Saints Olympas, Herodion, Erastus, Sosipatros and Quartos the Apostles from the Septuagint

Saints Olympas, Herodion, Erastus, Sosipatros and Quartos the Apostles from the Septuagint
Feast Date: 10/11

All five were among the seventy Apostles of the Lord (see January 4). They are all mentioned in the 1st chapter of the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Romans. Most of them were bishops of the Church of Christ and became excellent implementers of the commandment of the divinely inspired word of the Holy Bible: “Shepherd the flock of God among you, shepherding not under compulsion, but willingly, not grudgingly, but willingly, not as conquerors of lots, but becoming types of the flock” (1st letter of Peter, v. 2 – 3). Shepherd, that is, the flock of God that is in your jurisdiction, and oversee it with all diligence and care, not of necessity, because you have been placed in this position, but with all your will, not with a view to filthy lucre, but willingly and zeal, not oppressing the faithful, who like other agricultural lots were given to each of you for spiritual cultivation but to become examples of virtue worthy of imitation to the flock. Indeed, all five Apostles became models of virtue.

Olympas and Herodion (see also March 28) were martyred under Nero. Sosipatrus (see also April 29) became bishop of Iconium and died performing his duties excellently. Erastus ruled the diocese of Neados in a similar way. And Quartos, as bishop of Beirut, fought with courage and included many pagans as Christians in his diocese.

Note: In some Synaxarists, along with the above five Apostles, Apostle Tertius is also commemorated, who celebrates on October 30. Tertius became the second bishop of Iconium after Sosipatros. He also wrote the epistle to the Romans. Paul (Rom. ist’ 22).