Cleophas

Saint Cleopas the Apostle
A depiction of Cleopas as one of the disciples who met Jesus during the Road to Emmaus appearance, by Joseph von Führich, 1837.
Apostle
Born	Unknown (1st century)
Died	10th November (1st century)
Venerated in	Eastern Orthodox Church Oriental Orthodoxy Roman Catholic Church
Feast	25 September (Roman Catholic) 30 October (Eastern Orthodox) 10 November (Coptic Orthodox)

Cleopas (or Cleophas, Greek Κλεόπας) was a figure of early Christianity, one of the two disciples who encountered Jesus during the Road to Emmaus appearance in Luke 24:13-32.

Some writers claim that the name Clopas in John 19:25 ("Mary of Clopas" Κλόπας) is a Hellenized form of a claimed Aramaic name Qlopha (קלופא), and that Cleopas' name (Κλεόπας) is an abbreviated form of "Cleopatros", a Greek name meaning "glory of the father" (best known in the feminine form ).

Catholic and Orthodox traditions hold that Clopas, believed as brother of Saint Joseph, is the same person with Cleopas. Others consider that Clophas, Cleophas and Alphaeus are all the same name.

Cleopas appears in Luke 24:13-27 as one of two disciples walking from Jerusalem to Emmaus. Cleopas is named in verse 18, while his companion remains unnamed.

This occurs three days after the crucifixion, on the day of Jesus' resurrection. The two have heard the tomb of Jesus was found empty earlier that day. They are discussing the events of the past few days when a stranger asks them what they are discussing. "Their eyes were kept from recognizing him." He soon rebukes them for their unbelief and gives them a Bible study on prophecies about the Messiah. They ask the stranger to join them for the evening meal. When he breaks the bread "their eyes were opened" and they recognize him as the resurrected Jesus. Jesus immediately vanishes.

Cleopas and his friend hasten back to Jerusalem to carry the news to the other disciples, and learn Jesus has also appeared to [one of] them. The same event is recorded in Mark 16:12-16:13.

Cleopas has no further occurrence in the New Testament, but in tradition he has often been identified with Clopas or Cleophas, another New Testament figure mentioned in John's Gospel.