Lucius of Cyrene

Saint Lucius of Cyrene the Apostle is mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles as one of the prophets and teachers of the Church at Antioch. According to Orthodox tradition he is one of the seventy apostles. The Orthodox Church commemorates him on 10 September, and the Roman Martyrology on 6 May.

In the New Testament

His name appears twice in the New Testament. In the Acts of the Apostles (13:1) he is called Lucius of Cyrene, among the prophets and teachers of the Church at Antioch, together with Barnabas, Simeon called Niger and others. As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit commanded that Barnabas and Saul be set apart for the work to which he had called them. Then, after fasting and prayer, they laid their hands on them and sent them away. From this passage it is inferred that Lucius was one of the founders of the Church at Antioch.

In the Epistle to the Romans (16:21) Saint Paul mentions a Lucius, his kinsman. It cannot be known whether this is the same man. Origen identifies him with the evangelist Luke, but the tradition of the Church clearly distinguishes Luke from Lucius, in the service of the seventy apostles, where both are praised separately.

According to tradition

Tradition counts him among the first bishops of Laodicea in Syria, according to others the first bishop of Cyrene. The Apostolic Constitutions call him bishop of Cenchreae. Some sources suppose that he received the faith as early as Pentecost, when among those who saw the wonder were people from the parts of Libya near Cyrene.

Veneration

The Orthodox Church commemorates him on 10 September, together with the apostles Apelles of Heraclea and Clement of Sardis, on 22 April, and on 4 January in the Synaxis of the seventy apostles. He is also venerated in the Catholic Church, where his commemoration is on 6 May.