Feast of St. John the Apostle, December 27

St. John was the brother of St. James the Greater. John was the only apostle who did not abandon Christ at the Passion; Jesus made him guardian of Mary. John is also notable for being the only of the twelve to avoid martyrdom and lived to the ripe old age of 100. A basilica was built in Ephesus (now in Turkey) over the reported site of his burial by the Emperor Justinian in the 6th century. Side note - Justinian was the last Roman Emperor to speak Latin as his first language. The Basilica was turned into a mosque in the 14th century; the Mongols destroyed it not much later.

John wrote his Gospel, of course, but is also credited with three epistles; he also is believed to have written the Book of Revelations. In it, God's throne is flanked by "four living creatures" - an eagle, an ox, a lion, and an angel/human. Each of the four gospel writers is associated with one of these characters. John got the eagle, Matthew the angel, Mark the lion, and Luke the ox.