Apostle

Peter

I am the first of the apostles to be called by Jesus. Along with me, He calls my brother Andrew.

My name is actually Simon. The name Peter derives from the epithet *Cephas*; this is how Jesus and Paul refer to me. "Peter" is the Greek translation.

I previously lived as a fisherman in Capernaum, on the Sea of ​​Galilee. I was married there.

I emerge as a leading figure among the apostles. Jesus says to me: "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven" (Matthew 16:19). Consequently, I am often depicted with large keys—the keys to heaven. By this, Jesus means that I have the ability to forgive sins here on earth, thereby granting people access to the kingdom of heaven.

After Jesus' resurrection, I am part of the early Christian community in Jerusalem. Later, I go to Rome and become its first bishop. To this day, the popes succeed me in this office. I meet my death in Rome, crucified on an inverted cross.

Andrew

As the younger brother of the Apostle Peter, I am among the first to be called by Jesus. Before that, I worked as a fisherman alongside Simon Peter on the Sea of ​​Galilee.

I had previously met John the Baptist and followed him.

According to tradition, I spread the faith in many regions, including Albania, Georgia, and Greece.

I am put to death on a cross in Patras, Greece. My cross has diagonal beams, forming the shape of the letter X. This shape is named after me; the "St. Andrew's Cross" can be found at railway crossings and on the flag of Scotland.

Bartholomew

I have lost the attribute I once held in my hands. It was likely a knife. However, I can also be recognized by another detail: I am the only apostle who wears shoes. These shoes allude to my role as the patron saint of shoemakers. My name is Bartholomew, and I originally come from Cana.

Like the Apostle Thomas, I traveled to India. I also proclaimed the faith in Armenia, where I was eventually executed. Since the 10th century, my remains have been kept in Rome at the Church of San Bartolomeo all’Isola.

James the Greater

An entire pilgrimage route is named after me: the Way of St. James (Jakobsweg). The routes of the Way of St. James lead from many countries to my tomb in Santiago de Compostela, Spain.

I am therefore depicted as a pilgrim wearing a hat and cloak and carrying a staff. The scallop shell—part of a pilgrim's standard equipment—is also an essential feature; the shell alludes to a miraculous rescue I performed.

I became an apostle alongside my brother John. We were both called by Jesus after the pair of brothers Simon Peter and Andrew. I took part in significant events in the life of Jesus.

Since there was another apostle named James among us, I am known as James the Great or James the Greater. The other James is correspondingly referred to as James the Less or James the Younger.

I was the first of the apostles to suffer a violent death. I was killed as early as 44 AD under the reign of Herod Agrippa.

There are various theories regarding how my remains came to be in Spain.

James the Younger

To distinguish me from James the Greater—who is the first James mentioned in the Gospels—I am called James the Less.

In the Middle Ages, I was identified with the brother of Jesus, who was also named James; however, modern scholarship raises objections to this view.

The biblical texts otherwise say nothing about me. According to tradition, I died in Jerusalem in the year 62 after being thrown from the Temple wall and beaten to death with a club or a fuller's staff.

John the Evangelist

Along with my brother James the Greater, I was called directly by Jesus. Before that, we were fishermen on the Sea of ​​Galilee.

Jesus held me in high regard; I became his favorite disciple.

Like Matthew, I am credited with authoring other texts of the New Testament: the Gospel of John and the Book of Revelation.

I died a natural death during the reign of Emperor Trajan. Trajan did not take office until the year 98. I therefore died long after Jesus, and I must have been very young when I met him. For this reason, I am usually depicted as a young man.

According to tradition, I was made to drink from a poisoned cup, which I hold in my left hand. However, the poison vanished from the cup in the form of a snake, so no harm came to me.

Jude Thaddaeus

The Evangelists refer to me as both Thaddaeus and Judas, giving rise to my combined name, Judas Thaddaeus. I am the third-to-last apostle called by Jesus.

There are varying accounts regarding my missionary work. I may have died in what was then Babylon (modern-day Iraq) or perhaps in Armenia.

The artist Brabender depicted me holding an attribute that has since been lost. I am dressed entirely in the fashion of the 16th century; traces of paint allow one to imagine the original appearance of my robes, even from a distance.

Matthew

I am known as Matthew and Levi, the tax collector from Capernaum. Like James the Less, I am identified as the son of Alphaeus.

Tradition holds me to be the author of one of the four Gospels—the Gospel of Matthew. That is why I am depicted here writing rather than reading. Lost in thought, I do not even notice the big toe of my right foot playing with the pommel of the sword.

Proclaiming the faith took me to Africa and Asia. According to tradition, I met my death by the sword.

Philip

I originally came from the town of Bethsaida on the Sea of ​​Galilee. Like the apostles Andrew and Simon (Peter), I have a Greek name—a feature that distinguishes us from the other apostles.

The Gospel of John provides the most information about me.

After the death of Jesus, I too set out on missionary journeys, though historical sources remain vague on the details.

I likely died in the territory of present-day Ukraine.

My attribute—possibly a T-shaped cross—which I held in my left hand, is lost.

Simon

My epithets in the Gospels are "the Cananaean" and "the Zealot" (the ardent one). Both refer to my connection with the Zealot resistance movement. This Jewish group sought to fight and overthrow the Roman occupation.

Despite bearing such militant epithets, the Gospels otherwise say nothing about me. Traditionally, I am regarded as a relative of Jesus; we may well have been cousins.

After the Resurrection of Jesus, I traveled to the region of present-day Iran—known at the time as Babylonia. There, I met my death by being sawn in two.

Thomas

The Evangelists do not report much about my life.

John also calls me "the Twin."

I was not present when the risen Jesus first appeared to the other apostles. I simply could not believe it! I was convinced only when I saw Him myself. It is to this doubt that I owe the epithet "Doubting Thomas."

My mission later took me as far as India. There, in present-day Mylapore/Chennai, I died while proclaiming the Gospel.

Among the apostles on the rood screen, I stand out because I am clean-shaven and have short hair. Did the artist have the famous Dominican Thomas Aquinas in mind when creating my sculpture? I bear a strong resemblance to him.

Matthias

I am not one of the original twelve apostles. I joined the circle of apostles only after the betrayal and death of Judas Iscariot.

There are various legends regarding the places where I proclaimed the Gospel and met my death.

My tomb was eventually discovered in Palestine. From there, my remains were brought to Trier by Bishop Agritius (c. 260 – after 329).

This makes me the only apostle whose tomb is located north of the Alps.

The artist Brabender depicts me wearing a medieval hood and holding an axe.