Icon of St Titus (in Greek Agios Titos) in the ruined Basilica of St Titus at Gortyn (Gortyna) in Crete, where he was the first bishop

In the Christian New Testament, Titus, (a common Roman name, meaning honourable) was a companion of Paul of Tarsus, mentioned in several of Paul's Epistles. Titus was with Paul and Barnabas at Antioch and accompanied them to the Council of Jerusalem (Galatians 2:1-3; Acts 15:2), although his name nowhere occurs in the Acts of the Apostles.

He appears to have been a Gentile— for Paul sternly refused to have him circumcised, because of Paul's belief that the gospel freed one from the requirements of the Mosaic Law— and to have been chiefly engaged in ministering to Gentiles.

At a later period, Paul's Epistles place him with Paul and Timothy at Ephesus, whence he was sent by Paul to Corinth for the purpose of getting the contributions of the church there in behalf of the poor Christians at Jerusalem sent forward (2 Corinthians 8:6; 12:18).

He rejoined the apostle when he was in Macedonia, and cheered him with the tidings he brought from Corinth (7:6-15). After this his name is not mentioned till after Paul's first imprisonment, when we find him engaged in the organization of the church in Crete, where the apostle had left him for this purpose (Paul's Titus 1:5).

The last notice of him is in 2 Timothy 4:10, where we find him with Paul at Rome during his second imprisonment. From Rome he was sent into Dalmatia, no doubt on some important missionary errand. The New Testament does not record his death.

According to church tradition, Paul ordained Titus Bishop of Gortyn in Crete. He died in AD 107 at about 95 years of age.

He is not considered to be the Titus of the Epistle to Titus that was traditionally attributed to Paul.

External links

• [ Eaton's Bible Dictionary 1897:] Titus
• [ Catholic Encyclopedia:] Titus