Feast: September 25 (Roman Martyrology)
Name and Identity
The name Cleopas (Κλεόπας in Greek, sometimes written Clopas) is found in the Gospel of Saint Luke (24:13-35). He is one of the two disciples who walked with the Risen Lord on the road to Emmaus, their hearts burning within them as He explained the Scriptures and revealed Himself “in the breaking of the bread.”
According to ancient tradition, Cleopas was the brother of Saint Joseph, the Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and thus an uncle to the Savior. This identification comes from early patristic sources (notably Hegesippus, preserved by Eusebius), which also relate that he was the father of Saint Simeon, the second bishop of Jerusalem after Saint James the Greater.
Life and Witness
Cleopas is remembered chiefly for his participation in the Emmaus encounter. Despondent after the Passion, he was granted the immense grace of conversing with Christ risen from the dead. His recognition of Our Lord at the Eucharistic meal has been treasured by the Fathers as a profound testimony to the Real Presence in the Holy Sacrament.
Tradition recounts that after this encounter, Cleopas preached the Gospel boldly. According to the Martyrologium Romanum, he suffered martyrdom at the hands of the Jews or Roman authorities near Emmaus, bearing witness to the truth of the Resurrection he had so intimately experienced.
Veneration
Saint Cleopas has been honored since the earliest centuries of the Church. His memory is closely tied to the mystery of Easter, especially the Easter Octave, when the Emmaus Gospel is proclaimed. In iconography, he is often depicted as one of the two disciples seated at table with the Risen Lord, with a loaf of bread in Christ’s hands.
Legacy
The Church venerates him not only as one of the Seventy Disciples (according to Eastern tradition), but as an intimate relative of the Holy Family and a chosen witness to the Resurrection. His life teaches the faithful to persevere in hope even in times of desolation, for the Lord draws near in unexpected ways, especially in the Holy Eucharist.
✨ Prayer for his intercession:
“O God, who in Your mercy granted Saint Cleopas the grace to recognize Your Son in the breaking of bread, grant that we too may encounter Christ in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and persevere in faith until our hearts rest in Him. Through the same Christ Our Lord. Amen.”