John, also known as John the Evangelist, was one of the twelve apostles and the brother of James the Greater. He was the son of Zebedee and Salome and worked as a fisherman before being called by Jesus. Alongside Peter and James, he formed part of Jesus’ inner circle, witnessing key events such as the Transfiguration, the raising of Jairus’ daughter, and the Agony in the Garden of Gethsemane.
He is traditionally identified as the author of the Gospel of John, three Epistles, and the Book of Revelation, although modern scholarship debates single authorship of these texts. In his Gospel, he is referred to as the “Beloved Disciple,” highlighting his close relationship with Jesus. According to the Gospel account, he was present at the Crucifixion, where Jesus entrusted the care of his mother Mary to him, symbolising both his faithfulness and the spiritual kinship created among Jesus’ followers.
After the Resurrection and Ascension, John became a leading figure in the early Church. Tradition holds that he later travelled to Ephesus in Asia Minor, where he ministered to the Christian community and wrote his Gospel and Epistles. During the persecution under Emperor Domitian, he was exiled to the island of Patmos, where he received the visions recorded in the Book of Revelation. Following Domitian’s death, John returned to Ephesus, where he lived until his death at an advanced age, making him the only apostle believed to have died a natural death rather than martyrdom.
John’s tomb is traditionally located at the Basilica of Saint John in Ephesus. He is venerated as the patron saint of authors, theologians, and Asia Minor. In Christian iconography, he is often depicted as a youthful, beardless figure, holding a chalice with a serpent, referencing a legend of surviving poison, or accompanied by an eagle, representing the theological depth of his writings. His Gospel emphasises the divinity of Christ and themes of love and light, shaping the theological foundations of early Christianity.