, pastors, teachers and fathers of the Church of Christ. They spread and strengthened the Church of Christ by word, scripture and their holy life. BRIEF INFORMATION about the preaching and fate of the Holy Apostles of St. The Supreme Ap. Peter (Simon) preached first in Judea, then in Antioch, in Bethany, in Asia, in Illipitsa, as well as throughout Italy and in Rome itself.

In Rome he was crucified upside down, under the emperor Nero. St. Peter, together with the Apostle Paul, as those who labored most of all in the preaching of the faith in Christ, are called St. Peter. By the Church, the supreme ones. St. The Supreme Ap. Paul (Saul) preached in many countries, from Jerusalem to the capital of the world, Rome. In Rome, he was beheaded by Emperor Nero. St. Up.

Andrew the First-Called, was within the boundaries of our Fatherland, he erected a cross on the Kiev mountains, predicting the future enlightenment of Russia by the faith of Christ. He preached along the shores of the Black Sea and in other countries. In Byzantium he ordained Stachys, one of the seventy disciples, as bishop. In the city of Patras, in Achaia (Greece), the pagans crucified him on a cross of a special shape, similar to the letter X, which therefore became known as the St. Andrew's Cross. St. Up.

James Zebedee preached in Jerusalem, and the first of the apostles suffered for Christ. By order of the Jewish king Herod Agrippa, he was beheaded in Jerusalem. St. Up. the Evangelist John the Theologian, after being tortured in Rome, was exiled to the island of Patmos. St. Up. John lived longer than all the apostles and died peacefully in Asia in the mountains. Ephesus. According to tradition, St.

The Apostle, of his own free will, was buried alive by his disciples. When, soon after the burial, the Christians who came dug up his grave, there were the bodies of St. Ap. John was gone. St. Up. Philip – preached in the countries of Asia together with the Apostle Bartholomew and his sister Mariamia. In Phrygia (a province of Asia Minor) in the mountains.

Hierapolis, was martyred — he was crucified upside down. St. Up. Bartholomew (Nathanael) — first preached together with Ap. Philip in Syria and Asia, then he was in India and translated the Gospel of Matthew into the Indian language; then he preached in Armenia, where he accepted a martyr's death in the city. Alvane: according to some sources, he was crucified upside down, according to other sources, he was flogged to death. St. Up. Thomas (Twin)

 — preached in many Asian countries, reaching India, where he was martyred for Christ. He was pierced with spears and then beheaded with a sword. St. Up. the Evangelist Matthew preached for a long time in Judea, and then throughout Ethiopia (present-day Abyssinia, Nubia, Kardafan, Darfur, etc.). He was killed with a sword in one of the cities of Ethiopia. St. Up.

James Alpheus – preached in Syria, Egypt and other various countries. In one of them he was crucified on the cross, having accepted a martyr's death for Christ. St. Up. Judas Jacob (Thaddeus or Levius) – preached in Judea, Galilee, Samaria and Idumea, in Arabia, Syria and Mesopotamia. In the Ararat country he was hanged on a tree of the cross, and shot with arrows. St. Up.

Simon the Zealot or the Canaanite preached in Mauritania and Africa. He was also in England (formerly called Britain). For preaching the faith in Christ, he was crucified on the cross, according to some sources in Georgia, by order of the Iberian king Aderkius, and according to other sources – in Persia. St. Up. Matthias, chosen from among the 70, in place of the fallen Judas.

He preached in Judea and in outer Ethiopia. Returning to Judea, he accepted suffering for Christ, being first stoned and then beheaded. St. Up. the Evangelist Mark is one of the 70, a companion and collaborator of the Apostles. Peter. He also preached on the shores of the Adriatic Sea. He accepted a martyr's death in Alexandria. St. Up. the Evangelist Luke is one of the 70, a companion and collaborator of Ap. Paul.

He then preached in Libya, Egypt, the Thebaid and Thebes. He ended his exploits with a martyr's death. St. Up. James, the Righteous, of the 70. The first Bishop of Jerusalem, ordained by the Lord Himself. He is called the Brother of the Lord. According to legend, he was the son of Joseph the Betrothed, from his first marriage. St. James was thrown by the Jews from the roof of the Jerusalem Temple, and then killed by a blow to the head. It was about 62 years old. St. Up.

James was the first to set forth the rite of the Divine Liturgy, which is the basis of the Liturgies of St. Basil the Great and St. John Chrysostom, which are now celebrated. St. Up. James (of the 70), brother of the Lord, the first bishop of Jerusalem. The Liturgy of St. Ap. St. James is still celebrated in Jerusalem on the day of his commemoration. General persecution of Christians.

During the first three centuries (about three hundred years), Christians endured almost constant persecution, first from unbelieving Jews and then from Gentiles. The Destruction of Jerusalem The Jews, who did not accept the Saviour promised by God, the Lord Jesus Christ, and betrayed Him to death, with mad cries: "His blood be on us and on our children," and killed many Christians, received retribution for all their iniquities.

Jerusalem and the temple of God were razed to the ground by Roman troops when the Jews rebelled. Thus was fulfilled in the year 70, the Lord's prophecy about this. The place where the temple of God used to stand was ploughed with a plough, so that not one stone was left there. The Jewish people were scattered throughout the whole earth. More than a million Jews were exterminated. Several tens of thousands of them were sold into slavery.