Nicodemus

NICODEMO. - Jewish nobleman, disciple of Jesus, mentioned in the Gospel of St. John: he was a Pharisee, a ruler of the Jews (Io. 3, 1), a teacher in Israel (ibid. 3, 10), a member of the Sanhedrin (ibid. 7, 50), wealthy and influential (ibid. 19, 39).

Having gone to see Jesus by night, he received from Him the revelation concerning the necessity of being born from above (through Baptism) and concerning the person of the Only-Begotten Savior who descended from Heaven (ibid. 3, 1-21). He defended Jesus before the members of the Sanhedrin, who sought to condemn Him without hearing Him, and was insulted by them as a Galilean (ibid. 7, 50-2). Joseph of Arimathea (v.), he embalmed the body of Jesus, bringing about 100 pounds of myrrh and aloes (ibid. 19, 39-40).

The rest of his life is uncertain. He is mentioned in the apocryphal Acts of Pilate (v.) or Gospel of Nicodemus. His body is said to have been discovered together with those of St. Stephen and Abibus at Caphargamala. This is according to the legendary Epistula Luciani ad omnem Ecclesiam (PL. 41, 807 ff.) and the Roman Martyrology on August 3. The Greek Menologies and that of Sirleto commemorate him on September 15. The Servites and Passionists commemorate him on March 27, and the Copts on July 25. There is no evidence to identify the present N. with Rabbi Naqdimôn ben Gurjôn, who, according to the Talmud, lived until the fall of Jerusalem. A Christian legend attributes to N. the Holy Face venerated in Lucca.