Luke
SAINT LUKE BIOGRAPHY
Saint Luke the Evangelist was an early Christian writer, missionary, and physician who is traditionally recognized as the author of the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles. He is one of the four Evangelists whose accounts form the foundation of the New Testament's Gospel narratives.
Luke was likely born in Antioch during the first century AD. Unlike many of Jesus' earliest followers, he is believed to have been a Gentile (non-Jew), making him the only Gentile author traditionally associated with the New Testament. Trained as a physician, Luke is referred to as “the beloved physician” in the writings attributed to Paul the Apostle.
Although Luke was not one of the Twelve Apostles, he became a close companion and traveling associate of Paul during several missionary journeys throughout the Roman Empire. His writings emphasize compassion, mercy, prayer, and the universal message of Christianity. The Gospel of Luke contains some of the Bible's most well-known parables, including the Parable of the Good Samaritan and the Parable of the Prodigal Son.
The Book of Acts, Luke's second major work, chronicles the growth of the early Christian Church after the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, focusing particularly on the ministries of Peter and Paul.
According to Christian tradition, Luke continued preaching the Gospel until his death. The exact circumstances of his death are uncertain, though many traditions hold that he died around AD 84. He is venerated as a saint in numerous Christian denominations and is regarded as the patron saint of physicians, surgeons, artists, and painters.