Feast of St. Bartholomew, Apostle and Martyr


Today is the feast of St. Bartholomew, one of the twelve apostles who is mentioned only a few times in the Synoptic Gospels. In Mark 3:18 he is one of the twelve Jesus calls to be with him. Luke 6:14 lists him as one of the apostles, as does Matthew 10:2b - 3a. John's gospel does not mention Bartholomew, but refers to a Nathaniel, whom ancient writers and Catholic tradition have identified as Bartholomew. Besides being listed as an apostle, he is not otherwise mentioned in the New Testament. The name (Bartholomaios) means "son of Talmai" which was an ancient Hebrew name.

Philip shared the news of Jesus' ascension with  Batholomew/Nathanael: “We have found Him whom Moses in the Law, and the Prophets, wrote! Come and see.” Jesus saw Nathanael coming to Him, and said of him, “Behold a true Israelite, in whom there is no guile.” (John 1:45-49) His innocence and simplicity of heart deserved to be celebrated with this high praise in the divine mouth of Our Redeemer. And Nathanael, when Jesus told him He had already seen him in a certain place, confessed his faith at once: “Rabbi, Thou art the Son of God, Thou art the King of Israel!”

He carried the Gospel through the most barbarous countries of the East, baptizing neophytes and casting out demons. A copy of the Gospel of Saint Matthew was found in India by Saint Pantænus in the third century and according to local tradition, was taken there by Saint Bartholomew. Saint John Chrysostom said Batholomew also preached in Asia Minor and, with Saint Philip, suffered there for the faith. Saint Bartholomew’s last mission was in Armenia, where tradition has it that he was flayed alive and crucified for having won converts to the faith.

Patron: bookbinders; butchers; cobblers; Florentine cheese merchants; Florentine salt merchants; leather workers; nervous diseases; neurological diseases; plasterers; shoemakers; tanners; trappers; twitching; whiteners; Gambatesa, Italy; Armenia.
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