Saint Matthias, chosen by the apostles as a replacement for Judas Iscariot, played a crucial role in ensuring the endurance and spread of the Christian faith. With the number of apostles needing to remain at 12, Matthias was selected through a casting of lots. While there is limited information about him in the New Testament, it is believed that Matthias was a devoted follower of Jesus Christ, embracing his teachings and sacrificing his life for the service of the Lord. He performed miracles in the name of Jesus, converting many to the Christian faith, and is now revered as a patron of carpenters, tailors, and those affected by smallpox.
Quick Facts
- Also Known As: Matthias
- Died At Age: 79
- Born Country: Israel
- Spiritual & Religious Leaders
- Israeli Men
- Died on: 80
- Place of death: Jerusalem, Israel
- City: Jerusalem, Israel
Childhood & Early Life
Saint Matthias was born in the 1st century AD, in Judaea. In his early youth, he studied the Law of God under Saint Simeon. According to the acts, it is said that Matthias had accompanied the Lord from the time of his baptism and was among the 72 disciples paired off and dispatched by Jesus.
Ministry
According to tradition, it is believed that, after the Descent of the Holy Spirit, Matthias ministered and preached the Gospel at Jerusalem and in Judaea with the other apostles. He traveled to the Syrian Antioch and was present in the city of Tianum and Sinope. Saint Matthias was imprisoned but was freed miraculously by Saint Andrew the First-Called. He then traveled to the city of Amasea and accompanied Apostle Andrew during a three-year journey. He preached at Pontine Ethiopia and Macedonia, constantly facing persecution but continuing to preach the Gospel. In one version of the story, he was forced to drink poison by the Pontine Ethiopians but remained unharmed. He even healed other prisoners who were blinded by the poison. Saint Matthias returned to Judaea and continued enlightening his countrymen about Christ’s teachings, performing miracles in the name of Lord Jesus and motivating many to have faith in Christ.
Death & Legacy
According to Nicephorus, Saint Matthias was stoned to death in Aethopia (modern-day Georgia). An extant Coptic “Acts of Andrew and Matthias” validates this story. A marker that is placed on the ruins of the Roman fortress at Gonia claims that the saint is buried at that site. The Synopsis of Dorotheus also talks about a similar story, claiming that Matthias died at Sebastopolis and was buried near the Temple of the Sun. In another tradition, Saint Matthias was stoned by the people of Jerusalem after he enraged Ananias. After his death, he was beheaded by the Jews to conceal their crime. According to Hippolytus of Rome, the saint died of old age in Jerusalem. Empress Helena, the mother of Emperor Constantine I, brought the saint’s remains to Italy. A part of these relics was placed in the Abbey of Santa Giustina and the remaining in the Abbey of St. Matthias. The Latin Church celebrates the feast of Saint Matthias on 14th May, and the Greek Church celebrates it on 9th August.