Bass [New] on Nostr: One of the many things that drew me to orthodoxy was the fact that their church ...

One of the many things that drew me to orthodoxy was the fact that their church history tracks the lives of the saints in all ages. Orthodox tradition often holds details of the saints beyond the book of acts that paint a very human but also very 'set apart' individuals that stand as faithful examples to us in their weaknesses and testimonies.

Much of these traditions are lost to the west as anything extra biblical is often seen as having little to no objective spiritual value.

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Barnabas was born to a wealthy family in the tribe of Levi. Later becoming one of the Seventy Apostles, he studied with Saul (later St. Paul) under Gamaliel. From birth his given name was Joseph, but the Apostles called him Barnabas ('son of consolation') because he was gifted at comforting people's souls. It was St. Barnabas who introduced Paul to the other apostles after his conversion. St. Barnabas was likely the first to preach in Rome and Milan. He was martyred by the Jews on the island of Cyprus and was buried by St. Mark. Many receive healing at his grave, which place was unknown for hundreds of years until the Council of Chalcedon in 451 when he appeared to Archbishop Anthemius in a dream and revealed its location. This appearance and the finding of St. Barnabas' miraculous relics is what kept the Patriarch of Antioch from absorbing Cyprus into its jurisdiction and thus this Apostolic Church of Cyprus has since been independent.