Orthodox Church Marks the Synaxis of the Twelve Apostles.

We mark the Synaxis of the Holy Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ. The feast is also known as Second Easter, and by tradition, 13 eggs — 12 for the apostles and 1 for Christ — are dyed yellow on this day, symbolising the sun, life and resurrection. As many egg-based dishes as possible are placed on the table.

On June 30, the Orthodox Church celebrates the Synaxis of the Holy, Glorious and All-Praised Twelve Apostles. It is a common feast for the twelve main disciples of Christ, who were proclaimed saints. Although the synaxis of the apostles glorified by the Church on June 30 includes 13 apostles, in church books it is called the Synaxis of the Twelve. After yesterday’s feast of Saints Peter and Paul, the most prominent of the apostles of Jesus Christ, today marks the synaxis of His twelve disciples, who became preachers and heralds of Christ’s teaching.

The twelve apostles honoured today are: Simon, named Peter by Christ — meaning stone or rock — and his brother Andrew the First-Called; James, son of Zebedee, and his brother John, later called the Theologian; Philip; Bartholomew, whose own name was Nathanael; Thomas; Matthew the Evangelist; James, son of Alphaeus; Jude, son of James; Simon the Zealot; and Matthias, chosen in place of Judas Iscariot after Christ’s Ascension. The order of the apostles’ names follows the order in which they are listed in the Gospels. Among the two pairs of brothers, the apostles Peter and James were the elder ones and are therefore placed first, but together with Peter, John is among the best-known apostles and wrote several books of the New Testament.

The apostles are Christ’s messengers among the nations, as He commanded them: Go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. The apostle Paul is also added to them, having been additionally called to be an apostle of Christ. The memory of these messengers and preachers of Christ is honoured on different days throughout the year, when details of their lives and work are also commemorated, while today they are celebrated together because, in the words of their Teacher, all of them are friends of God. At an apostolic council, the position of the apostle Paul prevailed — that in Christ there is neither Jew nor Greek — and the preaching of the teaching was accepted and recommended for all people, regardless of their origin or previous religion.