Epenetus of Carthage

Saint Epenetus the Apostle is one of the Seventy apostles, whom Saint Paul in the Epistle to the Romans calls his beloved, the first fruits of Asia for Christ. According to tradition he was a bishop, in some lists of Carthage, in others of Corinth. The Church commemorates him on 30 July, together with the Apostles Silas, Silvanus, Crescens and Andronicus, and on 4 January, in the synaxis of the Seventy.

In the writings of the Apostle Paul

Paul sends him greetings in chapter 16 of the Epistle to the Romans and calls him “my beloved Epenetus, who is the first fruits of Asia for Christ.” Some manuscripts, among them the Slavonic text, read “first fruits of Achaia.” From these words it is understood that Epenetus was among the first to believe in a region. Most hold that he was won for Christ by Paul at Ephesus, during the apostle's second journey.

Saint John Chrysostom observes in his commentary that Paul does not praise just anyone, but loves with discernment, so that to be loved by him is great praise. The word first fruits shows either that Epenetus came to Christ first, or that he showed greater piety than others. If, as it seems, he was of humble birth, the apostle shows his true nobility in Christ and calls him a door through which others entered.

Ministry and end

The lists attributed to Pseudo-⁠Dorotheus and Pseudo-⁠Hippolytus name him the first bishop of Carthage or Cartagena. According to the Menaion of Demetrius of Rostov, he was bishop at Corinth. The Greek synaxaria say briefly that he departed to the Lord. From the service of the apostle, however, it may be gathered that he died a martyr, for the hymns praise him as one who endured suffering after the example of Christ.

The Church honours him on 30 July, with the first disciples of Paul, and on the day of the synaxis of the Seventy apostles, 4 January.