(Latin: Lūcās, Ancient Greek: Λουκᾶς, Loukãs, Hebrew: לוקאס, Lūqās, Aramaic: לוקא, Lūqā’) is one of the Four Evangelists—the four traditionally ascribed authors of the canonical Gospels. The early church fathersascribed to him authorship of both the Gospel according to Luke and the book of Acts of the Apostles, which would mean Luke contributed over a quarter of the
text of the New Testament, more than any other author. The New Testament mentions Luke briefly a
few times, and the Pauline epistle to
the Colossians refers to him as a physician (from Greek for
'one who heals'); thus he is thought to have been both a physician and a
disciple of Paul.
Christians since the faith's early years have regarded him as a saint.
He is believed to have been a martyr, reportedly as having been hanged from an
olive tree, though some believe otherwise.
The Roman Catholic Church and
other major denominations venerate him as Saint Luke the Evangelist and
as a patron saint of artists, physicians, bachelors, surgeons, students and butchers;
his feast day takes place on 18 October.
