Herodion, Agabus and Companions
The Holy Apostles of the Seventy — Herodion, Agabus, Rufus, Asyncritus, Phlegon and Hermes
Apostle · Apostle of the Seventy · d. 1st century
Commemorated 8 April — Commemoration of the six apostles of the Seventy
On April 8 the Church commemorates together six of the Seventy Apostles — Herodion, Agabus, Rufus, Asyncritus, Phlegon and Hermes — all of them named or attested in the apostolic writings and honoured as co-workers of the great Apostles and first bishops and preachers of the Church. Several are also kept on their own principal days and within the Synaxis of the Seventy Apostles (January 4).
The apostles
- Herodion (Rodion), a kinsman of the Apostle Paul, whom Paul greets in Romans 16:11; by tradition bishop of Neopatras (New Patras) and a fellow-labourer of the Apostle Peter, martyred at Rome. He is commemorated also on November 8 and among the Olympas group.
- Agabus, the prophet of the Acts (Acts 11:28; 21:10–11), who foretold the great famine in the days of Claudius and, taking Paul's girdle, foretold his binding at Jerusalem; honoured among the apostles for his prophetic gift.
- Rufus, greeted by Paul in Romans 16:13 ("Rufus, chosen in the Lord") — by many identified with the son of Simon of Cyrene (Mark 15:21) — by tradition bishop of Thebes in Greece. (See also Rufus and Rufianus.)
- Asyncritus, greeted by Paul in Romans 16:14, by tradition bishop of Hyrcania in Asia, who preached and suffered for Christ.
- Phlegon, greeted with Asyncritus in Romans 16:14, by tradition bishop of Marathon in Thrace.
- Hermes, greeted with them in Romans 16:14, by tradition bishop of Dalmatia (see Hermes of the Seventy, kept March 8) — distinct from Hermas the author of The Shepherd and from the Hermas group.
All of these gave themselves to the preaching of the Gospel in the first age of the Church, and most, the tradition holds, sealed their apostolate with martyrdom. Their common commemoration on April 8 gathers into one feast these witnesses whom Paul himself greeted by name.
Feast and commemoration
April 8 (church date; Old Calendar civil April 21), within Great Lent. The six are kept together on this day, and severally on their own days and with the Synaxis of the Seventy (January 4).
Hymns
Troparion — Tone 3 (common of the apostles)
O holy apostles, intercede with the merciful God, that He grant to our souls the forgiveness of our transgressions.
Original translation from the Greek
Iconography
The apostles are shown as a company of the Seventy — bishops in the omophorion or apostles in tunic and himation, holding Gospel books or scrolls. No pre-1900 icon of this group alone has been identified for this collection.