The Christian Faith’s most enigmatic mysteries are often hidden in plain sight. This is certainly true of Yochanan bar Zavdai. Disciple of the Lord, Bishop of Ephesus, Galilean fisherman, foster son of the Queen of Heaven, faithful spectator of Calvary, patron of mariology, divine theologian, evangelist. St John the Apostle is a figure through whom, perhaps second only to the Blessed Virgin, we are brought most intimately close to the person of Christ.
I should know. In England and Wales, and in a small number of other places, converts and catechumens are encouraged to choose a patron saint corresponding to their confirmation name upon being anointed with chrism. During my journey into the Catholic Faith, pious friends counselled me, when I was unsure whom or how to choose, that one ought to pray about it. They told me that your patron will find you. St John, it seems, was the one who found me.
