Memory celebrated on March 16th

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Introduction.

Among the shining lights of the early Church stands St. Aristobulus, one of the Seventy Apostles, known as the first bishop and evangelizer of the British Isles. The Orthodox Church rightly honors him as a faithful herald of Christ, whose missionary zeal and shepherd’s heart transformed distant lands. His memory is celebrated each year on March 16, when we commemorate his apostolic labours, pastoral love, and enduring witness.

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Birth, family, and early life.

Orthodox tradition holds that St. Aristobulus was born on the island of Cyprus, of Jewish Cypriot origin. He was the brother of the Apostle Barnabas, and accompanied him in ministry throughout the nascent Christian movement. There is a tradition which claims that St. Aristobulus was the father-in-law of the Apostle Peter.

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Apostolic calling and missionary zeal.

His mention in Paul’s Letter to the Romans, where greetings are extended to those “of Aristobulus”, suggests he held a household or community recognized for its faith. The teacher-shepherd immediately entrusted with divine commission, Aristobulus travelled as a companion of St. Paul and shared in the apostolic mission to bring the Gospel to new peoples.

 

According to Church tradition, Paul ordained Aristobulus as bishop and sent him to preach the Gospel in Britain, Scotland, and Hibernia (Ireland). There, “inhabited by a very warlike and fierce race,” he encountered resistance, endured beatings, mockery, and other persecutions, yet through steadfast courage and divine grace, he drew many to Christ.​ Earlier missionary activity is also attributed to him: while en route to Britain, he is said to have preached to Celtiberian tribes in northern Hispania (north‑central Spain).

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Pastoral care as first Bishop of Britain.

In Britain, St. Aristobulus became the first bishop of the Isles, planting the seeds of apostolic succession in alien soil. He built churches, baptized converts, and ordained clergy—presbyters and deacons—for the spiritual wellbeing of his flock. Far from dominating, his pastoral model embodied Christ’s own: servanthood, compassion, and ceaseless labour for souls needs to be nourished and protected.

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Some attest that he reposed peacefully among those he brought to Christ, though some traditions suggest he may have been martyred in Wales. Whether in martyrdom or repose, his life testified unwavering dedication to the Gospel. Moreover, a regional tradition holds that a part of Wales, called Arwystli, was named after him—“Arwystli Hen (the Elder)”—signalling the depth of his impact on early British Christianity.

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Relics and veneration.

At our Metropolis, we have been blessed to have a small piece St. Aristobulus’s relics all through God's providence. When St. Matthew the New-confessor was ordained a hierodeacon in Jerusalem in 1885 by Patriarch Necodemus I, he also was given some holy relics by the patriarch, one of which, was the holy relic of the Holy Apostle Aristobulus. Certain nuns who eventually were caretakers of some of the relics which St, Matthew had, sent us the holy relic of St. Aristobulus, since we are not only spiritual children of St. Matthew the new-confessor, but we also represent the Orthodox Church in Britain.   ​

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Iconography.

Icons of St. Aristobulus present him as a hierarch dressed in bishop’s vestments, holding a Gospel, and sometimes accompanied by a scroll or map symbolizing his missionary mission to the Isles. In visual theology, such portrayals remind us of his dual role as authoritative teacher and humble servant of Christ’s Evangel.

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Liturgical Veneration.

The Church venerates St. Aristobulus primarily on March 16, commemorating his apostolic labours and pastoral sacrifice. He is also honoured collectively on January 4 (Synaxis of the Seventy Apostles) and October 31 (with other assistants of St. Andrew).

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Spiritual Legacy and Lessons for Us.

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The life of St. Aristobulus speaks powerfully across the ages:

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• Apostolic Vision: He carried the Gospel to societies outside the early Mediterranean center—including the British Isles—affirming the Church's universal mandate.

• Missionary Zeal: With courage and endurance, he pressed forward into hostile territories, sustained by the Holy Spirit and love for Christ.

• Shepherding with Humility: He led not as a lord, but as a servant—building churches, nurturing clergy, guiding believers, and humbly enduring suffering.

• Continuity of the Faith: His life anchors Britain’s Christian roots in apostolic succession—a lineage of faith stretching from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth.

• Veneration and Memory: Though centuries have passed, his spiritual legacy continues in liturgy, iconography, and the hearts of the faithful.

 

Conclusion.

St. Aristobulus, brother of Barnabas, Levite by birth and missionary apostle by calling, remains an exemplar of apostolic fidelity. Born in Cyprus, ordained by the apostolic Church, he braved the winds of pagan Britain to sow the Gospel and established the first episcopal witness in the Isles. Though centuries darkened Britain’s faith, the seed he sowed blossomed again in later centuries—monastic revival, missionary vigour, and Orthodox presence all trace back to his apostolic planting.

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Holy Apostle Aristobulus, pray to God that your spiritual descendants in the British Isles and around the world may be emboldened in faith, fed by your pastoral love, and steadfast in encountering every land with the light of Christ. Amen.