Sts. Timothy and Titus were two of St. Paul’s closest associates—he called them his “sons” in Christ—and they helped him establish and encourage new Christian communities in the early Church.

Timothy was born and raised in Galatia, which is in modern-day Turkey, and his Jewish mother embraced faith in Jesus. Timothy was raised with a firm education in Scripture, and when Paul visited his town to preach, the elders recommended Timothy to him. Paul had already dispatched his companion Barnabas on a mission and needed a helper, so he adopted the young Timothy as his assistant.

Timothy accompanied Paul in his travels and went on independent trips to offer support to communities Paul had been in touch with. He became Paul’s closest friend and most faithful follower— he was imprisoned with Paul for two years and Paul entrusted him with his most important tasks.

Paul entrusted the Christian community in Ephesus to Timothy, naming him their first bishop. The Church has preserved two of the letters Paul wrote to Timothy as part of the New Testament. Timothy was martyred around the year 97 for opposing a ritual ceremony in honor of a pagan god. The townspeople paraded around with clubs during the rite, and when Timothy confronted them, they killed him.

Titus was born a Gentile and was converted by Paul, and went on to serve as Paul’s secretary. Like Timothy, Paul sent Titus out to various Christian communities to encourage and support them. Paul eventually established Titus as bishop of Crete, which was a notoriously difficult community, and one of his letters to Titus is preserved in the New Testament. Titus spent most of his life in Crete—he died there at the age of 94.

Relics of both Timothy and Titus rest in the reliquary chapel in the Basilica, and the statue of Timothy pictured here stands above an entrance to Howard Hall on campus.

Sts. Timothy and Titus, Paul’s faithful helpers who encouraged growth in the early Church—pray for us!