Holy Apostle Quadratus of the Seventy (†c. 130) — September 21 / October 4 (Julian Calendar)

On this day, September 21 according to the Julian Calendar (October 4 civil calendar), the Georgian Orthodox Church commemorates Holy Apostle Quadratus of the Seventy.

Holy Apostle Quadratus, one of the Seventy, was bishop of the diocese of Magnesia (a peninsula east of Thessaly). He brought many pagans to faith in Christ. The blessed apostle’s God-pleasing labors filled the idolaters with hatred. Once a frenzied mob fell upon the apostle to stone him, but by help from above the saint remained alive. The godless then threw him into prison, where he gave up his soul through starvation (c. 130). The holy body of Quadratus was buried in Magnesia.

In the year 126 the blessed apostle wrote an apology in defense of Christianity and presented it to the emperor Hadrian (117–138). It so moved the persecutor of the faithful that he ordered that no one be tried without proof of wrongdoing.