St. Silas

One of the leaders of the Church of Jerusalem, Silas was sent with Paul and Barnabas to Antioch to communicate the decisions of the Council of Jerusalem to the Gentile community in Syria. When Paul and Barnabas quarreled over John Mark, Silas was chosen by Paul to accompany him on his second missionary journey to Syria, Cilicia, and Macedonia. Silas was beaten and imprisoned with Paul at Philippi, was involved with Paul in the riot of Jews at Thessalonica that drove Paul and Silas from the city to Beroea, remained at Beroea with Timothy when Paul left, but rejoined him at Corinth. The Silvanus mentioned with Timothy by Paul and who helped him preach at Corinth is believed to be the same as Silas, since Silvanus is a Greek variant of the Semitic Silas. Silvanus is also mentioned as the man through whom Peter communicated and is considered by some scholars to be the author of that epistle. Tradition says he was the first bishop of Corinth and that he died in Macedonia. His feast day is July 13th.