Apostles of the Seventy Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon and Parmenas, Deacons (I)
The holy Apostles of the Seventy Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon and Parmenas were the first deacons of the Church of Christ.
The Acts of the Apostles (6:1–6) tells how, as the Christians multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, “because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.” Then the twelve apostles called the multitude of the disciples unto them and said: “Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.” Among the seven chosen were Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon and Parmenas. “Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.”
The holy deacons died at different times and in different places, but the Orthodox Church keeps their memory together on 28 July.
Saint Prochorus was at first a companion and helper of the Apostle Peter, and was consecrated by him Bishop of the city of Nicomedia. After the Dormition of the Mother of God the blessed father accompanied Saint John the Theologian on his apostolic journeys, and was exiled with him to the island of Patmos as well. Here Prochorus wrote down the revelation about the end of the world (the Apocalypse), which God made His most beloved disciple worthy to see. After returning to Nicomedia the holy father laboured tirelessly to enlighten the darkened pagans with the light of Christ, and there he met a martyr’s end.
Saint Nicanor was one of the two thousand Christians killed by the Jews together with the Protomartyr Stephen.
Saint Timon was Bishop of the city of Bostra in Arabia. For preaching the Gospel the Jews and pagans brought terrible torments upon him; they even threw him into a red-hot furnace, but he came out unharmed. According to the tradition of the Church of Rome, Timon the deacon died on a cross.
Saint Parmenas laboured zealously to spread the teaching of the Gospel in Macedonia. According to one account he died of illness; according to other sources he was put to death by torture in the last year of the reign of Trajan (98–117).
