CONCERNING THE HOLY APOSTLES NYMPHAS OF LAODICEA AND EUBULUS OF ROME
FIRST CENTURY.
Historical Synopsis.
Nymphas of Laodicea, Apostle (Saint) Eubulus of Rome, Apostle (Saint)
By G. H.
[1] We inaugurate the last day of February with two close friends of the great Apostle Paul, whom he himself mentions in his epistles: Nymphas in the one he sent to the Colossians, Eubulus in the second written to St. Timothy. The former lived at Laodicea, which was the metropolis of Greater Phrygia on the river Maeander. St. Nymphas Benedict Justinian in his commentaries on this epistle says: Concerning Nymphas, it is still debated whether it is the name of a man or a woman. Ambrose thinks it a woman, others a man; to me indeed neither is clear. So he says. The words of St. Ambrose in his exposition of this epistle to the Colossians are as follows: Since Paul was in a similar way solicitous also for those who were at Laodicea, in their (the Colossians') epistle he advises that these should be greeted, regarding Nymphas as especially dear, whose house he also greets. For she seems to have been so devout that her whole house was marked with the sign of the Cross. So says St. Ambrose. But that St. Nymphas was a man, not a woman not a woman, the very Greek words of St. Paul clearly demonstrate, chapter 4, verse 15: "Greet the brothers who are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church that is in his house." but was a distinguished man The Greek autou is "his" (masculine): autēs would be written if a woman were being expressed.
[2] St. John Chrysostom, in Homily 12 on chapter 4 of the epistle to the Colossians, after citing the Apostle's words, adds the following about St. Nymphas: "He honors him by addressing him individually." This, moreover, as he adds, he does not do rashly, but to lead others to the same emulation. For it is no small thing that he is not counted together with the rest. See indeed how great a man he shows him to be, if indeed his house was a church. his house was a church The words of St. Chrysostom, nearly the same but in altered order, are found in Theophylact: This man was great, who had his whole house faithful, so that it was called a Church: for this reason also Paul honors him, greeting him by name. not only because the household were believers in Christ He does this, moreover, to provoke others to a similar zeal, so that if they too wished to be honored, they should imitate this Nymphas. So the passage reads: but that his house is called a church, not only because all the household had embraced the faith of Christ, but because it was dedicated to divine worship, Theodoret indicates in these words: but also to serve the other citizens This man, as is likely, was one of the faithful living at Laodicea, who had also made and presented his house as a Church, adorning it with pious worship. Some infer from other words of the Apostle that in those times churches were erected in the houses of leading men, or those who in any case were distinguished for their resources and bore an honorable name. Thus in the epistle to the Romans he greets Prisca and Aquila, his helpers in Christ Jesus, and the church of their household. And he opens the epistle to Philemon thus: Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, to Philemon our beloved fellow worker, and to Apphia our dearest sister, and to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the Church which is in your house.
[3] Similar fellow soldiers and helpers of Paul are held to be Saints Nymphas and Eubulus, Saints Nymphas and Eubulus called Apostles who in the great Menaia of the Greeks and in Cytheraeus in the Lives of the Saints are called Apostles and are celebrated on February 28 in these words: On the same day the holy Apostles Nymphas and Eubulus fell asleep in peace. In the Menaia the following couplet is added:
The planting of Christ, two Apostles of Christ, Eubulus and Nymphas live together with Christ.
[4] The same Apostle Paul mentions St. Eubulus in the second epistle to Timothy, chapter 4, verse 21, joining him with distinguished companions. He says: Eubulus greets you, and Pudens, and Linus, and Claudia, St. Eubulus at Rome with St. Paul and all the brethren. After citing these words, St. Chrysostom in Homily 10 on this epistle adds: But what does it mean that, when there were so many faithful, he mentions only these? Because they had already surpassed all worldly things in spirit and shone with the light of greater virtue. And shortly after: He mentions by name those whom he knew to burn more fervently in the faith. zealous for virtue Theodoret adds this encomium: He inserted the names of the lovers of virtue; the others he called by a common appellation. Theophylact and others say similar things. St. Paul wrote this epistle in the fourth year of Nero, the fifty-seventh of Christ, while he was held captive at Rome: where St. Pudens the Senator lived, a most noble and distinguished man, father of Saints Pudentiana and Praxedis, with St. Pudens host of Saints Peter and Paul: in whose house at the foot of the Viminal Hill, St. Peter is reported to have celebrated: which was afterward converted into a Church, under the title of the Pastor. We shall treat of St. Pudens with the Roman Martyrology on May 19. Also present at Rome was St. Linus, and St. Linus helper of St. Paul himself and of St. Peter, and successor of the latter in the Pontificate: whose sacred day is September 23. To these St. Paul gives Eubulus precedence, and thus indicates that he was a leading man, whether by secular dignity or by zeal for the faith. The remaining acts of both Eubulus and Nymphas, like many of even the great Apostles, and more of those who, as they were sharers in apostolic labors, are also honored with the name of Apostles by the Churches, are unknown.