Who Was Barnabas, Our Patron Saint?

We know more about Saint Barnabas than we do about many of the twelve apostles! Originally called Joseph, our patron saint was a native of the Greek Island of Cyprus. He was a Jew from the tribe of Levi – a Levite – from which the priests at the temple in Jerusalem were chosen. He must have been quite well-to-do since he sold a piece of land and gave the money to the early church. He traveled and preached with Paul. Some scholars think that Barnabas was widely known and highly respected by the Jews of Jerusalem and elsewhere, and that his association with Paul was a great help to Paul’s acceptance in Christian circles. The apostles named him Barnabas, which means "son of encouragement."

Very early in the life of our congregation Saint Barnabas Day was designated as a day to remember, encourage, and support our young people. We take this commission seriously in our church school, acolyte program, and Bishopswood scholarships. This year we expect to award $1,000 in scholarships to five of our parish family’s children.

The Feast of Saint Barnabas falls on June 11 each year. At Saint Barnabas Church in Augusta, we traditionally celebrate Saint Barnabas Day on the following Friday with Holy Eucharist at 6:00 p.m., followed by a potluck supper.

The meaning of Barnabas is something to keep in mind as we interact with others. Encouragement can be a great act of Grace. Each of us can remember many who had great impact on us because of their encouragement of us. Being a member of Saint Barnabas Church means being a son or daughter of encouragement, too.