Apostle or Evangelist Luke is the author of the Gospel of Luke, the companion of the Apostle Paul (Phil 1:24, 2 Tim 4:10-11). He was born in Antioch, studied Greek philosophy, medicine, and art in his youth. He came to Jerusalem where he came to believe in Lord Jesus. He and Cleopas met the resurrected Lord on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24).
In addition to his Gospel, St. Luke wrote the Acts of the Apostles. Luke was 84 years old when the wicked idolaters tortured him for the sake of Christ and hanged him from an olive tree in the town of Thebes, in Boethia. He was the patron of the medical profession. He was reported to be a fine painter and is also patron of artists, painters, sculptors, craft workers and lacemakers.
His symbol was the bull, the third symbolical beast mentioned by Ezekiel (1:10), which is a symbol of Christ's sacrificial and priestly office, as pointed out by St. Irenaeus.
In Ephesus, there was a circular structure which was described as the grave of St Luke because of the bull carved into the door.
