A field emission luminescent lamp includes a bulb (40) being vacuum sealed and defining an inner surface; a lamp head mated with the bulb; an electron emitting cathode filament (20) having a conductive wire (10) and a plurality of electron emitters (12) formed thereon, the electron emitting cathode filament is positioned in the bulb; an anode layer (44) formed on the inner surface of the bulb; a phosphor layer (42) formed on the anode layer; an anode electrode (56) located at the lamp head and electrically connected with the anode layer; and a cathode electrode (54) located at the lamp head and electrically connected with the electron emitting cathode filament. The lamp may further include a gate grid (62) and a gate electrode (54). The gate grid defines a number of grid holes and surrounds the cathode filament. The gate grid is electrically connected with the gate electrode.