Dear Margaret,

Thanks for the question.

We don't know for certain how each died though Christian tradition tells us they all died a martyr's death. This is an attitude we badly need in the Catholic Church in the United States today!

• Can you tell me how many Catholics in the United States would be willing to die for the Catholic faith, rather than compromise or water down the teachings of the Church? : (

The Twelve Apostles were:

1. Simon, who is called Peter
2. Andrew, his brother
3. James the son of Zebedee (known as the Greater)
4. John, his brother
5. Philip
6. Bartholomew
7. Thomas
8. Matthew, (Levi), the tax collector
9. James the son of Alpheus (known as the Lesser)
10. Jude also known as Thaddeus
11. Simon the Zealot, and
12. Paul, who originally persecuted the Church

Based on the recent mini series on the History Channel, The Bible, which was a cooperative
effort among many people of different faiths, including Catholics along with some research I did using, Wikipedia, and New Advent I collected the following information.

1. Peter died in Rome and was crucified up side down around 67 A.D.
2. Andrew according to Wikipedia and New Advent was crucified by order of the Roman Governor, Aegeas in Patras, Greece in the mid-to late 1st century A.D.
3. James the son of Zebedee according to Wikipedia and New Advent was beheaded in Judea by Herod Agrippa I in 44 A.D. (See Acts 12:1-2)
4. Philip according to Wikipedia died in Hierapolis, Turkey by crucifixion around 80 A.D.
5. Bartholomew according to Wikipedia was flayed and then crucified in Armenia (next to Turkey) in the first century.
6. Thomas was killed in Southern India in 72 A.D.
7. Matthew was killed in Ethiopia in the horn of Africa.
8. James, the son of Alpheus, died in Egypt or Jerusalem.
9. Jude also known as Thaddeus died in the Roman Province of Syria in the first century.
10. Simon the Zealot died some time between 65 and 107 A.D. in either Pella, Armenia; Suanir, Persia; or Edessa, Caistor.
11. Paul was beheaded in Rome by the Romans in 67 A.D.
12. The Romans tried to poison John but failed. They may have also tried to boil him in oil but failed again — he wouldn't boil : )
    After failing several attempts, they exiled him to the island of Patmos, a small Greek island in the Aegean Sea, where he wrote Revelations and lived out the rest of his days there.

Unless my colleague can provide any other information, that's all we know.

I hope this helps,

Mike
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