Saint Joanna
Saint Joanna (flourished c. 30 AD in Galilee and Jerusalem, Judea) was a woman disciple of Jesus Christ mentioned by name in the Gospel of Luke. She was the wife of Chuza, the steward of Herod Antipas, and one of the women who followed Jesus and supported his ministry out of their own means (Luke 8:3). She is also listed among the women who went to the tomb on Easter morning and first received the news of the Resurrection (Luke 24:10). In the Eastern Church she is venerated as an equal-to-the-apostles. Her feast day is May 24 (West) and June 27 (East).
Stored in Cargo: Saint Joanna
| Saint Joanna | |
|---|---|
| Feast Day | May 24 (West); June 27 (East) |
| Profession | Disciple of Jesus; wife of Herod's steward; first witness to the Resurrection |
| Rel. Affiliation | Catholic Church; Eastern Orthodox Church; first-century Jewish disciple of Jesus; Equal-to-the-Apostles (Eastern veneration) |
| Patronage | Women disciples; those who support ministry with their wealth; early witnesses to the Resurrection; wives of public officials who remain faithful |
| Attributes | Spice jar or ointment (going to the tomb); Resurrection scene; woman's clothing of 1st-century Judea |
| Birthplace | Galilee, Judea (modern Israel) |
| Death Place | Unknown; possibly Jerusalem or Asia Minor |
| Cause of Death | Unknown; no martyrdom account; venerated for her witness to the Resurrection |
| Primary Shrine | No specific surviving shrine; venerated at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem, in the general tradition of the Resurrection witnesses |
| Liturgical Class | Not in universal Roman Calendar; feast May 24; observed in some Western dioceses and in Eastern Churches |
| Historic Class | Not in universal 1962 calendar; observed locally |
Biography
Joanna is named twice in the Gospel of Luke as a disciple of Jesus. In Luke 8:1–3, she is listed alongside Mary Magdalene and Susanna among the women who accompanied Jesus during his Galilean preaching and provided for them out of their own means. She is identified as the wife of Chuza, the steward (or household manager) of Herod Antipas — a position of considerable social standing in the court of the tetrarch of Galilee.
In Luke 24:10 she is named among the women who went to the tomb of Jesus on Easter morning, found it empty, and received the announcement from two angels that Jesus had risen. She then went with Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James to report this to the Eleven.
Her social position — wife of Herod's steward, potentially living in Tiberias (Herod's capital) — makes her discipleship historically notable. She moved in the circles of those who had executed John the Baptist, yet she committed her resources to Jesus's mission.
Her subsequent history is unknown. The Eastern Church venerates her as Equal-to-the-Apostles for her role in proclaiming the Resurrection, and her feast is observed on June 27.
Significant locations
Legend
Birth location: Galilee, Judea (modern Israel)
Death location: Unknown; possibly Jerusalem or Asia Minor
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Parishes
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Shrines
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Feast day
May 24 (West); June 27 (East)
Veneration
Saint Joanna is venerated in the Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church as one of the Myrrh-bearing Women who first witnessed the empty tomb and proclaimed the Resurrection.
Prayers
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