According to the New Testament, John the Apostle is one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ. He is described as the youngest one among the disciples. His brother was James, who was another of the Twelve Apostles. The Church Fathers identify him as John the Evangelist, John of Patmos, John the Elder, and the Beloved Disciple.
Church tradition has held that John is the author of the Gospel of John and five other books of the New Testament — the three Epistles of John and the Book of Revelation.
John the Apostle was the son of Zebedee and the younger brother of James, son of Zebedee (James the Greater). Their mother was Salome. Zebedee and his sons fished in the Sea of Galilee. The brothers were firstly disciples of John the Baptist. Jesus then called Peter, Andrew and these two sons of Zebedee to follow him.
James and John are listed among the Twelve Apostles. Jesus referred to the pair as “Boanerges” (translated “sons of thunder”); although their nature was calm and gentle, when their patience was pushed to its limits their anger became wild and thunderous causing them to speak out like an untamed storm.
A gospel story relates how the brothers wanted to call down heavenly fire on a Samaritan town, but Jesus refused them. John lived for more than half a century following the martyrdom of James, who was the first Apostle to die a martyr’s death.
It is traditionally believed that John was the youngest of the apostles and outlived them. He is said to have lived to old age, and died at Ephesus sometime after AD 98. John’s tomb is thought to be located at Selçuk, a small town in the vicinity of Ephesus.
The feast day of Saint John in the Roman Catholic Church, which calls him “Saint John, Apostle and Evangelist”, and in the Anglican Communion and Lutheran Calendars, which call him “Saint John the Apostle and Evangelist”, is on 27 December. The traditional ceremonial color is white.