St. Barnabas
St. Barnabas – 11th June
The Catholic Church celebrates the Feast of St. Barnabas the Apostle on the 11th of June each year.
Although Barnabas was not one of the original Twelve Apostles, the Church honors him as an apostle because of his extraordinary role in spreading the Gospel and helping establish the early Christian Church.
Who Was St. Barnabas?
Saint Barnabas was one of the earliest followers of Jesus Christ and a prominent leader in the Church after the Resurrection.
His original name was:
Joseph (or Joses)
The Apostles gave him the name Barnabas, which means:
“Son of Encouragement” (Acts 4:36)
This title reflected his generosity, kindness, and ability to strengthen others in faith.
Birth
The Bible does not record the exact date of Barnabas’ birth.
However, tradition tells us:
- Born: Around the early 1st century A.D.
- Place: Cyprus
- He was a Jew from the tribe of Levi.
Because his birth date is unknown, the Church does not celebrate a birthday feast for him.
Biblical Significance
Barnabas first appears in the Acts of the Apostles.
Acts 4:36-37
He sold a field he owned and gave the proceeds to the Apostles to help the poor.
This act demonstrated:
- Charity
- Generosity
- Trust in God
Role in the Early Church
Barnabas played a critical role in the spread of Christianity –
He Introduced St. Paul to the Apostles
When Saul (later St. Paul) converted to Christianity, many Christians feared him because he had persecuted the Church.
Barnabas:
- Believed in Paul’s conversion.
- Introduced him to the Apostles.
- Helped him gain acceptance within the Christian community.
Without Barnabas, Paul’s ministry may have faced much greater difficulties.
Participation in the Council of Jerusalem
Barnabas attended the important gathering known as the:
Council of Jerusalem
There, Church leaders decided that Gentile converts did not need to follow all Jewish ceremonial laws to become Christians.
This decision helped Christianity spread throughout the world.
How Did St. Barnabas Die?
Ancient Christian tradition states that Barnabas returned to Cyprus and continued preaching Christ. He died around A.D. 61–62 at a place called Salamis
Tradition holds that opponents of Christianity:
- Seized him.
- Dragged him outside the city.
- Stoned him to death.
Some traditions add that his body was later burned.
Martyrdom
St. Barnabas is honored as a martyr because he gave his life for the Christian faith and for preaching the Gospel.
His martyrdom demonstrated unwavering loyalty to Jesus Christ.
Patronage
St. Barnabas is the patron saint of:
- Cyprus
- Peacemakers
- Encouragers
- Missionaries
- Church workers involved in evangelization
Because of his supportive role toward St. Paul and others, he is often invoked by those seeking encouragement and reconciliation.
Spiritual Lessons from St. Barnabas
Encouragement: He inspired and strengthened fellow believers.
Generosity: He freely shared his possessions with those in need.
Faith in Others: He trusted in Paul’s conversion when others were doubtful.
Missionary Zeal: He devoted his life to spreading the Gospel.
Courage: He remained faithful even unto death.
Main Message of St. Barnabas’ Feast
The Feast of St. Barnabas celebrates a man who lived up to his name as the “Son of Encouragement.” His life reminds Catholics to be generous, supportive of others, courageous in sharing the Gospel, and willing to stand firm in faith despite opposition. Through his friendship with St. Paul, missionary work, and martyrdom, St. Barnabas helped lay the foundations of the early Church and remains a powerful example of Christian discipleship and evangelization.
He was one of the seventy apostles selected by Jesus for preaching the Gospel. His birth detail is not available but was born a Jew and his birth name was Joseph. He sold all his properties and placed the proceeds on the feet of the apostles and the apostles gave him the name ‘Barnabas’, meaning ‘Son of consolation’ or ‘Son of encouragement’. He appears in the Acts of the Apostles and in some of the epistles of Apostle Paul. There is also a belief that both St. Paul and St. Barnabas were students of the Rabbi Gamaliel. Barnabas and Paul under took missionary journeys together. St. Barnabas along with St. Paul attended the First Council of Jerusalem, where the Apostles under the leadership of St. Peter decided that the Gentile converts to Christianity need not undergo circumcision. He was sent by the Apostles to Antioch to supervise the church activities there. He went to Cyprus in the year 45 A.D. with St. Paul and there a Roman Official Sergius Paulus was converted to Christianity by them in the island of Paphos in Salamis. When he was preaching the Gospel in Cyprus, the Jews stoned him to death without tolerating his extraordinary success in his missionary work at a place called Salamis in 61 A.D. But St. Barnabas appeared in a dream to Arthemios, Archbishop of Constantia (Salamis) in the year 478 and gave some indication about his burial place beneath a carob tree. Arthemios found out the grave and when the remains of Barnabas was taken it was found that a manuscript of St. Matthew’s Gospel was on the remains of his breast. The manuscript Gospel of Matthew was presented by the arch-bishop to the Emperor Zeno at Constantinople and got certain privileges from the Eastern Emperor Zeno. St. Barnabas was the founder of the Church of Cyprus.
0611 St Barnabas 2p LETTER R1R 20260608Saint Barnabas the Apostle – June 11th
“Barnabas was a man of great kindness, full of the Holy Spirit, who strengthened the early Church.”
“Barnabas was a good man, filled with the Holy Spirit and faith, and many were brought to the Lord through him.”
“Barnabas, with his apostolic zeal, carried the light of Christ to those in darkness.”
“Let us love the cross of Christ, for through it we find salvation.”
“Barnabas, the ‘son of encouragement,’ shows us how to support and uplift the Church through faith and generosity.”
https://youtube.com/shorts/euBJVRRIv8M
PRAYER IN HONOUR OF ST BARNABAS
O God, who decreed that Saint Barnabas,
a man filled with faith and the Holy Spirit,
should be set apart to convert the nations,
grant that the Gospel of Christ,
which he strenuously preached,
may be faithfully proclaimed by word and by deed.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity
of the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever.
Amen.
St. Barnabas Novena Prayer
God our Father,
You filled Saint Barnabas with faith
and the Holy Spirit
and sent him to convert the nations.
Help us to proclaim the gospel by word and deed.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,
who lives and reigns with You
and the Holy Spirit,
one God,
for ever and ever.
Amen
(Mention your request here…)
Say 1: Our Father…Say 1: Hail Mary…Say 1: Glory Be…
THE COLLECT
O LORD God Almighty, who didst endue thy holy Apostle Barnabas with singular gifts of the Holy Ghost: Leave us not, we beseech thee, destitute of thy manifold gifts, nor yet of grace to use them alway to thy honour and glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
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