Apostle 1st century

Apostle Titus of the Seventy

1st century (died c. 96–107 AD, by tradition at age 97)

Also known as Titus, Bishop of Crete

A convert and companion of Saint Paul who became Bishop of Crete and is addressed in the New Testament Epistle to Titus.

Feast Day

August 25

Draft

Draft — pending review. Not yet verified for publication.

Hymn / Apolytikion Icon gallery Video / Media

Commemorated as

The Holy, Glorious and All-Praised Apostle Titus of the Seventy, Bishop of Crete

Come to them for

Missionary Work

Life

Saint Titus was a first-century convert and companion of the Apostle Paul who became the first Bishop of Crete and is the addressee of the New Testament Epistle to Titus. Numbered among the Seventy Apostles, he is distinct from the Venerable Tituses commemorated on February 27 and April 2.

By tradition Titus was born on the island of Crete to a prominent pagan family. In his youth he studied Hellenistic philosophy and the ancient poets while maintaining a virtuous life. At about twenty he received a divine calling through a dream that instructed him to abandon pagan wisdom and seek spiritual salvation, after which he was moved by reading the Prophet Isaiah.

Sent by the governor of Crete — his uncle — to investigate reports of a great Prophet working miracles in Palestine, Titus traveled to Jerusalem, where the synaxarion relates that he encountered Jesus Christ and witnessed His teaching, crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension. He was baptized by the Apostle Paul and became his devoted disciple, serving as his secretary and interpreter and accompanying him on his missionary journeys.

After Paul's first Roman imprisonment, Titus was ordained Bishop of Crete, where he appointed presbyters in every city and led his flock into old age. He died peacefully at Gortyna; tradition holds that he reposed at age 97 and that his face shone like the sun at the moment of his death.

Timeline 7 moments Read Hide

1st century Birth and education on Crete Born on the island of Crete to a prominent pagan family, Titus studied Hellenistic philosophy and the ancient poets in his youth while preserving a virtuous life.
c. age twenty Divine calling and journey to Jerusalem Moved by a dream and by reading the Prophet Isaiah, and sent by the governor of Crete to investigate reports of a miracle-working Prophet in Palestine, Titus traveled to Jerusalem, where tradition holds he witnessed the teaching, crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension of Christ.
c. 48–49 AD Council of Jerusalem Titus accompanied Paul and Barnabas to the Jerusalem council, where the standing of Gentile converts regarding Mosaic practices was decided.
c. 55–56 AD Missions to Corinth Paul sent Titus from Ephesus to Corinth to address conflicts there; after reconciling the community he returned carrying 2 Corinthians, and later helped organize collections for the Christians of Jerusalem.
c. 65 AD Ordained Bishop of Crete After Paul's first Roman imprisonment, Titus was ordained Bishop of Crete and appointed presbyters in every city; Paul later sent him the pastoral epistle that bears his name.
c. 96–107 AD Repose at Gortyna Titus died peacefully at Gortyna in Crete; tradition holds he was 97 years old and that his face shone like the sun at the moment of his repose.
1966 Return of the relic Titus's skull, kept in Venice during the Ottoman rule over Crete, was returned to the Church of St. Titus in Heraklion.

Contributions & Legacy

3 contributions Read Hide

Companion of the Apostle Paul

Following his baptism, Titus became one of Paul's most trusted associates, serving as his secretary and interpreter. The Epistle to the Galatians notes that Titus accompanied Paul and Barnabas to Jerusalem. As a Gentile believer, his presence at the Jerusalem council, traditionally dated to 48–49 AD, bore directly on the question of whether non-Jewish converts were bound to observe Mosaic practices.

Titus played a central role in Paul's dealings with the church at Corinth. Around 55–56 AD Paul dispatched him from Ephesus to Corinth to address conflicts there, carrying what scholars call the 'Severe Letter.' After his success in reconciling the Corinthian community with Paul, he met Paul in Macedonia and returned to Corinth with a larger entourage, carrying the letter known as 2 Corinthians. Paul later sent him to organize the charitable collections for the Christians of Jerusalem.

Titus is not mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles, but he figures prominently in Paul's epistles, where he appears as a reliable emissary entrusted with delicate pastoral missions.

Bishop of Crete

After Paul's first Roman imprisonment, Paul ordained Titus as Bishop of Crete; John Chrysostom regarded this appointment as an indication of the esteem in which Paul held him. The historian Eusebius of Caesarea, in his Ecclesiastical History, documents that Titus served as the first bishop of Crete.

Titus was left on the island to organize the church and appoint presbyters in every city — duties set out in the Epistle to Titus, which describes the requirements and conduct of presbyters and bishops across its three chapters and forty-six verses. He led his flock at Gortyna into old age.

Paul later summoned Titus to Nicopolis in Epirus, and from there he traveled to Dalmatia (in present-day Croatia). By tradition his missionary labors on Crete included the destruction of an idol of Diana and the prevention of the completion of a temple of Zeus, through which many pagans were converted.

Relics & Shrines

Titus reposed at Gortyna in Crete, with traditional dates placing his death around 96 or 107 AD. His skull was preserved as a relic and, during the long period of Ottoman rule over Crete, was kept in Venice. In 1966 the relic was returned to the Church of St. Titus in Heraklion.

Commemorated with Read Hide

The Seventy Apostles

Commemorated together · Jan 4

Notes

Apostle of the Seventy; distinct from the Venerable Tituses (Feb 27, Apr 2).

Sources: OCA Synaxarion (oca.org), Lives of the Saints