Philip the Apostle

Saint Philip was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus. Later Christian traditions describe Philip as the apostle who proselytized in Greece, Syria, and Phrygia. He was martyred by crucifixion in the city of Hierapolis.

In the Roman Catholic Church, the feast day of Saint Philip, along with that of Saint James, has traditionally been observed on 1 May, the anniversary of the dedication of the church dedicated to them in Rome, now called the Church of the Twelve Apostles. When Pope Pius XII instituted the feast of Saint Joseph the Workman in 1955, for celebration on 1 May, he moved the feast day of Saints Philip and James (which was then a Double of the 2nd Class and became a Second-Class Feast in 1960) to the nearest free day, which was then 11 May. With the 1969 revision of the calendar 3 May became free for the Feast of the two Apostles. The Eastern Orthodox Church celebrates St Philip's feast day on November 14.

Gnostic Christians appealed to the apostolic authority of Philip, ascribing a number of Gnostic texts to him, most notably the Gospel of Philip from the Nag Hammadi library.

St Philip the Apostle is not to be confused with Philip the Evangelist and Protodeacon from the Acts of the Apostles.