Born at Lystra, Lycaenia, St. Timothy was the son of a Greek father and Eunice, a converted Jewess. He joined St. Paul when Paul preached at Lystra
replacing Barnabas, and became Paul's close friend and confidant. Paul
allowed him to be circumcised to placate the Jews, since he was the son
of a Jewess, and he then accompanied Paul on his second missionary
journey.
When Paul was forced to flee Berea because of the enmity of the
Jews there, Timothy remained, but after a time was sent to Thessalonica to report on the condition
of the Christians there and to encourage them under persecution, a
report that led to Paul's first letter to the Thessalonians when he
joined Timothy at Corinth. Timothy and Erastus were sent to Macedonia in
58, went to Corinth
to remind the Corinthians of Paul's teaching, and then accompanied Paul
into Macedonia and Achaia.
Timothy was probably with Paul when the Apostle
was imprisoned at Caesarea and then Rome, and was himself imprisoned
but then freed. According to tradition, he went to Ephesus, became its
first bishop, and was stoned to death there when he opposed the pagan
festival of Katagogian in honor of Diana. Paul wrote two letters to
Timothy, one written about 65 from Macedonia and the second from Rome while he was in prison awaiting execution. His feast day is January 26.
From Catholic.org.
St. Timothy's symbol is a club and stones because they were the instruments of his death.
To download this free 12" x 12" pattern: Quilt Block in Honor of St. Timothy:
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