Holy Apostle Simon the Zealot

In the lists of the Twelve he is 'Simon the Cananite' or 'Simon called Zelotes,' the Zealot — a surname distinguishing him from Peter, probably marking either former membership in the nationalist Zealot movement or simply burning zeal for the Law before his call. Scripture tells us nothing else certain about him. Byzantine tradition filled the silence beautifully: it makes him the bridegroom at the wedding in Cana, who, having seen water become wine, left the feast to follow the Wonderworker himself. Traditions of his later preaching scatter him generously across the map — Egypt, North Africa, Persia, even Britain in some Western accounts — but the strongest Eastern tradition brings him to the Caucasus, where he is said to have been martyred near Sukhumi in Abkhazia; Georgian Christians venerate the cave and shrine associated with him at New Athos to this day.