Genealogia et modus mortis apostolorum
Standard abbreviation: Gene. Death Apos.
Other titles: none
Clavis numbers: ECCA 262
Category: Lists of Apostles and Disciples
Related literature: Acts of Philip (Latin), Ever-New Tongue
Compiled by Tony Burke, York University
Citing this resource (using Chicago Manual of Style): Burke, Tony. “Genealogy and Manner of Death of the Apostles.” e-Clavis: Christian Apocrypha. Accessed DAY MONTH YEAR. https://www.nasscal.com/e-clavis-christian-apocrypha/genealogy-and-manner-of-death-of-the-apostles/.
Created December 2023.
1. TEXT
Full translation from Stokes, “The Irish verses” (with some adjustments; see below).
Of the Apostles’ genealogical stock, and of their violent deaths, and of their appearance, and of the places wherein they were buried is here considered.
Peter the apostle, first, of the tribe of Judah was he. Grey hair on him and a short beard. His crucifixion, then, with bis head downwards, was done in the country of the Romans, by Nero Caesar.
Andrew, then, Peter’s brother, of the tribe of Judah was he. And Egias (=Aegeates) the proconsul hung him on the top of a cross in Scythia.
James, also, son of Zebedee, brother of John of the bosom, of the tribe of Judah was he. His slaying and beheading was by Herod Agrippa, son of Archelaus, son of Antipater, son of Herod of Ascalon. Curly black hair upon him, and a long beard. Sixty years his age, and in Jerusalem he was beheaded.
John of the Bosom, son of Zebedee, apostle and evangelist. Children of two sisters were John and James his brother and Christ himself. This, then, was John’s appearance: a high saint, hairy, black, without any beard. A fosterling of Christ’s was he, and from Christ’s . . . he wrote his gospel, and he it is that was rapt in a vision to the seventh heaven, and he forbad himself to take a wife, and hence Christ bequeathed to him to safeguard Mary the Virgin, when He Himself went to Cross and Passion. And unto Christ he was dearest of His apostles, for He suffered not martyrdom to be inflicted on John because of the affection which He had for him: so he went to death in Ephesus.
And those four whom we have mentioned were fishermen before coming to the Faith of the Lord; and afterwards they were choice fishers for converting the people to the catholic belief and for sowing the word of God.
Philip the apostle, of the tribe of Judah was he; and he was crucified after his tongue had been seven times cut out of his head, in the city Hierapolis. A long, light-red beard on him, and brown hair.
Bartholomew the apostle, of the tribe of Levi was he, and he was slain by the sword, after being first flayed, in Armenia, that is a certain realm in India, by a fierce, proud king named Astriages (=Astrages). A beautiful beard and red hair he had, and three score years was his age.
Matthew son of Alphaeus, of the tribe of Manasses son of Joseph, son of Jacob, was he. He was slain by the sword beside mount Paratrom in Ethiopia. Curly tressed hair through his head, without any beard upon him. A hundred years (was) his age.
Thomas the apostle: of the tribe of Ephraim son of Joseph, son of Jacob, was he; and he was beheaded in India, that is, in Edisa (=Edessa?) in Saracenland. Famecdius the false priest is he that beheaded him. Curly black hair on him, and a long, red beard. Five and fifty years his age.
James son of Alphaeus, that is brother of Matthew son of Alphaeus: of the tribe of Manasses was he. Children of two sisters were he and Christ. And he died in Jerusalem by means of a staff of lead. A long beard had he and grey hair, and three score years his age.
Simon the Canaanite: of the tribe of Manasses was he: and he was crucified in Parthia. A long beard upon him and curly black hair.
Judas son of Alphaeus and Simon and the second James, three sons of Alphaeus were those, and Mary daughter of Cleopas was their mother. Children of two sisters were those three and Christ. Of one tribe were they.
Judas Iscariot, now, of the tribe of Issachar was he, and he himself put a halter round his neck to hang himself after the betrayal of the Lord by him.
Paul the apostle, then, of the tribe of Benjamin was he. Bald and fawncoloured (?) was he, and a long beard upon him; and his decapitation by a sword was wrought by Nero Caesar in the land of the Romans.
Thaddaeus the apostle, of the tribe of Dan was he, and he was slain by a stone of . . . Or how the apostles were dispersed to teach these tribes, that is set forth above.
2. RESOURCES
3. BIBLIOGRAPHY
3.1 Manuscripts and Editions
3.1.1 Middle Irish (incorporated into the Leabhar Breac)
Dublin, Royal Irish Academy, 23 P 16 (the Leabhar Breac), pp. 180b–181a (1408–1411)
Stokes, Whitley. “The Irish Verses, Notes and Glosses in Harl. 1802.” Revue celtique 8 (1887): 346–69 (Irish text, pp. 362–63, English translation, pp. 364–65).
3.2 Modern Translations
3.2.1 English
Stokes, Whitley. “The Irish Verses, Notes and Glosses in Harl. 1802.” Revue celtique 8 (1887): 346–69 (Irish text, pp. 362–63, English translation, pp. 364–65).
3.3 General Works
Herbert, Máire, and Martin McNamara. Irish Biblical Apocrypha. Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1989 (English translation, pp. 84–87).
Ó Cróinín, D. “Cummianus Longus and the Iconography of the Apostles in Early Irish Literature.” Pages 268–79 in Sages, Saints and Storytellers. Celtic Studies in Honour of Professor James Carney. Edited by D. Ó Cróinín, et al. Maynooth Monographs 2. Maynooth: An Sagart, 1989.