El Greco painted several series in which Christ and the Apostles appear as separate images (Apostolados). The artist accepted the assistance of collaborators in some of these he painted in the final years of his life, but it is no less certain that he preserved until the very end that absolute mastery over his art so conspicuous in the superb series in the Museo de El Greco in Toledo. Other (incomplete) series are in the Toledo Cathedral, in Oviedo and in the Prado.

The group of thirteen pictures in the Museo de El Greco was conceived as a whole, with Christ looking directly at the viewer, six of the Apostles turning to the right and six to the left. The expressive, fragmentary brushwork has led some to suppose that the series was left unfinished at El Greco's death.

Literally, the apostles (from the Greek apostolos, envoy, messenger) are the twelve disciples of Christ whom he sent out to evangelise the nations. The name was also given at a later date to the small number of saints who continued the task of evangelisation begun by the first "apostles", and who are also considered as emissaries of Christ. Following St Paul, the apostle of the Gentiles, come, among many others, St Martin, the apostle of the Gauls; St Boniface, apostle of Frisia and Germany; and SS. Cyril and Methodius, apostles of the Slavs. The original twelve formed a group which served to witness that the Jesus they knew was indeed the Messiah.

In the lists given in the New Testament, the earliest disciples - Peter (Simon Peter), Andrew, James the Greater (or Great) and John - are always named first. A second group of four follows: Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew and Thomas. Finally appear James the Less, Jude (or Thaddaeus), Simon the Canaanite and Judas Iscariot. Peter always occupies the first place and Judas the last; the latter was replaced by Matthias after the betrayal. However, in all of El Greco's Apostolados, Apostle Paul is chosen to replace Judas. Although not one of the original twelve whom Christ chose to be his closest followers, Paul became the 'Apostle of the Gentiles' following his dramatic conversion on the road to Damascus.

Popular piety had all the apostles die for the true faith and their legends include a number of different methods of martyrdom. Like Christ, five were crucified: Peter and Philip upside down and Andrew on a cross saltire.

View the series of the apostles in a slide show.

Suggested listening (streaming mp3, 2 minutes): Lodovico Grossi da Viadana: Exsultate justi

Preview	Picture Data	File Info	Comment
	Apostle St Peter 1610-14 Oil on canvas, 97 x 77 cm Museo de El Greco, Toledo	674*880 True Color 117 Kb
	Apostle St Andrew 1610-14 Oil on canvas, 97 x 77 cm Museo de El Greco, Toledo	661*894 True Color 123 Kb
	Apostle St James the Greater 1610-14 Oil on canvas, 97 x 77 cm Museo de El Greco, Toledo	659*846 True Color 109 Kb
	Apostle St John the Evangelist 1610-14 Oil on canvas, 97 x 77 cm Museo de El Greco, Toledo	673*891 True Color 152 Kb
	Apostle St Philip 1610-14 Oil on canvas, 97 x 77 cm Museo de El Greco, Toledo	950*1172 True Color 112 Kb
	Apostle St Bartholomew 1610-14 Oil on canvas, 97 x 77 cm Museo de El Greco, Toledo	681*879 True Color 123 Kb
	Apostle St Matthew 1610-14 Oil on canvas, 97 x 77 cm Museo de El Greco, Toledo	669*868 True Color 107 Kb
	Apostle St Thomas 1610-14 Oil on canvas, 97 x 77 cm Museo de El Greco, Toledo	664*881 True Color 111 Kb
	Apostle St James the Less 1610-14 Oil on canvas, 97 x 77 cm Museo de El Greco, Toledo	653*851 True Color 127 Kb
	Apostle St Thaddeus (Jude) 1610-14 Oil on canvas, 97 x 77 cm Museo de El Greco, Toledo	676*882 True Color 124 Kb
	Apostle St Simon 1610-14 Oil on canvas, 97 x 77 cm Museo de El Greco, Toledo	669*869 True Color 114 Kb
	Apostle St Paul 1610-14 Oil on canvas, 97 x 77 cm Museo de El Greco, Toledo	950*1174 True Color 106 Kb
	Christ as Saviour 1610-14 Oil on canvas, 99 x 79 cm Museo de El Greco, Toledo	950*1220 True Color 102 Kb