On September 7, we honor St. Evodius of the Seventy who was the first bishop in succession to Peter the Apostle in Antioch, Syria.  He held this office for 27 years under Emperor Nero.  In one of his works on the Holy Theotokos, St. Evoduis tells of Mary being taken to the Temple at age three and remaining there for eleven years.  She was then entrusted to Joseph for protection.  He also stated that Mary gave birth to the "Savior of the World" when she was fifteen.  A book entitled The Star  (also referred to as The Beacon) was credited to him in the fourteenth century by Nicephorus Callistus, a church historian.  None of his other compositions survived when the Christians were persecuted by Emperor Vespasian; and in Antioch in the year 66, St. Evodius of the Seventy became a martyr.
 
A disciple of the Apostle John referred to as Hieromartyr Ignatius the God-Bearer mentions St. Evodius in a letter to the Church of Antioch where he states, "Remember your blessed father Evodius, who was made your first pastor by the Apostles."  Being one of the Seventy, Evodius is believed to have been personally chosen by our Lord Jesus Christ to spread the Word.  On January 4, we honor all Seventy chosen.
 
The icon above depicts St. Evodius with St. Onesiphorus who was Bishop of Colophon.  He was a sincere friend and helper who was also martyred for the faith.  He is mentioned in II Timothy 1:16-18.