Saints Timothy and Titus: Co-workers of the Apostle to the Gentiles

The work of evangelization is tedious and overwhelming, especially during the earliest years of the Church. Such was the predicament faced by Saint Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles. Reaching out to budding Christian communities is hard work for only one man, and so he acquired help from his friends. Today, January 26, we remember his two closest confidants: Saints Timothy and Titus.

The late Pope Benedict XVI took note of “their readiness to take on various offices” during one of the most crucial times in the foundation of the Church.

“[They] teach us to serve the Gospel with generosity, realizing that this also entails a service to the Church herself,” said the pontiff.

Two letters of Paul in the New Testament are addressed to Timothy and Titus. Since they were written during the later years of his life, he fully entrusted the mission of evangelization to them, encouraging them to continue spreading the Word of God even long after he was gone.

An offspring of a Greek father and a Jewish father, Timothy converted to Christianity around the year 47, following the footsteps of her Christian grandmother. He joined Paul’s ministry after the apostle visited his home region of Lycaonia in the year 51.

When the persecution of Christians raged within the Roman Empire, Paul sent Timothy to Thessalonica to aid the local Church. The two later met again in Corinth, and he later traveled to Macedonia on Paul’s behalf.

Timothy was also arrested and imprisoned because of his Christian ministry. The Letter to the Hebrews in the Bible narrates his release from prison.

It is believed that Timothy became the first bishop of the Church of Ephesus in the year 64. Tradition says that he suffered martyrdom in the year 93, when he was killed by a mob after protesting against idolatry.

Titus, the son of a pagan family, is an educated man. Despite his knowledge of Greek philosophy and poetry, he chose to embrace a life of holiness.

Tradition holds that Titus saw Jesus personally when he visited Jerusalem and listened to the Lord preach. Years later, he was converted to Christianity and baptized by Paul.

Titus served as assistant and interpreter for Paul, who he recognized as his spiritual father. He was with Paul during the Apostolic Council of Jerusalem in the year 51. Eventually, Paul would send him to the Church in Corinth and ordain him as the Bishop of Crete.

Titus is believed to have served as bishop until his 90s. He was laser-focused on destroying paganism and upholding the Christian faith. He is also credited with evangelizing the region of Dalmatia.

He peacefully died of old age, contrasting the martyrdom of Timothy.

These two saints, forever conjoined because of their connection to Saint Paul, are lasting examples of how Christians should keep their faith. Just like how they offered their lives to make Christ known in the ancient world, we are called to keep Jesus at the center of today’s fast-paced modern society.