Philip seems, according to St. John, to have more in common with Thomas than he does with James the Less, the son of Alphaeus, of whom we have precious little information as a disciple, an evangelist, or even - as tradition tells us - as a martyr. Not that much more is known about Philip! Circumstance linked Philip and James the Less together because their remains, or relics, were moved to the Church of the Apostles in Rome on May 1; their bodies still lie together in a crypt under the main altar of this church that has been rebuilt and restored many times. Outside of the fact that both were members of the original Twelve whom Jesus selected as disciples, no hard evidence exists which justifies celebrating their martyrdom through remembrance and special worship services.

But Philip and Th…