Philip was born in Bethsaida (Galilee); he joined Jesus after his encounter with John the Baptist, and he became one of the twelve apostles. The Gospel cites him in several episodes; Jesus asked Philip to supply the crowd with food before the miracle of the multiplication of the bread; some Greeks who wanted to see Jesus went to him; finally it was Philip himself who asked Christ: “show us the Father”, and Christ answered: “those who have seen me have seen the Father”. Other data about the apostle come from different legends that have confused him with the deacon Philip, mentioned in the Facts of the apostles. It is probable then that after Pentecost he went to preach to Frigia and that he were lapidated and crucified in Hierapolis.

Before leaving for Hierapolis he preached for twenty years in Escitia and he defeated the devil, which lived inside the idols; it is said that he had two virgin daughters that always were with him. It is also said that he was martyrized after he was eighty-seven years old.

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