St Luke, in Christian tradition, is the author of the Gospel according to Luke as well as the Acts of the Apostles.
Luke is believed to have been a Greek Gentile (non-Jew) from Antioch (modern Turkey). In Colossians, (4:14) Paul describes Luke as the ‘beloved physician.’
Luke accompanied Paul on his secondary missionary journey in the first century. He stayed for six years in Philippi, Greece and then went on Paul’s third missionary journey to Italy, when famously, they were shipwrecked off the coast of Malta. He stayed with Paul when Paul was imprisoned. When Paul was martyred in 66CE, Luke returned to Greece, dying at the age of 84.
Luke’s Gospel was believed to be written by a Gentile for other Gentiles. The Gospel of Luke tells about the life and teachings of Jesus. He wanted to prove that Jesus was the Son of God. It is the third longest book of the New Testament. In the Acts of the Apostles, Luke documents the growth of the early Church. He writes about what happened to all of Jesus followers after Jesus rose back into heaven.
Luke is the patron saint of doctors and painters. It is believed that in medieval times, Luke painted a picture of the Virgin Mary – a work which is preserved in the Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome.
Saint Luke’s Feast day is celebrated on October 18th.
