Titus, St.
TITUS, ST.
Gentile Christian of the apostolic Church, companion and helper of St. Paul, and recipient of one of St. Paul's epistles. Although Titus is not mentioned in Acts, Paul's epistles supply much information concerning him. When he went with Paul to Jerusalem c. a.d. 50, Paul did not feel compelled to circumcise him (Gal 2.1, 3), as he did timothy (Acts 16.1–3), since Titus was born of Gentile parents. Replacing Timothy at Corinth, Titus restored obedience, reconciled the Corinthians to Paul (2 Cor7.15), and began the collection for Jerusalem (2 Cor 8.6). He went with Paul to Crete and was left there to organize the Church (Ti 1.5). Later Paul called him to Nicopolis (Ti 3.12) and sent him to Dalmatia (2 Tm 4.10). Tradition says Titus later lived in Crete and died there at the age of 93. His remains were transferred from Gortyna to St. Mark's, Venice. Titus was a decisive, efficient, zealous, yet kindly man whom Paul sent to trouble spots. The warmth shown by Paul in his letters to Timothy is lacking in that to Titus, but a greater trust in Titus's competence is clear.
Feast: Feb. 6.
Bibliography: c. spicq, Saint Paul: Les Épîtres pastorales (Études bibliques ; 1947), xxxvi–xxxviii.
[r. g. boucher]