St. Timothy was a disciple of St. Paul, whose works include two letters written to him. Paul speaks of having ordained Timothy by the laying on of hands (2 Timothy 1:6), so he is usually shown in liturgical dress (as at left, where he wears a chasuble). In the letters St. Paul refers to him often as a young person and as "my child," so sometimes he is shown without a beard.
A tradition at Rome has Timothy as the son of St. Pudens, a Roman Senator who hosted both St. Peter and St. Paul in his home and who also fathered SS. Pudenziana, Praxedes, and Novatus.
Feast day: January 26
At left, his portrait at Santa Pudenziana in Rome
Other images:
5th century fresco
11th century fresco
16th century frescoHagiography:
The Golden
Legend has the following on St. Timothy: "S. Timothy was taken under
Nero of the provost of Rome, and was grievously beaten, and had
quicklime put in his throat and upon his wounds. And he rendered
thankings to God with all his heart. And then two angels came to him,
saying: Lift up thine head to heaven. And then he beheld and saw the
heaven open, and Jesu Christ, which held a double crown, and said to
him, 'Thou shalt receive this of my hand.' And a man named Apollinarius
saw this thing and did him to be [i.e. had himself] baptized. And
therefore the provost commanded that they twain [two] together,
persevering in the confession of our Lord, should be beheaded about the
year of our Lord fifty-six."
Also see:
Menu