October 18 - Feast of St. Luke

Doctor and historian, St. Luke is the only gentile to write a book of the Bible and his medical knowledge comes through as he describes the various illnesses from which Jesus healed people.  According to tradition he was born to pagan parents in Antioch, possibly a slave.  He traveled with St. Paul to Greece and on to Rome.  There is no record of how or when he died. 

Feast day traditions include eating a beef dish as St. Luke's symbol is the ox.

Not only the patron saint of physicians and surgeons, St. Luke is said to look after artists, bachelors, bookbinders, brewers, butchers, glass makers, goldsmiths, lace makers and notaries.