Saint Matthew the Evangelist

The Apostle and Evangelist Matthew, before becoming a disciple of the Jesus Christ, was called Levis. His father’s name was Alphaeus and he was from Galilee.

Matthew worked as a tax collector, and Jesus found him sitting at the tax office outside Capernaum. And he said to him: “Follow me.” Matthew, without any delay, immediately followed him. And not only did he leave the sinful, for that time, profession.

When the Lord saw him sitting in Capernaum, knowing his good disposition, he said to him: “Follow me. And he rose and followed him” (Matthew 9, 9). Matthew, without a second thought, left his job and has been by His side ever since.

After that Matthew prepared a meal at his house for the Lord Jesus Christ. Thus the opportunity was given to the Lord to express certain truths about His coming to earth.

After receiving the grace of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, the Holy Apostle Matthew wrote the first Gospel, in the Aramaic language. A little later it was translated into the Greek language: the Greek text has reached us, while the Aramaic has been lost. It is said of this Evangelist that he never put meat in his mouth, but ate only vegetables and fruits.

He preached about Christ to the Jews, the Parthians, the Medes and the Ethiopians. In Ethiopia he appointed a follower of Plato as Bishop and then retired to the isolation of quietness, praying on the mountain, where the Lord appeared to him.

Matthew baptized the wife and son of the prince of Ethiopia, which angered the prince, who sent soldiers to bring Matthew captive to stand trial. But the soldiers returned idly and told the lord that they had heard Matthew’s voice, but they could not see him with their own eyes! Then the prince sent a second echelon of his guard. When the soldiers approached the apostle, his face shone with a supernatural light, so strong in fact that they could not face him. Cowardly threw down their weapons and allowed to their base.

The prince now decided to go to find him himself. But when they met Matthew was so radiant that the prince was instantly blinded! But the Apostle had a merciful heart: he prayed to God and the prince found his light again. Unfortunately, he only saw with his physical eyes and not with his spiritual eyes, because he immediately arrested Matthew and subjected him to brutal torture. Twice a great fire was kindled upon his breast, but the power of God preserved him safe and sound.

Then the apostle prayed fervently and gave up his spirit. The prince ordered the martyr’s body to be placed in an iron box and thrown into the sea, so that it would perish. But the saint appeared to Bishop Plato and told him where he could locate the casket with the body. The Bishop retrieved it from the sea and actually saw the body of Matthew inside.

After this new miracle the prince was shocked, was baptized and received the name Matthew. Then he abandoned all the vanities of the world, became an elder and ministered to the Church most divinely!

When the Bishop rested, Saint Matthew the Apostle appeared to the elder Matthew and advised him to accept to take over the bishopric. Indeed, this was done. The new Bishop Matthew shepherded the Church faithfully for many years, until God called him to His eternal kingdom.

Saint Matthew the Evangelist celebrates on November 16.