www.snhell.gr/references/synaxaristis/search.asp?id=1435)
I have yet to see an icon that depicts his four daughters together, so I don't have an iconographic basis for this to give you.
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