Apostles of the 70 and Deacons: Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon and Parmenas

Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon and Parmenas were four of the seven men chosen by the apostles in Jerusalem to oversee the daily distribution of food to the community’s widows, as told in the Acts of the Apostles (chapter 6); the others were Stephen, Philip and Nicolas. Tradition counts them among the seventy disciples sent out by Jesus.

According to St Dimitry of Rostov, Prochorus became the first bishop of Nicomedia in Bithynia, was a companion of John the Evangelist, was with him on Patmos and wrote down what John said, and was killed at Antioch. Nicanor was killed in the persecution that followed the stoning of Stephen. Timon became bishop of Bostra in Arabia, and tradition says he was thrown into a furnace and then put to death. Parmenas died serving where the apostles sent him, some say as a martyr.