Matthias the Apostle

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Matthias (

Holy Spirit

upon the early Church.

Biography

There is no mention of a Matthias among the lists of disciples or followers of Jesus in the three

synoptic gospels, but according to Acts, he had been with Jesus from his baptism by John until his Ascension. In the days following, Peter proposed that the assembled disciples, who numbered about 120, nominate two men to replace Judas. They chose Joseph called Barsabas (whose surname was Justus) and Matthias. Then they prayed, "Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all [men], shew whether of these two thou hast chosen, That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place."^[2] Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was numbered with the eleven apostles.^[3]

No further information about Matthias is to be found in the canonical New Testament. Even his name is variable: the Syriac version of Eusebius calls him throughout not Matthias but "Tolmai", not to be confused with Bartholomew (which means Son of Tolmai), who was one of the twelve original Apostles; Clement of Alexandria refers once to Zacchaeus in a way which could be read as suggesting that some identified him with Matthias;^[4] the Clementine Recognitions identify him with Barnabas; Adolf Bernhard Christoph Hilgenfeld thinks he is the same as Nathanael in the Gospel of John.

Ministry

The tradition of the Greeks says that St. Matthias planted the faith about Cappadocia and on the coasts of the Caspian Sea, residing chiefly near the port Issus.^[5]

According to

Gonio (Apsaros) in the modern Georgian region of Adjara

claims that Matthias is buried at that site.

The Synopsis of Dorotheus contains this tradition: "Matthias preached the Gospel to barbarians and meat-eaters in the interior of Ethiopia, where the sea harbor of Hyssus is, at the mouth of the river Phasis. He died at Sebastopolis, and was buried there, near the Temple of the Sun."[7]

Alternatively, another tradition maintains that Matthias was stoned at Jerusalem by the local populace, and then beheaded (cf. Tillemont, Mémoires pour servir à l'histoire ecclesiastique des six premiers siècles, I, 406–7).^[7] According to Hippolytus of Rome, Matthias died of old age in Jerusalem.

Clement of Alexandria observed (Stromateis vi.13.):

Not that they became apostles through being chosen for some distinguished peculiarity of nature, since also Judas was chosen along with them. But they were capable of becoming apostles on being chosen by Him who foresees even ultimate issues. Matthias, accordingly, who was not chosen along with them, on showing himself worthy of becoming an apostle, is substituted for Judas.

Writings

Surviving fragments of the lost Gospel of Matthias^[8] attribute it to Matthias, but Early Church Fathers attributed it to heretical writings in the 2nd century.

Veneration

The feast of Saint Matthias was included in the Roman Calendar in the 11th century and celebrated on the sixth day to the Calends of March (24 February usually, but 25 February in leap years). In the

Twelve Apostles

.

The Eastern Rites of the Eastern Orthodox Church celebrate his feast on 9 August. Yet the Western Rite parishes of the Orthodox Church continues the old Roman Rite of 24 and 25 February in leap years.^{[citation needed]}

The

Lutheran Church–Canada, his feast remains on 24 February.^[13] In Evangelical Lutheran Worship, used by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America as well as the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada, the feast date for Matthias is on 14 May.^[14]

It is claimed that St Matthias the Apostle's remains were brought to Italy through Empress

Gonio-Apsaros, Georgia.^{[citation needed]}^[15]

Notes

^ The Ethiopia/Aethiopia mentioned here as well as in the quote from the "Synopsis of Dorotheus" is that region identified with an ancient Egyptian military colony in the Caucasus mountains on the river Alazani.

References

Citations

^ Acts 1
^ Acts 1:24–25
^ ^a ^b Jacque Eugène. Jacquier, "St. Matthias." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 10. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1911. 10 August 2014
^ Stromata Book 4 Ch 6 The New Advent Translation says "It is said, therefore, that Zaccheus, or, according to some, Matthew, the chief of the publicans, on hearing that the Lord had deigned to come to him, said, Lord, and if I have taken anything by false accusation, I restore him fourfold;" but the Greek has 4.6.35.2 Ζακχαῖον τοίνυν, οἳ δὲ Ματθίαν φασίν, ἀρχιτελώνην, ἀκηκοότα τοῦ κυρίου καταξιώσαντος πρὸς αὐτὸν γενέσθαι, ἰδοὺ τὰ ἡμίση τῶν ὑπαρχόντων μου δίδωμι ἐλεημοσύνην φάναι, κύριε, καὶ εἴ τινός τι ἐσυκοφάντησα, τετραπλοῦν ἀποδίδωμι. ἐφ' οὗ καὶ ὁ σωτὴρ εἶπεν· can just about be read as "by some said to be Matthias")
^ Butler, Alban. "Saint Matthias, Apostle", The Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs, and Other Principal Saints, D. & J. Sadlier, & Company, 1864
^ See "Egyptian Colony and Language in the Caucasus and its Anthropological Relations," by Hyde Clarke, 1874, https://www.jstor.org/stable/2841305
^ ^a ^b One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Jacquier, Jacque Eugène (1911). "St. Matthias". In Herbermann, Charles (ed.). Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 10. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
^ "The Traditions of Matthias". Earlychristianwritings.com. Retrieved 12 May 2011.
^ "Calendarium Romanum" (Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 1969), p. 92; cf. p. 117
^ "The Prayer Book Society of Canada " The Calendar". The Prayer Book Society of Canada. 16 October 2013.
^ "The Calendar". The Church of England. Retrieved 27 March 2021.
^ "web site". Oremus.org. Retrieved 12 May 2011.
^ "Misc. Info. on Minor Festivals – The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod". Archived from the original on 6 January 2011.
^ Evangelical Lutheran Worship, (Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Fortress, 2007), 15
^ Kakhidze, Emzar (2008). "Apsaros: A Roman Fort in Southwestern Georgia". In Bilde, Pia Guldager; Petersen, Jane Hjarl (eds.). Meetings of Cultures – Between Conflicts and Coexistence. Black Sea Studies. 8. Aarhus University Press. pp. 303–332..

External links

[6] The Ethiopia/Aethiopia mentioned here as well as in the quote from the "Synopsis of Dorotheus" is that region identified with an ancient Egyptian military colony in the Caucasus mountains on the river Alazani.

[1] Acts 1

[2] Acts 1:24–25

[Jacquier-3] Jacque Eugène. Jacquier, "St. Matthias." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 10. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1911. 10 August 2014

[4] Stromata Book 4 Ch 6 The New Advent Translation says "It is said, therefore, that Zaccheus, or, according to some, Matthew, the chief of the publicans, on hearing that the Lord had deigned to come to him, said, Lord, and if I have taken anything by false accusation, I restore him fourfold;" but the Greek has 4.6.35.2 Ζακχαῖον τοίνυν, οἳ δὲ Ματθίαν φασίν, ἀρχιτελώνην, ἀκηκοότα τοῦ κυρίου καταξιώσαντος πρὸς αὐτὸν γενέσθαι, ἰδοὺ τὰ ἡμίση τῶν ὑπαρχόντων μου δίδωμι ἐλεημοσύνην φάναι, κύριε, καὶ εἴ τινός τι ἐσυκοφάντησα, τετραπλοῦν ἀποδίδωμι. ἐφ' οὗ καὶ ὁ σωτὴρ εἶπεν· can just about be read as "by some said to be Matthias")

[Butler-5] Butler, Alban. "Saint Matthias, Apostle", The Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs, and Other Principal Saints, D. & J. Sadlier, & Company, 1864

[7] See "Egyptian Colony and Language in the Caucasus and its Anthropological Relations," by Hyde Clarke, 1874, https://www.jstor.org/stable/2841305

[Catholic-8] One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Jacquier, Jacque Eugène (1911). "St. Matthias". In Herbermann, Charles (ed.). Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 10. New York: Robert Appleton Company.

[9] "The Traditions of Matthias". Earlychristianwritings.com. Retrieved 12 May 2011.

[10] "Calendarium Romanum" (Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 1969), p. 92; cf. p. 117

[11] "The Prayer Book Society of Canada " The Calendar". The Prayer Book Society of Canada. 16 October 2013.

[12] "The Calendar". The Church of England. Retrieved 27 March 2021.

[13] "web site". Oremus.org. Retrieved 12 May 2011.

[14] "Misc. Info. on Minor Festivals – The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod". Archived from the original on 6 January 2011.

[15] Evangelical Lutheran Worship, (Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Fortress, 2007), 15

[16] Kakhidze, Emzar (2008). "Apsaros: A Roman Fort in Southwestern Georgia". In Bilde, Pia Guldager; Petersen, Jane Hjarl (eds.). Meetings of Cultures – Between Conflicts and Coexistence. Black Sea Studies. 8. Aarhus University Press. pp. 303–332..

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v t e Twelve Apostles of Jesus
Apostles	Andrew Bartholomew Nathanael James, son of Alphaeus the Less James, son of Zebedee John Beloved Evangelist Patmos Judas Iscariot Judas Thaddaeus Matthew Philip Simon Peter Simon the Zealot Thomas
Later	Seventy disciples Matthias Paul conversion James, brother of Jesus Barnabas
Related	Commissioning of the Twelve calling of the disciples calling of Matthew Mission Discourse coming persecutions Holy Kinship Last Supper Farewell Discourse Great Commission Apostolic Age Apostolic see Acts of the Apostles Pentecost Holy Spirit Dispersion Pauline epistles Relics and burial sites Apostolic succession Apostles' Creed