Philippe deacon

The Acts of the Apostles initially quote (VI, 5) the diacre Philippe as one from the “seven” who were selected to take care of the temporal businesses of the Church with Jerusalem following the murmurs of Hellénistes against the Jews.

After the martyr of Etienne, it went in “the town of Samarie”, where it preached with a great success; Simon the Magician was one of his converts.

Thereafter it informed and baptized eunuque Ethiopic on the road between Jerusalem and Gaza; then “the Spirit” seizes it and says to him to go well far, in Azotus (Ashdod), and he preached in all the cities before arriving at Césarée (Acts VIII). There, a few years later, always according to the Acts (XXI. 8,9), it is described as “evangelist” (a term which one finds in the New Testament only in the Epistle in Éphésiens (IV, 11), and in the Second epistle with Timothée (IV. 5); it discussed with Paul and his companion while they went to Jerusalem; at that time “it had four girls who prophesied”.

With the whole beginning one confused it with the apostle Philippe and confusion was all the more easy as he enjoyed the regard of the apostles and that in the broad meaning of the word he could be called too apostle him.

A late tradition ensures that it was established with Tralles in minor Asia, where it became épiscope or directing Church. The festival of “Philippe the deacon” celebrates on June 6th.

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