Apostle and Evangelist MATTHEW (†60)

The Holy Apostle and Evangelist Levi Matthew, son of Alpheus, lived in the Galilean city of Capernaum (a small city in Galilee on the northwestern shore of Lake Gennesaret). He was the brother of another apostle, James. He was a wealthy man and held the position of publican (tax collector). His compatriots despised and shunned him, like everyone else like him. But Matthew, although he was a sinner, at the same time was not only no worse, but also much better than the Pharisees who were proud of their imaginary external righteousness.

Publican - person appointed by the Roman procurator to collect taxes from the Jews (in the modern sense - a customs officer). Publicans usually farmed out the collection of these duties and used all sorts of measures to extract the greatest benefits for themselves. As selfish and arrogant agents of the Romans, publicans were considered by the Jews to be traitors and traitors to their country and the Lord God. Sinner, pagan and publican - they meant the same thing; to speak with them was considered a sin, to treat them was considered a desecration, although among them there were good and God-fearing people.

Pharisees- one of the Jewish sects that appeared in the 2nd and 3rd centuries. BC The Pharisees (special, separated) received their name from the fact that they tried to distinguish themselves by their special zeal for the law.

And so the Lord fixed His Divine gaze on this despised publican. One day, during His stay in Capernaum, the Lord left the city and went to the sea, accompanied by the people. On the shore He saw someone sitting at the mooring house (place of collection of duties and taxes) Matthew. And he said to him:

- Come after me!

Hearing these words of the Lord not only with the ears of the body, but also with the eyes of the heart, the publican immediately rose from his place and, leaving everything, followed Christ. Matthew did not hesitate, was not surprised that the Great Teacher and Wonderworker was calling him, the despised publican; he heeded His words with all his heart and unquestioningly followed Christ. In joy, Matthew prepared a great meal in his house. The Lord did not refuse the invitation and entered Matthew’s house. And many of his neighbors, friends and acquaintances, all publicans and sinners, gathered at Matthew’s house and reclined at the table with Jesus and His disciples. Some of the scribes and Pharisees also happened to be there.

Scribes The Jews called people generally knowledgeable in the book business, such as the most learned of the Jews, who explained the law and publicly taught and instructed the people in the law, the so-called rabbis and teachers of the law; lawyers who dealt with controversial issues, dubious cases and cases requiring knowledge of the law and practical experience; scribes and notaries who served in synagogues and Sanhedrins. These learned Jews are presented in the New Testament as a special class, different from the Pharisees; but at the same time they are often united with the Pharisees, and put in contact with the bishops. Most of them were tied to the same traditions and, not understanding the spirit of the Law, interpreted it falsely and were blind leaders of the people, hypocritically only fulfilling the commandments for show, for the sake of human glory, and placing on others heavy burdens that they themselves did not fulfill.

Seeing that the Lord does not disdain sinners and tax collectors, but reclines next to them, they grumbled and said to His disciples: “How is it that He eats and drinks with publicans and sinners?” But the Pharisees were only looking for an opportunity to reproach the Lord for something and condemned the Savior for allegedly violating what was written in the psalm: “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked.”

The Lord, hearing their words, said to them: “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." (Matt. 9:13).

"Look, - says John Chrysostom, - how the Lord draws a completely opposite conclusion from the words of the Pharisees. They blame Him for communicating with tax collectors, but He, on the contrary, says that correcting such people is a very important, necessary and worthy matter of much praise.”

Matthew, realizing his sins, compensated those whom he had previously robbed fourfold, distributed the rest of his property to the poor, and, together with the other apostles, followed Christ.

Of all the twelve disciples, Levi Matthew was one of the most educated - an illiterate person would not have been accepted as an official. Matthew's profession required him to be able to speak and write both Aramaic and Greek, and possibly Latin. And, following Christ, he diligently wrote down His sayings, which later formed the basis of the Gospel of Matthew.

Saint Matthew listened to the instructions of the Divine Teacher, saw His countless miracles, walked with the 12 apostles throughout Galilee and Judea preaching to “the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matthew 10:6), witnessed the suffering, death and Resurrection of the Savior and His glorious Ascension On sky.

After the Ascension of the Lord and the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles, Saint Matthew first preached for 8 years in Palestine. But now the time has come for the Apostles to disperse from Jerusalem to different nations to convert them to the faith of Christ. Before the Apostle's departure from Jerusalem, the Jewish Christians of Jerusalem asked him to hand over for them the writings of the deeds and teachings of Jesus Christ. The other Apostles who were in Jerusalem at that time also expressed their consent to the fulfillment of this request. And Saint Matthew, fulfilling a common desire, wrote the Gospel 8 years after the Ascension of Christ.

Gospel of Matthew was written around 41 AD. This is the first Holy Book of all the books of the New Testament and, therefore, occupies first place among them. The place where the Gospel was written is called Palestine.The Gospel was written in Hebrew, or in the Aramaic dialect then used, and translated into Greek.

It was originally intended for Palestinian Jewish Christians. The narratives in the Gospel of Matthew are aimed primarily at showing that Jesus is the true Messiah, promised to the forefathers of the Jewish people, and there will be no other (Matthew 11:3). Therefore, in the Gospel of Matthew, more often than in other Gospels, events from the life of Christ are compared with Old Testament prophecies and prototypes, and narratives that are especially important and necessary for the Jews are selected from the entire history of Christ the Savior. That is why Matthew begins his Gospel with the genealogy of the Messiah, as the son of David and Abraham, showing that Jesus is not a spirit or an Angel, as some later believed, but flesh of the flesh of the Israeli people, the continuation of their history and the fulfillment of the promises given to them.

This distinctive feature of the Gospel of St. Matthew is also expressed in his icons, on which he is depicted together with an Angel-like man, symbolically characterizing the features of his Gospel.

Preaching in Ethiopia

We know about the further life of the apostle himself from church tradition. Having left Jerusalem, the holy Apostle Matthew went around Syria and Media with the gospel (present Iran), Persia, Parthia, ending his preaching work with martyrdom in Ethiopia.

This country was inhabited by cannibal tribes with rude customs and beliefs. The Holy Apostle Matthew, with his preaching and numerous miracles here, converted several idolaters to faith in Christ, founded the Church and built a temple in the city of Myrmen and installed his companion named Plato as bishop. WITHHe ascended a nearby mountain and remained on it in fasting, earnestly praying to God for the conversion of that unfaithful people. During prayer, the Lord Himself appeared to him in the form of a young man and, giving him a staff, ordered him to place it at the door of the temple. The Lord said that a tree would grow from this rod and bear fruit, and a source of water would flow from its root. Having washed in the water and tasted the fruits, the Ethiopians will change their wild disposition and become kind and meek.

Matthew, having accepted the rod from the hand of the Lord, came down from the mountain and went into the city to do what he was commanded. The ruler of that city, whose name was Fulvian, had a wife and son possessed by demons. Having met the Apostle on the way, they screamed at him in wild, threatening voices.The holy apostle healed them in the name of Jesus Christ. Those who were healed bowed to the Apostle and meekly followed him.

Having learned about his arrival, Bishop Platon met him along with the clergy. Entering the city and approaching the church, the Apostle Matthew did as he was commanded: he planted the rod given to him from the Lord, and immediately, in full view of everyone, the rod became a great tree and beautiful fruits appeared on it, large and sweet, and a spring water flowed out from the root. INThe whole city came together for such a miracle, and they ate the fruit of the tree and drank clean water. And the holy Apostle Matthew, standing on a high place, preached the word of God to the assembled people in their language. This miracle converted many pagans to the Lord.

Death of the Apostle Matthew

Having learned about what had happened, the local pagan ruler Fulvian at first rejoiced at the healing of his wife and son, but then, according to the teachings of the demons, he was angry with the Apostle because all the people were coming to him, leaving their gods, and planned to destroy him. He accused the apostle of witchcraft and ordered his execution. Saint Matthew was stretched out on the ground face down, covered with brushwood and set on fire. When the fire flared up, everyone saw that the fire did not harm Saint Matthew. Seeing this, all the people were horrified by such a great miracle and gave praise to the God of the Apostle. But Fulvian became even more angry. Not wanting to recognize the power of God in what happened, which kept the preacher of Christ alive and undamaged from the fire, he accused him of witchcraft. Fulvian ordered more firewood, branches and brushwood to be brought, and St. Matthew to be doused with resin and set on fire. In addition, he placed 12 golden idols around the fire, calling on them for help, so that by their power Matthew could not get rid of the flames and would turn to ashes. But the flame melted the idols like wax and scorched Fulvian. The frightened Ethiopian turned to the saint with a plea for mercy, and, through the prayer of the apostle, the flames subsided. His body remained unharmed.Fulvian repented of what he had done and wanted to pull the saint out of the fire, but he, having made a prayer, gave up his holy soul into the hands of God.According to legend,demise the apostle Matthew followedaround 60 A.D.

Then Fulvian ordered to bring a golden bed and lay on it the honest body of the Apostle, undamaged by the fire, and, dressing him in precious clothes, he lifted him up together with his nobles and brought him into his palace. Although he repented, he still did not leave his doubts. Therefore, the body of Saint Matthew was placed in an iron coffin, tightly covered with tin on all sides and thrown into the sea. At the same time, Fulvian said that if the God of Matthew preserves the body of the apostle from drowning in water, as he preserved it in fire, then truly He is the One and Almighty God and He should be worshiped.

That same night, the Apostle Matthew appeared to Bishop Plato in a dream vision and commanded him to go with the clergy to the seashore and find his body there, carried to land. In the morning, the bishop, accompanied by many believers and the ruler Fulvian with his retinue, went to the shown place and found an iron ark with the relics of St. Matthew the Apostle, as he had been told in a vision. The coffin carried out by the wave was honorably transferred to the temple built by the apostle. Then Fulvian asked the holy Apostle Matthew for forgiveness, after which Bishop Plato baptized him with the name Matthew, which he gave him, obeying the command of God. Soon Saint Fulvian-Matthew renounced power and became a presbyter. After the death of Bishop Plato, the Apostle Matthew appeared to him and exhorted him to lead the Ethiopian Church. Having accepted the bishopric, Saint Matthew-Fulvian worked hard in preaching the Word of God, continuing the work of his heavenly patron.

Ethiopia- one of the African countries where Christianity is the main religion. There, already in the 5th century, the Bible was translated into the local language. Ethiopian Christians sacredly preserve the memory of the Apostle Matthew, their first evangelist.

Church of St. Apostle and Evangelist Matthew in Solerno (Italy)

The relics of the holy evangelist Apostle Matthew, according to legend, ended up in Lucania in the 10th century. Under the Lombard prince Gizulf I, they were solemnly transferred to Salerno (Italy), where they have been resting in the temple of San Matteo for a thousand years ( Matteo, in Italian, Matthew). Over the past thousand years, the cathedral has burned down several times. The fires of the 16th and 19th centuries were especially terrible, when almost the entire cathedral burned out. But what is surprising is that in all these fires the holy relics of the Apostle Matthew remained untouched by fire.

The crypt is an underground temple. The relics of Ap are kept here. Matthew

In the crypt (underground temple) are the relics of St. Apostle Matthew. There are candles on the tomb.

Apostle Matthew in art

The holy apostle and evangelist Matthew was often depicted in icons and works of art.

Bartolozzi, Francesco. Apostle Matthew. Based on a drawing by Guercino (1591-1666).

Three paintings from the life of the Apostle by Caravaggio belong to the outstanding masterpieces of painting.

The symbol of Matthew is an Angel standing behind him (at first the figure of a man was depicted, since the Gospel of Matthew begins with the genealogy of Christ as a man).

However, one should distinguish between the Apostle and Evangelist Matthew and the Apostle Matthias (lat. Matthias) because they are often confused. Apostle Levi Matthew was one of the first to be called, and Matthias was the last. (August 9) by lot took a place among the 12 apostles, instead of the fallen Judas Iscariot. Before that, he was one of the 70 disciples of Jesus.

Material prepared by Sergey SHULYAK

for the Church of the Life-Giving Trinity on Sparrow Hills

Troparion, tone 3:
Diligently from the tollhouse to the Lord Christ who called, I appeared on earth as a man for goodness, following that, you appeared as the chosen Apostle, and the evangelist of the Gospel to the universe was loudly spoken: for this reason we honor your honorable memory, Matthew the God-speaking. Pray to the Merciful God to grant forgiveness of sins to our souls.

Kontakion, tone 4:
You rejected the yoke of ordeal, you harnessed the yoke of truth, and you appeared as a most excellent merchant, bringing wealth, and from on high wisdom: from there you preached the word of truth, and you raised up sad souls, writing the hour of judgment.

Prayer to the Apostle and Evangelist Matthew:
Oh, glorious Apostle Matthew, who gave up his soul for Christ and fertilized His pasture with your blood! Hear your children's prayers and sighs, now offered by a contrite heart. Because we are darkened by lawlessness, and for this reason we are surrounded by troubles, like clouds, but a good life is so impoverished, and we are not able to resist the predatory wolf who will plunder us The things of God strive boldly. Oh, strong one! Bear our weaknesses, do not leave us in spirit, so that we may not be separated from the love of God in the end, but protect us with your strong intercession, may the Lord have mercy on us all for your prayers, may the handwriting of our immeasurable sins be destroyed, and may the blessed be blessed with all the Saints To the kingdom and marriage of His Lamb, to Him be honor and glory, and thanksgiving and worship, forever and ever. Ah min.

The name "Matthew" is of Jewish origin and means "gift of Yahweh." A person with this name is mentioned in the list of the Twelve Apostles in the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew 10:3, where he is also called a “publican”; Mark 3:18 and Luke 6:15) and in the Book of Acts (Acts 1:13). In addition, the Gospels of Mark (Mark 2:13-17) and Luke (Luke 5:27-32) tell about the calling by Jesus of a publican (tax collector) named Levi (Alpheus, i.e. son of Alpheus), and in Matthew 9:9-13 in the same story there is a man named Matthew. It is generally accepted that Matthew and Levi Alfeev are one and the same person. Church tradition attributes to him the compilation of the canonical Gospel, which opens the collection of books of the Holy Scriptures of the New Testament.
Otherwise, very little information has been preserved about the life and ministry of the Apostle Matthew. According to some sources, he preached in Ethiopia, where he suffered a martyr’s death around 60. But other legends call the place of his death the city of Hierapolis in Asia Minor or the village of Gonio in Georgia (Adjara) 15 km south of Batumi and 5 km north from the Turkish border. So his tomb, according to one version, is located in Gonio, and according to another, in the Italian city of Salerno.
considered the heavenly patron of accountants, customs officers and all financial services.

The first three Gospels include the story of the calling of the publican Levi, the future apostle Matthew, and place it immediately after the story of the healing of the paralytic in Capernaum. Apparently, on the same day as the healing, or a day later, Jesus, surrounded by a crowd of people, went to the shore of the lake (Mk 2:13). The path lay past the customs office, where they collected taxes for transporting goods from one province to another. The small port of Capernaum was just considered “border”. From here goods were transported to the province of Perea, located on the other side of Lake Galilee.
The publican (customs officer) Matthew served Herod. He was not vested with power, but only collected taxes. His profession was not held in high esteem, or rather, it was despised by all devout Jews, although some of them seemed tempting: working in customs, one could easily get rich. It can be assumed that Matthew had a good position in the customs. This is evidenced by the fact that he was able to arrange there is a great feast in your house; and there were many publicans and others who reclined with them(Luke 5:29).

Jesus, noticing Matthew, invited him to follow Him. And that one stood up and followed Him(Mt 9:9). In other words, he gave an immediate and generous answer. Surely Matthew knew Jesus before. He had been waiting for this significant moment for a long time, and therefore, without a moment’s hesitation, he left everything and accepted the invitation. Only the Lord God knows what was happening in his soul. And only the Apostle himself could tell about what attracted him so much to Jesus. But, one way or another, he left his office and followed the Lord. Showing resolute firmness and immediately renouncing all worldly interests, he proved by his perfect obedience that the Lord had called him at the right time.

Wanting to celebrate the day of his calling and give thanks for it, Saint Matthew organized a large feast in his house and invited his friends to it, many of whom were considered “sinners.” What happened illustrates how immense the joy of the newly called Apostle was. It would seem, how can one not rejoice at such a calling to become the closest disciple of the Lord - this greatest of all possible treasures!? But Jesus then appeared before yesterday’s publican not at all in the radiance of His heavenly glory, but in the humble guise of a wandering preacher, who was not at all favored by the spiritual and secular “elite” of that time. And if we take into account the sacrifices that are associated with truly following Christ, then one can easily become sad, like the rich young man who did not want to part with his large estate (cf. Lk 18:18). That young man thought only about what he was losing. And Levi-Matthew lost more than most of the other apostles. Those, being fishermen, could return to the fishery that fed them at any time, but a customs officer who left his post could hardly count on returning to his “warm place”, most likely immediately occupied by another person. And yet, Matthew not only showed no hesitation (he followed the Teacher “immediately”), but also publicly showed his great joy over what had happened.

The Apostle Matthew gave exceptionally powerful testimony about the life and work of his Mentor. He entered the circle Twelve who followed Christ wherever He went. He listened to His sermons, witnessed the miracles He performed, participated in the Last Supper, where the sacrament of the Eucharist was established, and from the lips of the Lord His testament sounded, at the center of which was the commandment of love. He accompanied Christ to Gethsemane, and then fled with other disciples and left the Teacher alone. He experienced the great joy of Easter morning, met the Risen One, saw His Ascension, and received from Him the command to preach the Good News throughout the world, right to the ends of the earth. And on the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit descended on him, like on the other disciples and on Mary. How many dear memories awoke in his mind when he wrote his! He was well aware of what it meant to be close to the Lord. And what would have happened to him if, on that distant morning, he had remained at his customs office and had not followed the Lord...

Based on materials from the book “Christ Passes By” by F. Carvajal

Matthew - holy apostle and evangelist

One of the first Gospels belongs to the pen of the Apostle and Evangelist Matthew (about 41 AD). It was written in Palestine and was subsequently translated into Greek. All manuscripts of the first Gospel have survived to this day in Greek, but there are opinions that the Apostle Matthew wrote it in Aramaic (Jesus Christ Himself spoke it).

It was written before anyone else. But what do we know about him? When we hear the reading of the Gospel of Matthew, who do we picture in our imagination? Whose life and feat are familiar to us? Or do we stand quietly and think about our own things? At the same time, the life of this amazing Apostle and his feat were far from ordinary.

Matthew writes the Gospel

Matthew, or as he was also called Levi, brother of the Apostle James Alpheus, son of Alpheus. He was born in the city of Capernaum into a fairly wealthy family. But he was not loved and respected, everyone hated him because he was a publican (tax collector). In Palestine, of all the officials, tax collectors were the most hated by the inhabitants.

It was even considered a sin to communicate with them, and people avoided Matthew. Publicans were revered by pagans, collected taxes from people and used the ransom from them for their own, often selfish, purposes. Despite the fact that the future apostle was engaged in sinful deeds and was, in fact, a sinner, he never exalted himself, but, on the contrary, admitted his indecency, unlike the Pharisees, whose holiness was imaginary and invented by themselves to console their conscience.

What can we learn from the apostle and evangelist Matthew?

Levi Matthew sat on the seashore and collected taxes from the population. Perhaps it was a wonderful sunny day, or, on the contrary, the sky was cloudy and rainy. But one thing is for sure - Matthew never expected how much his life would change in a few moments. And the Sun, our Lord Jesus Christ, will sanctify his life. Regardless of the weather, the Sun appeared in Matthew, but it was a non-evening, eternal, wondrous light. The Lord looked at Matthew and called him, saying:

"Come after me!" The publican did not hesitate, leaving everything, without thinking for a second, he went after the Lord.

Matthew, in great joy and gratitude, set a huge table in his house. He made a great treat for everyone, inviting all his relatives, friends and acquaintances. The Lord did not disdain such a company of sinners and shared a meal with them. Among those present at the meal were the Pharisees, who were indignant and condemned the Lord because he drank and ate with sinners and tax collectors. To their (the Pharisees’) remark He replied:

“It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Matthew 9:13).

I would like to once again draw attention to how the despised publican behaved. He was not surprised, did not become arrogant, did not hesitate, he meekly answered: “Yes, Lord!” Maybe that’s why the Lord chose him, the publican? Not an enlightened, educated Pharisee, but a tax collector? Because although outwardly the publican led a sinful lifestyle, his heart did not rise up from his imaginary righteousness, and he did not hesitate, cut off everything superfluous from himself and became faithful to the Lord even to death. Because our heart is important to God, He looks directly into it, and for the Lord, the despised and hated publican was purer, better than the one who, apparently, was a righteous man, and his heart was closed from the light of Christ.

Apostle Matthew was one of the 12 Apostles chosen by the Lord. The Lord made many journeys throughout Galilee and Judea, performing many great Miracles, healing the sick, helping those who were completely desperate and no longer expected help, the Lord instructed and spoke His Word. His Apostles were always nearby, among whom was the Apostle Matthew, who wrote down and collected all the precious Words of the Savior.

The Apostle Matthew witnessed the suffering of our Lord Jesus Christ on the cross and His atoning death. After the Resurrection of Christ, the Apostle traveled around many countries with the gospel of the Savior and the salvation of the world.

Christ Calls Matthew

Before setting off to preach in distant countries, the Apostle, at the request of the Jews who remained in Jerusalem, wrote the Gospel, leaving for them the teachings of Jesus Christ. 8 years later, after His Ascension, the first Gospel of Matthew was written.

Matthew visited several countries. These included Syria, Media and Persia. Many because at that time the lands were not yet so populated. The apostles traveled more often on foot or by sea; many transitions took a lot of time and effort, and were often simply life-threatening. Thus, a night in the desert cannot but be fraught with danger. Besides snakes, scorpions, coyotes and other creatures, the desert gets cold at night. The apostles did not take unnecessary things with them, so it is quite understandable what hardships they endured, walking many kilometers and preaching the angelic message about the salvation of people by our God...

The Apostle and Evangelist Matthew completed his labors in Ethiopia. The people who lived there were distinguished by very wild and rude morals and customs. With his preaching, Matthew converted some to faith. He established the Church and founded a temple in the city of Mirmeny. He appointed his companion named Plato as bishop. Matthew ascended a nearby mountain and began to cry out to God in fasting and prayer to convert those people to the faith. The Lord heard.

During prayer, the Lord Himself appeared to Matthew, He gave him a rod and told him to place it near the doors of the Temple. The Lord said that a tree would grow from the rod and fruit would come from it, and a source of water would flow from the root. Having washed and tasted the fruits, Ethiopians will change both internally and externally. They will become kind and humble.

Apostle Matthew and the angel

The Apostle Matthew did as the Lord commanded him. The rod became a tree and a lot of juicy and ripe fruits were poured on it. A stream of clean water flowed from the roots of the tree. People came, drank water, ate fruits from the tree, and after that were transformed. These miracles converted many pagans to the true path. The ruler of this city, Fulvian, also learned about such miracles.

But Fulvian, being a pagan, did not tolerate this. Although at first he was happy about the healing of his wife and son. At the instigation of the devil, he planned to destroy Matthew.

They grabbed the Apostle and laid him face down on the ground, covered him with brushwood and set him on fire. But they saw that the fire did not harm Matthew in any way. The people rejoiced and praised God. Fulvian, however, only became even more angry.

Then Fulvian, not wanting to notice the obvious and recognize the Power of God, ordered that the Apostle Matthew be brought and doused with pitch. He placed 12 golden idols around the fire, calling on them for help in order to destroy the Apostle. The flame turned against the idols, and they melted like wax. And burn Fulvian (May God rise again and His enemies be scattered, and may all those who hate Him flee from His face; As wax melts in the face of fire, so may demons perish from the face of those who love God and are marked by the sign of the cross...) Frightened, Fulvian asked the Apostle for help in conquering the flame. Through the prayer of the Apostle Matthew, the fire subsided and his body remained unharmed. Fulvian repented and wanted to pull the Apostle out of the fire, but the holy Apostle Matthew, having prayed, gave his soul into the hands of the Lord (the Apostle’s death was approximately 60 A.D.).

Martyrdom of Matthew

Fulvian did not abandon his doubts, although he repented. He placed the body of Saint Matthew in an iron coffin, which was filled with tin on all sides and thrown into the sea. Fulvian said that if God preserves Matthew's body from drowning, then He is the One and Great Almighty God and there are no other Gods besides Him. And He alone should be served and worshiped.

On the night of the same day, the Apostle Matthew appeared to Bishop Plato in a dream and indicated where his body could be found. Bishop Plato with all the believers and Fulvian, together with his retinue, went to the seashore and found the coffin with the relics of the Apostle Matthew. The coffin was transferred with all honors to the temple, which was built by the Apostle. Fulvian recognized the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior and Redeemer and one God in the Holy, Consubstantial, Life-Giving, and Undivided Trinity. He asked forgiveness from the Apostle Matthew. Bishop Plato baptized Fulvian with the name Matthew, giving him that name in obedience to the will of God. Fulvian - Matthew became a presbyter and renounced power. After the death of Bishop Plato, the Apostle Matthew appeared to him and ordered him to take the place of bishop. As a bishop, he preached the Word of God a lot, imitating and continuing the work of his Heavenly Patron.

Saint Matthew, the Apostle of Ethiopia, the former Roman publican Levi Matthew, is not only the patron saint of this name, but also the city of Salerno in Italy, where, according to legend, his relics were transferred in the 10th century, where they are kept to this day.

The Cathedral of Salerno is named after the Holy Apostle and Evangelist Matthew - the relics of the Apostle are kept in it. The cathedral was erected under Roberto il Guiscardo between 1076 and 1085.

He is also declared the patron saint of tax authorities in almost all countries of the world. Matthew is considered the patron saint of not only tax workers, but also everyone who is in one way or another connected with finance: customs officers, accountants and stock brokers.

In 2000, Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Alexy II blessed the initiative to consider the Holy Apostle Matthew as the heavenly patron of the Russian tax police. For our domestic tax officials, customs officers, accountants and stock brokers, this holiday is today, November 29. This is the first time in modern history that a saint has been “officially appointed” by the Church to guard a state structure. And the fact that the first to receive the heavenly patron were the tax police, in biblical terms, publicans, for a reason.

In 2000, Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Alexy II blessed the initiative to consider the Holy Apostle Matthew as the heavenly patron of the Russian tax police

Many people mistakenly believe that Matthew and Matthew are the same person. But it's worth clarifying. They should not be confused. Apostle Matthew was called by God as one of the first 12 Apostles. Matthias (lat.Matthias)(commemorated on August 9) was called last by lot, and took his place among the 12 Apostles, instead of the fallen Judas Iscariot. Previously, he was one of the 70 disciples of Jesus Christ. Matthew - Apostle and Evangelist, Matthias - Apostle. Translated from Aramaic, it is very easy to see the differences in their names: Matthew - Mattaya (translated as “gift of the Lord”), Matthias - Matthias.

Christ the Vine

This is what the life of the Apostle and Evangelist Matthew teaches us. “And I will make the last one first.”

Are you also ready to follow Christ, as the Apostle Matthew did? Tell God: “Yes”? Can you answer this question without overthinking?

And congratulate all Matveevs on Angel Day!

TROPARION AND KONDACION TO THE HOLY APOSTLE AND EVANGELIST MATTHEW

Troparion, tone 3

Diligently from mytnitsa to the Lord Christ who called, I appeared on earth as a man for goodness, following that, you appeared as the chosen apostle and the evangelist of the Gospel to the universe was loudly proclaimed. For this reason, we honor your honorable memory, Matthew the God-speaking, pray to the merciful God that he may grant remission of sins to our souls.

Kontakion, tone 4

You rejected the yoke of ordeal, you were attracted to the yoke of truth, and you appeared as a most excellent merchant, bringing wealth, and also wisdom from on high. From there you preached the word of Truth and you moved the souls of the sad by writing the hour of judgment.

PRAYER TO THE HOLY APOSTLE MATTHEW

Oh, glorious Apostle Matthew, who gave up his soul for Christ and fertilized His pasture with your blood! Hear your children's prayers and sighs, now offered by your brokenhearted hearts. Because we are darkened by lawlessness, and for this reason we are covered with troubles, like clouds, but with the oil of a good life we are greatly impoverished, and we are not able to resist the predatory wolf who is boldly trying to plunder the heritage of God.
O strong one! Bear our infirmities, do not separate from us in spirit, so that we will not be separated from the love of God, but protect us with your strong intercession, may the Lord have mercy on us all for your prayers, may He destroy the handwriting of our immeasurable sins, and may He be honored with all the Saints of the blessed The kingdom and marriage of His Lamb, to Him be honor and glory, and thanksgiving and worship, forever and ever. Amen.

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Levi Matthew/Apostle MATTHEW EVANGELIST

Apostle Matthew was born on February 27, 13 BC.

Matthew was a handsome man with dark brown hair, blue eyes, 1 meter 82 cm tall. He was nine years older than Jesus. He had a very good education, which he received from his family. His father was a priest, but Matthew hid his true origins from everyone, fearing persecution of his family and father. Matthew knew several languages, including one Indian. Loved to read. He visited Tibet and India, where he first heard about Jesus Christ. What he heard attracted him, and Matthew wanted to meet this amazing man personally. Therefore, when this long-awaited acquaintance finally took place, Jesus only had to make an invitation, and Matthew immediately dropped everything and followed the teacher.
Matthew had a wife and two boys. The future evangelist left his family at his own discretion, since he believed that the family would only interfere with his spiritual growth.

Caravaggio, "The Calling of the Apostle Matthew"

Jesus saw the tax collector Matthew sitting at the toll booth near the city of Capernaum and said to him, “Follow me!” And Matthew, who had great faith in Jesus, stood up and, leaving everything, followed him. He prepared a great meal in his house for Jesus and the other disciples. Also present at this feast were other tax collectors and rich people. The scribes and Pharisees grumbled and said to Jesus, “Why do you eat and drink with sinners and tax collectors?”
Jesus answered: “The healthy do not need a doctor; the sick need a doctor. I came to call not the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”
Six months after the resurrection of Jesus Christ, leaving the Christian community that he had organized and relinquishing all powers to the community council, Matthew, like all the other apostles, left Judea. He went to Rome with a caravan from India; his knowledge of the Indian language helped him communicate freely with the caravan leaders. Along the way, wherever they stopped, he talked about Jesus, his faith, martyrdom and miraculous resurrection.
After staying in Rome and its environs for about three years, Matthew went to Egypt, where he became acquainted with the Egyptian pyramids and the beliefs of the peoples who inhabited this country. The apostle lived in Egypt for more than six years, and here the idea came to him to write everything about Jesus Christ. Matthew had Philip's notes, which he kept during the life of Jesus Christ.
Therefore, all the sayings of Jesus were the most accurate. Numerous references were made much later by the Romans. The notes were in Greek because Philip did not want anyone else to read them. But Matthew knew the language.
Matthew wrote his Gospel for about a year, and eight years after the crucifixion of the Son of God, this book first saw the light in the year 37.
After writing the Gospel, Matthew, together with his disciple, a young man from Rome, went to Palestine. This guy was a refugee, he was persecuted for theft he committed. He confessed everything to Matthew, and he took patronage over him, took care of him and protected him in every possible way.
They spent two years in Persia preaching and healing, and four years in Media. Then Matthew moved to Africa, traveled a lot, learned a lot, met African shamans, visited many tribes, and was able to convert some to the faith of Christ.

Matthew died of malaria in Ethiopia at the age of sixty-three, on May 25, 50.
Matthew passed on his Gospel, which he never parted with, to a disciple who returned to Judea and handed over the records to one of the Christian communities.

Memorial Days

In the Orthodox church calendar: November 16/NOVEMBER 29 and June 30/July 13 (Council of the Twelve Apostles);
- in Catholic: September 21;
- Evangelical and Anglican: September 21.

He is considered the patron saint of the city of Salerno (Italy), where his remains are kept (in the Basilica of San Matteo); according to one version, they were transported to Italy in the 10th century.

Frescoes of the upper church of San Francesco in Assisi, vault painting, scene: St. Matthew, detail.

Considered a patron accountants, customs officers, all financial services.
Holy place - Russia, Magadan region, Ola village (administrative building of the local fish factory).
Patronizes the entire territory located beyond the Arctic Circle, Arkhangelsk region, Yakutia, Kamchatka, Chukotka, Magadan region, Alaska, Yukon province in Canada.
The prayers of the Apostle Matthew ask for good relationships in the family, for advice and love between husband and wife.

Prayers

Cathedral of the glorious and all-validated 12 apostles. Troparion
voice 4
The apostles of the first throne / and the universal teacher, / pray to the Lord of all / to grant greater peace to the universe / and great mercy to our souls.
Troparion of the Apostle and Evangelist Matthew
voice 3
Diligently from the tollhouse to the Lord Christ who called, / I will appear on earth as a man for goodness, / Having followed that, you have appeared as the chosen apostle / and the evangelist of the Gospel to the universe is loudly spoken. / For this reason, we honor your honorable memory, Matthew the God-speaking, / pray to the Merciful God, / / yes forgiveness of sins will give to our souls.
Kontakion to the Apostles
voice 2
The Stone of Christ, the Stone of Faith, glorifies brightly,/ the disciples in abundance,/ and with Paul the whole council of twelve in number today,/ whose memory is faithful,// we glorify these Glorified Ones.
Kontakion of the glorious and all-praised 12 apostles
voice 2
Let us praise Peter, the faithful, the stone of faith/ and Paul the God-wise,/ for they call everyone together to celebrate in faith,/ all twelve together, as preachers of the faith,/ asking for remission of sins.
Kontakion of the Apostle and Evangelist Matthew
voice 4
You rejected the yoke of ordeal, / you were attracted to the yoke of truth, / and you appeared as a most distinguished merchant, / you brought wealth from the heights of wisdom. / From there you preached the word of truth, / and you raised up sad souls, / by writing the hour of judgment.

Prayer to the Holy Apostle and Evangelist Matthew

The holy apostle and evangelist Matthew was often depicted in icons and works of art. Three paintings from the life of the Apostle by Caravaggio belong to the outstanding masterpieces of painting.

Ap. Matthew. Icon. Serbia. The end of the XIII - the beginning of the XIV century. 105 x 56.5. Ohrid. Macedonia.

Deesis with Sts. Evangelists (fragment). Miniature. Byzantium. XII century Monastery of St. Catherine in Sinai.

). He was a publican, that is, a tax collector for Rome, for the Jews were under the rule of the Roman Empire. He lived in the Galilean city of Capernaum. Matthew, hearing the voice of Jesus Christ: “Follow Me” (), left his position and followed the Savior. Christ and His disciples did not reject Matthew’s invitation and visited his house, where they shared a meal with the publican’s friends and acquaintances - publicans and sinners, just like the owner. This event greatly amazed the Pharisees and scribes. Publicans, collecting taxes from their fellow tribesmen, did this with great benefit for themselves. People were selfish and cruel; they were considered by the Jews to be traitors and traitors to their homeland and religion. The word “publican” sounded to the Jews the same way as the words “sinner” and “idolater.” Talking to a tax collector was considered a sin, communicating with him was considered desecration. But the Jewish teachers could not understand that the Lord “came to call not the righteous, but sinners to repentance” ().

Matthew, realizing his sins, compensated those whom he had previously robbed fourfold, distributed the rest of his property to the poor, and, together with the other apostles, followed Christ. Saint Matthew listened to the instructions of the Divine Teacher, saw His countless miracles, went with the 12 apostles preaching to the “lost sheep of the house of Israel” (), witnessed the suffering, death and Resurrection of the Savior and His glorious Ascension into heaven.

Having received the gracious gifts of the Holy Spirit who descended on the apostles on the day of Pentecost, the Apostle Matthew first preached for 8 years in Palestine. Before leaving to preach in distant countries, at the request of the Jews who remained in Jerusalem, the holy Apostle Matthew captured in the Gospel the earthly life of the Savior of the world - the God-man Jesus Christ and His Teaching.

Among the books of the New Testament, the Gospel of Matthew comes first. The place where the Gospel was written is called Palestine. The Gospel was written by Saint Matthew in the year 42 (after the Nativity of Christ) in contemporary Hebrew and translated into Greek. The Hebrew text has not reached us, but many linguistic and cultural-historical features of the Greek translation of the text remind us of it.

The Apostle Matthew preached among a people who had very definite religious ideas about the Messiah. His Gospel is clear proof that Jesus Christ is the true Messiah, prophesied by the prophets, and there will be no other (). The evangelist sets out the speeches and deeds of the Savior in three sections corresponding to the three sides of the service of the Messiah: as Prophet and Lawgiver (), King over the visible and invisible world () and High Priest, offering Sacrifice for the sins of all people (). The theological content of the Gospel, in addition to the Christological theme, also includes the teaching about the Kingdom of God and the Church, which the Lord sets out in parables about internal readiness to enter the Kingdom (), about the dignity of the servants of the Kingdom in the world (), about the signs of the Kingdom and its growth in souls human (), about the humility and simplicity of the heirs of the Kingdom (; 1; ; ;), about the eschatological revelation of the Kingdom at the Second Coming of Christ and in the everyday spiritual life of the Church (). The Kingdom of Heaven and the Church are closely linked in the spiritual experience of Christianity: the Church is the historical embodiment of the Kingdom of Heaven in the world, and the Kingdom of Heaven is the Church of Christ in its eschatological perfection (;)

The Holy Apostle Matthew traveled with the gospel to Syria, Lydia, Persia, and Parthia, ending his preaching labors with his martyrdom in Ethiopia. This country was inhabited by cannibal tribes with rude customs and beliefs. The Holy Apostle Matthew, with his preaching here, converted several idolaters to faith in Christ, founded the Church and built a temple in the city of Mirmena and installed his companion named Plato as bishop.

When the holy apostle earnestly asked God for the conversion of the Ethiopians, during prayer the Lord Himself appeared to him in the form of a young man and, giving him a staff, ordered him to place it at the door of the temple. The Lord said that a tree would grow from this rod and bear fruit, and a source of water would flow from its root. Having washed in the water and tasted the fruits, the Ethiopians will change their wild disposition and become kind and meek. When the holy apostle was carrying the staff to the temple, he met on the way the wife and son of the ruler of this country Fulviana possessed by an unclean spirit. The Holy Apostle healed them in the Name of Jesus Christ. This miracle converted many more pagans to the Lord. But the ruler did not want his subjects to become Christians and stop worshiping pagan gods. He accused the apostle of witchcraft and ordered his execution. They laid Saint Matthew face down, covered him with brushwood and set him on fire. When the fire flared up, everyone saw that the fire did not harm Saint Matthew. Then Fulvian ordered to add brushwood to the fire, dousing it with resin, and place 12 idols around the fire. But the flame melted the idols and scorched Fulvian. The frightened Ethiopian turned to the saint with a prayer for mercy, and, through the prayer of the martyr, the flames subsided. The body of the holy apostle remained unharmed, and he departed to the Lord († 60).

Ruler Fulvian bitterly repented of his deeds, but still did not leave his doubts. By his order, the body of Saint Matthew was placed in an iron coffin and thrown into the sea. At the same time, Fulvian said that if the God of Matthew preserves the body of the apostle in water, as he preserved it in fire, then this One, True God should be worshiped.

That same night, the Apostle Matthew appeared to Bishop Plato in a dream vision and commanded him to go with the clergy to the seashore and find his body there. Together with the bishop, Governor Fulvian and his retinue came to the seashore. The coffin carried out by the wave was honorably transferred to the temple built by the apostle. Then Fulvian asked the holy Apostle Matthew for forgiveness, after which Bishop Plato baptized him with the name Matthew, which he gave him, obeying the command of God. Soon Saint Fulvian-Matthew renounced power and became a presbyter. After the death of Bishop Plato, the Apostle Matthew appeared to him and exhorted him to lead the Ethiopian Church. Having accepted the bishopric, Saint Matthew-Fulvian worked hard in preaching the Word of God, continuing the work of his heavenly patron.