ST. BARNABAS THE APOSTLE (JUNE 11TH)
Apostle, Martyr, and Son of Consolation Compiled and Edited By Bp. Joseph ( Ancient Church of the West ) INTRODUCTION Saint Barnabas, counted among the glorious company of the Apostles though not of the Twelve, was a Levite of Cyprus, born with the name Joseph, but surnamed Barnabas—“Son of Consolation”—by the Apostles (Acts 4:36). This name became not only his title but the very character of his life: a man whose presence brought comfort, reconciliation, and apostolic boldness wherever he was sent. EARLY LIFE AND CONVERSION Though born among the Jewish diaspora, Barnabas was thoroughly trained in the Law of Moses and the customs of Israel. It is likely that he, like Saint Paul, studied in Jerusalem under Gamaliel. Tradition holds that Barnabas was among the Seventy disciples whom the Lord sent out during His earthly ministry (Luke 10:1), and that he may have seen Christ in the flesh, becoming a witness of the Resurrection shortly after the Ascension. He was among the earliest to ...
