Life
The Holy Apostle Philip was from Bethsaida of Galilee, the same small town from which the Apostles Peter and Andrew also came. He was a man of deep piety, versed in Holy Scripture, who waited in the quietness of his heart for the Messiah promised in the prophecies. The Lord called him with a brief and all-powerful summons — “Follow Me” — and Philip at once left everything and followed.
Immediately upon being called, Philip hastened to his friend Nathanael (the Apostle Bartholomew) and told him the joyful news: “We have found Him of Whom Moses in the Law and the Prophets did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” Nathanael, in keeping with the understanding of the day, was skeptical — “Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?” — and Philip invited him with a single word: “Come and see.” That brief “come and see” has remained as a model of missionary witness throughout the whole of church history.
During Christ’s earthly ministry, Philip is singled out on several occasions in the Gospel accounts. Before the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves, Christ tested Philip with the question: “Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?” — knowing what He would do, but testing the apostle’s faith. Philip answered within the bounds of human logic, and through this the Lord showed that faith must reach beyond calculation. At the Last Supper Philip, in naive sincerity, asked Christ: “Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us” — to which Christ responded with one of the deepest Gospel statements about the unity of the Son with the Father.
After the descent of the Holy Spirit, Philip received by lot the territories of Asia Minor, Phrygia, and Lydia as his preaching grounds. He proclaimed the Gospel in the cities of Azarba, Hierapolis, and the surrounding regions, converting peoples who lived in idolatry. Tradition tells that in Hierapolis (Phrygia), together with the Apostle Bartholomew and his sister Mariamne, he dwelt for a long time, preached, and performed many healings.
In Hierapolis, Philip’s preaching kindled fierce opposition from the pagan priests and authorities. He was arrested together with Bartholomew and crucified upside down on a cross. According to hagiographic tradition, while hanging crucified, Philip continued to preach and pray for his enemies, and an earthquake that arose at that moment struck fear into the crowd. Bartholomew was taken down from the cross and survived, while Philip peacefully reposed on the cross, like the Lord Himself Whom he had followed, at the close of the first century.
The Church attributes to Philip the full inheritance of apostolic honor — a man who with his whole being answered Christ’s call and remained faithful to the Teacher to the end.
Tropar (Tone 3)
O holy Apostle Philip, intercede with the merciful God to grant remission of sins to our souls.
Kontakion (Tone 1)
Thy disciple and herald of the Gospels, O Philip the Apostle, is made manifest to us who celebrate thy memory; pray for us all.
Liturgical note: November 14 by the Julian calendar (November 27 by the Gregorian) is also the beginning of the Nativity (Philippian) Fast, which the people call “Filipovdan” or “Philip’s Wednesday.” The fast lasts until Christmas — forty days in all. The Holy Apostle Philip is thus the symbolic opener of the fast that prepares us for the coming of Christ Who became incarnate.