1st century
Three of the Seventy: Apelles of Heraklion, Lucius of Laodicea in Syria, and Clement of Sardica (1st c.)
The Holy, Glorious and All-Praised Apostles of the Seventy Apelles, Lucius and Clement
Apelles, Lucius, and Clement are three of the Seventy Apostles whom the Orthodox Church commemorates together on September 10. All three belong to the apostolic generation of the first century and are associated with the spread of the Gospel through Asia Minor and the wider Mediterranean world. The synaxarion connects each of them to the New Testament epistles of the Apostle Paul, among whose companions and fellow workers they are numbered.
Tradition records that each of the three labored as a bishop or evangelist in the early Church. Apelles is associated with Heraklion and is said to have ended his life at Smyrna; Lucius is named as the first bishop of Laodicea in Syria; and Clement is remembered as bishop of Sardica. The Church distinguishes this Clement from Clement of Rome, with whom he is sometimes confused.
Holy Apostles Apelles, Luke, and Clement,
entreat the merciful God,
to grant our souls forgiveness of transgressions.
Text used with permission of the Orthodox Church in America (oca.org).
Apelles is mentioned by the Apostle Paul in his Epistle to the Romans, where Paul writes, "Greet Apelles, who is approved in Christ" (Romans 16:10). Tradition associates him with Heraklion and records that he labored in spreading the Gospel before dying at Smyrna. He is to be distinguished from another Apostle Apelles commemorated on October 31.
Lucius (also rendered Luke or Loukios in some sources) is remembered as the first bishop of Laodicea in Syria, where he shepherded the early Christian community. He is counted among the Seventy and is distinct from Luke the Evangelist, with whom he is sometimes identified or confused in later tradition.
Clement is mentioned by the Apostle Paul in his Epistle to the Philippians, where Paul speaks of his fellow workers "whose names are in the book of life" (Philippians 4:3). He is remembered as bishop of Sardica and, according to tradition, suffered wounds on behalf of Christ before departing to the Lord. He is not to be confused with Clement of Rome.
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