Today is the feast day of Saint Restatito, who was a Martyr, and Saint Barnabas the Apostle, born in Cyprus. We meet him at the end of the 4th chapter of Acts and his name is Joseph. 

It’s the apostles who give him the name Barnabas, which as the passage in Acts tells us is translated to mean son of encouragement. In this passage in Acts chapter 4 verses 32 through 37, the community of new believers and the process for joining them is described. There was no needy person among them. Those who owned property or houses would sell them, bring the proceeds of the sale, and put them at the feet of the apostles, and they were distributed to each according to need. 

In Acts 9, Barnabas helps calm the fears of the disciples in Jerusalem when they first are introduced to Paul because quite justifiably, they’re still afraid of him. He goes to Antioch with Paul, helping to establish a new community there, and then travels back to Jerusalem to bring contributions from Antioch during a famine, but also to announce that those in Antioch have joined the new Christian community.

Later, Paul and Barnabas would have even greater success at Antioch, but the work was hard and the pressure great. At times, this led to disagreements. When Barnabas wants to bring his cousin Mark to Antioch, Paul says no. Because on another trip, Mark had left them and gone back to Jerusalem. This was a significant disagreement, causing Barnabas and Paul to go their separate ways. Barnabas and Mark go to Cyprus, Paul and Silas to Syria. Later, they were reconciled. He died around the year 61. 

It’s believed he was a martyr, and he may have been stoned to death. 

Saint Barnabas, please pray for us.