Saint Apostle Achaicus
of the Seventy.

Very little biographical detail survives about the early life of Apostle Achaicus. The only reliable source for information about him is the New Testament, specifically the First Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians. Achaicus was named after the province of Achaia, suggesting his connection to the Greek region where he would later come to faith in Christ.

The household of Stephanas were among the first fruits of the province of Akhaia, and were baptized by Saint Paul, who declares that they devoted themselves to serving the saints. The names Fortunatus and Achaicus are both Latin names, and scholars suggest that this means they were likely slaves or former slaves, though they served with honor and dignity in the early Church.

The Seventy Apostles were those whom the Lord chose (described in Luke 10:1-16) in addition to the Twelve and sent forth to assist in the work of preaching. They were sent two by two by the Lord Jesus Christ to go before Him into the cities He would visit (Luke 10:1).

Achaicus labored faithfully alongside his companions Fortunatus and Stephanas in the service of the early Church. Saints Fortunatus, Akhaikos and Stephanas of the 70 Apostles were coworkers of the Apostle Paul, who, with all their heart and soul, helped to spread the Gospel among the nations. Together, they undertook the significant task of carrying correspondence between the Apostle Paul and the Church at Corinth, strengthening the communion between the great Apostle and the faithful he had raised up in Christ.

The most significant recorded event in the life of Apostle Achaicus is his visit to Saint Paul at Ephesus. Saints Fortunatus, Achaicus and Stephanas are mentioned by the Apostle Paul who, writing from Ephesus in 1 Corinthians 16:17-18, said: "I was glad when Stephanas, Fortunatus and Achaicus arrived, because they have supplied what was lacking from you. For they refreshed my spirit and yours also." Thus they were all Corinthian Christians beloved by Paul who had together visited the Apostle Paul in Ephesus, carrying a letter to him (1 Cor. 7:1), and delivering the first epistle of Paul to the Corinthians back home.

Beyond this biblical account, little is recorded of the remaining years of his life. After laboring greatly in preaching the word of God, he reposed in the Lord. The exact circumstances and location of his repose are not known from historical sources, yet his faithful labor in the Gospel and his intimate connection with the Apostle Paul ensured his memory in the Church.

Apostle Achaicus is commemorated by the Church on June 15 with Fortunatus and Stephen, and on January 4 with the Seventy. Their collective feast day is January 4, when the entire Synaxis of the Seventy Apostles is celebrated in the Orthodox Church.

The legacy of Apostle Achaicus exemplifies devoted service in the early Church. Though his name appears only briefly in Scripture, his faithful ministry and the affection shown to him by Saint Paul demonstrate the profound impact of even the humblest laborers in the Gospel. The Church in particular venerates and praises the Seventy Apostles because they taught us to honor the Trinity One in Essence and Undivided. In venerating Achaicus, the faithful honor not only his personal sanctity but also the apostolic foundation of the Church itself.

Life and Ministry

According to the holy tradition of the Eastern Orthodox Church, Achaicus is numbered as one of the Seventy Disciples, a group of early followers sent out by Jesus in Luke 10:17–20. The Seventy Apostles were those whom the Lord chose (described in Luke 10:1-16) in addition to the Twelve and sent forth to assist in the work of preaching. Achaicus is mentioned by the Apostle Paul who, writing from Ephesus in 1 Corinthians 16:17-18, identifies him as one of three Corinthian Christians who visited Paul, carrying a letter from the Church at Corinth (1 Cor. 7:1), and delivering the first epistle of Paul to the Corinthians back home.

Relationship with Saint Paul

Saint Paul refers to Achaicus and Fortunatus in the same passage, saying, "I am glad of the coming of Fortunatus and Achaicus: for that which was lacking on your part they have supplied. For they have refreshed my spirit, and yours." This passage in 1 Corinthians 16:17-18 testifies to the deep affection Paul held for these faithful servants and the comfort their presence brought him during his missionary labors at Ephesus.

The Three Corinthian Missionaries

Saints Fortunatus, Achaicus and Stephanas of the 70 Apostles were coworkers of the Apostle Paul, who, with all their heart and soul, helped to spread the Gospel among the nations. Saint Paul mentions these three men in his first Epistle to the Corinthians (16:17): "Now I rejoice in the presence of Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaikus, because they have supplied what was lacking on your part; for they refreshed my spirit as well as yours." The household of Stephanas were among the first fruits of the province of Akhaia, and were baptized by Saint Paul, who declares that they devoted themselves to serving the saints.