The Christian religion is a great field for study. According to the Bible, Jesus Christ had twelve disciples, followers, and apostles. Each of them, before meeting the Savior, lived his own life, performed duties, and played a certain role in society. The life stories of the apostles are extremely interesting. In this article we will talk about the life of the Apostle Matthew. The Akathist to the Apostle Matthew is read in all churches on Memorial Day - November 16.
During the Roman Empire, people often had two names. So, the Apostle Matthew had another name - Levi. Matthew Levi was the son of Alphaeus and the brother of James - another of Jesus Christ. Matthew lived in his own house in the city of Capernaum, which was located on the coast of Judea, like other residents of the territories conquered by the Roman Empire, were obliged to pay taxes to the treasury of the empire. Tax collectors collected taxes. It is not surprising that people did not like those who held such a position, because very often publicans oppressed the people, abusing their job responsibilities, showed cruelty and unmercifulness. One of the tax collectors was Matthew Levi. Thanks to his position, he made a decent fortune. But Matthew, although he was a publican, still did not lose his human appearance.
Matthew more than once heard the sermons of Christ, who settled in the same Capernaum, and saw the miracles he performed. The calling of the Apostle Matthew as a disciple occurred because the Lord saw how Matthew related to him, his teaching, and saw his readiness to believe and follow him. Jesus, accompanied by people, one day left the city and went to the sea. Just to the place where Matthew was collecting taxes from passing ships. Approaching the future apostle, the Lord told him to follow him. The Apostle Matthew, who strived for Christ with his heart and soul, did not hesitate to follow the Teacher. Matthew Levi, not believing himself that Jesus, a sinner, had chosen him, prepared a treat in his house. Everyone was invited to the celebration. Among the people present at the apostle’s house were tax collectors, as well as all his friends and relatives. Jesus sat down at the same table with publicans and sinners in order to give them a chance to repent and be saved with his word. The Apostle Matthew himself confirmed by his example divine purpose The teacher who said that he came to save sinners, but not the righteous. The future apostle left all his property and followed the Lord. Soon Matthew was added to the number of the twelve apostles.
Matthew was a faithful disciple. Together with the rest of the apostles, he saw all the miracles performed by Jesus, listened to all his sermons, and accompanied him everywhere. Matthew himself went to people, trying to convey to them the teachings of Christ, and thereby giving them the opportunity to be saved.
The apostles, including Matthew, his brother Jacob Alpheus, as well as the Apostle Andrew, with a shudder of heart saw the arrest of the Teacher, His torment, death, and then the ascension. After the Lord ascended into heaven, the apostle, together with the rest of his disciples, preached the teachings of Christ - the Gospel - to the people of Galilee and Jerusalem. When the time came for the apostles to disperse throughout the world and convey the teachings of Christ to all nations, the Jews, the rest of the disciples and the Apostle Andrew, the very first of the called disciples of Jesus, expressed to Matthew their desire to in writing carry the teaching further. Matthew Levi, following the general desire, wrote his Gospel - the Gospel of Matthew.
This was the very first Gospel of the New Testament. This book was aimed primarily at conveying the teaching to the inhabitants of Palestine, and was written in Hebrew.
After the apostle left Jerusalem, he visited Syria, Persia, Parthia, Media, Ethiopia or India preaching the Gospel. Here he tried to convert a wild people of cannibals (anthropophagi) with animal customs and morals. (The Akathist to the Apostle Matthew is read on the day of his death in Ethiopia, November 16.) In a city called Mirmenah, at the very beginning of his stay in Ethiopia, the holy Apostle Matthew converted several people to the Christian faith, appointed a bishop and built a small temple. He prayed all the time for the whole tribe to convert. And then one day Matthew was on high mountain in fasting and prayer. God appeared to him in the form of a young man and handed the apostle a rod, telling Matthew to stick the rod more firmly at the temple. A tree with juicy and tasty fruits should have grown from the staff, and a source with clear water. Everyone who tasted the fruit was supposed to become meek and kind, and after drinking from the source, gain faith. The Apostle Matthew began to descend from the mountain with a rod, but the demon-possessed wife and son of the owner of the city, Fulvian, began to hinder the apostle, shouting that the apostle wanted to destroy them. Matthew cast out demons in the name of Christ. Both Fulvian's wife and son followed the apostle, becoming humble.
In the city, near the temple, the apostle firmly stuck the rod, and a miracle happened before everyone’s eyes.
As the Lord told Matthew, it grew huge tree, unprecedented fruits appeared on the tree, and a stream began to flow from the foot of the tree. People gathered from all over the city to see this miracle, taste the fruits and drink water from the stream. The apostle stood on the dais and began to preach a sermon. Everyone who was nearby believed and was baptized in water from the spring. Fulvian's wife and son were also baptized. Fulvian, who at first treated him with respect and surprise, became very angry when he realized that the new faith was ridding the people of idols. And the owner of the city decided to kill the Apostle Matthew.
At night, Jesus himself appeared to the apostle and encouraged him, saying that he would not leave him in the torment that Matthew would have to go through. When Fulvian sent his soldiers to the temple to bring Matthew, they were surrounded by darkness, so much so that they could barely find their way back. Fulvian became even more angry and sent many more soldiers after the apostle. But even those soldiers could not grab Matthew, since the heavenly light that illuminated the apostle was so bright that the soldiers threw down their weapons and fled in horror. Then Fulvian himself and his escort came to the temple. But he suddenly became blind and began to ask Matthew to have mercy and forgive his sins. The apostle baptized the evil ruler. He gained the ability to see, but decided that this was only Matthew’s sorcery, and not the power of the Lord. Fulvian decided to burn the apostle.
Matthew was grabbed and nailed to the ground by his hands and feet with large nails. By order of the cruel Fulvian, branches, brushwood, sulfur, and resin were placed on top, believing that the apostle would burn.
Instead, the flame died out, and the holy Apostle Matthew, alive and unharmed, glorified the name of the Lord. Those present were horrified and also praised God. All except Fulvian. By his order, they brought even more branches and brushwood, placed it on top of the apostle, and poured resin on it. Fulvian placed twelve golden idols around the supposed fire, which he worshiped. He wanted to burn Matthew with their help. But Matthew, under the blazing flames, fervently prayed that the Lord would show his power and ridicule those who still trusted in idols. The flame turned towards the idols and melted them, scorching those standing nearby. Then he escaped from the flame and headed towards Fulvian, who wanted to run away in fear. Seeing the futility of trying to avoid the serpent, Fulvian prayed to Matthew, asking him to save him from death. The apostle extinguished the flame. The ruler wanted to receive Saint Matthew with honor, but the apostle offered a prayer to the Lord for the last time and died.
Fulvian ordered the unharmed body of the apostle to be dressed in expensive clothes and brought into the palace, but doubts about faith forced him to order to forge an iron ark for the remains and, having sealed it, lower it into the sea. The ruler decided that if God, who saved the apostle from the fire, did not allow the body to drown, then he would believe and renounce idols. At night, the bishop saw Matthew, who gave instructions on where to find his relics brought ashore by the sea. Fulvian also went to see this miracle, and, finally convinced of the power of the Lord, was baptized with the name Matthew. Thus, the calling of the Apostle Matthew by the Lord to become a disciple converted an entire people to the faith.
The exploits of the apostles are invaluable for the development of Christianity. Thus, with his life, the Apostle Matthew set an example for those around him. An icon with his image will remind every Christian of perseverance and feat in the name of the Lord. The life of the Apostle Matthew is instructive story for all.
After the Ascension of Christ and the Descent of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost, the Apostle Matthew preached in Palestine for 8 years. In Palestine, Matthew wrote the Gospel addressed to its inhabitants in Aramaic (ancient Hebrew) and handed it over to the Apostle James, the brother of the Lord. The Gospel was translated from Hebrew into Greek either by the Apostle James or the Apostle John the Theologian. In the 2nd century, Panten found the Gospel of Matthew, written in Hebrew, among Christians in India. According to the testimony of the holy fathers, the original was kept in the Caesarea library, built in the 3rd century by the martyr Pamphilus. 
The original text of the Gospel, written in Hebrew, has not survived. In the canon of the New Testament, as its first book - Gospel of Matthew, included a Greek translation from the original. The Gospel of Matthew preaches mainly that Jesus Christ is the Messiah promised by God, foretold in Old Testament prophets and sent from God, from the line of David and Abraham. 
The evangelist Matthew, the author of the first Gospel, has been widely revered since ancient times. He had his own special iconography, where he was depicted creating the Gospel. This image can be found in monumental wall paintings, in icons, and in book miniatures. When rewriting New Testament texts, the Gospels were preceded by a sheet with an image of its author. And the first such miniature in the book was always the image of the Evangelist Matthew. It is his Gospel that begins the New Testament texts, since it is considered the oldest. In the miniatures, the apostle and evangelist Matthew are depicted sitting at a table with the necessary writing instruments. 
Already from Byzantine times, images sought to diversify, representing the process of writing a book. For example, in one miniature Matthew unrolls a scroll, checking the text. This scheme became especially popular around 1300, and in Rus' they also tried to imitate it. In the era of Andrei Rublev (late 14th - early 15th centuries), on the contrary, uniformity in the depiction of the evangelists began to be valued more. This is exactly how the illustrations in the famous Khitrovo Gospel were made, which are usually attributed to Andrei Rublev himself. 
In this codex, as in a number of others, each miniature with an evangelist is supplemented by another sheet depicting his symbol. In Matthew these are images of an angel. 
The tradition of depicting the symbols of the evangelists - an angel (Matthew), a lion (Mark), an ox (Luke) and an eagle (John) - is based on the Old Testament text of the vision of the prophet Ezekiel. God appeared to the prophet in a chariot carried by four cherubim, who were like a man, a lion, a bull and an eagle. The New Testament tradition associated these images with the four Gospels, and they came to symbolize their authors. 
Sometimes the symbols of the evangelists, without their personalized images, can be found on a wide variety of icons, such as, for example, “The Savior is in Power,” where they are certainly depicted surrounded by Christ in the corners of the composition. The Apostle Matthew helps when he is asked to strengthen faith and protect against temptation.
Before being called an apostle to serve the Lord, Matthew was a tax collector.
Therefore, it is believed that he became the patron saint of those related to finance. Also, the Apostle Matthew can help in restoring justice in cases where you have been treated unfairly by inspection authorities.
It must be remembered that icons or saints do not “specialize” in any specific areas. It will be right when a person turns with faith in the power of God, and not in the power of this icon, this saint or prayer.
And .
Apostle Matthew (called Levi) is a relative of the Apostle James Alpheus and, until the time he himself became an apostle, he was a wealthy man. In Galilee he served as a tax collector (he was a tax collector).
When Jesus Christ preached the faith in Capernaum, He, accompanied by people, went to the sea, where he saw the publican Levi, to whom he simply said:
" Come after me!"
The publican had already heard about the new Man who explained to people about God. Therefore, when he heard such a call, he dropped everything and, without hesitation, followed Jesus Christ. Matthew accepted the teaching of the Lord with all his heart, believed in it with all sincerity, he was very glad that the publican, despised by people, was awarded such a high honor.
On this occasion, Matthew held a feast in his house and invited the Lord to his place. From the Gospel it is known that people were invited to this holiday a large number of of people. Together, at one table, were Jesus Christ with His disciples and Matthew's friends, tax collectors and sinners.
Some Pharisees and scribes were also invited, who wanted to “pinch” and humiliate the Lord, pointing out that he was reclining next to those people whom no one respected—the tax collectors.
“How is it that He eats and drinks with publicans and sinners?”
- the scribes asked the disciples of Jesus.
Hearing such a question, the Lord answered them:
It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."
After his calling, Matthew left his prosperous life and turned into a faithful disciple of Christ, no longer separated from His Teacher.
After his union with the other apostles, the future evangelist Matthew was always with the Lord. He went with Him to Galilee and Judea, listened to sermons and learned faith in God, he saw many miracles performed by Jesus Christ. He was among those apostles who saw with their own eyes how their beloved Teacher, His death on the cross, Resurrection and Ascension into Heaven.
After the Holy Spirit descended on the apostles on Pentecost, one of them, the evangelist Matthew, preached the faith in Jerusalem and nearby villages. Eight years after the glorious Resurrection of Jesus Christ, at the request of Christians and other apostles, it was Matthew who wrote the first Gospel, from which people could learn about the earthly life and teaching of the Savior.
The Apostle Matthew carried the good news in many countries: in Macedonia, Syria, Persia, Parthia and Media, and was in Ethiopia.
According to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the apostle found himself in the territory of a cruel black people, in the city of Mirmena. Here he built a church in which his companion Plato became bishop and converted several people to the faith.
One day, when Matthew and the parishioners were praying to God, unexpectedly for everyone, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself appeared to those praying and gave the apostle a rod so that he would hoist it near the doors of the temple.
Wanting to fulfill the will of God, Matthew began to install the rod. And then, suddenly, in full view of everyone present, the iron club turned into a tree, on which branches, leaves and huge juicy fruits immediately appeared. The residents of this city immediately found out about such a miracle, began to come to the tree, try the delicious fruits and drink clean water from the well next to the church. Besides this, everyone was surprised when Apostle Matthew began to preach the Gospel to them in a language familiar to them. After such miracles, many immediately believed in Jesus Christ, and after the baptism of the Apostle Matthew, they turned into Christians.
The local ruler Fulvian, when he learned about the changes that had taken place, became very angry and ordered four guards to seize and deliver to him the troublemaker. When the soldiers approached the church, everything suddenly plunged into darkness, it became so dark that nothing could be seen. The next day, the ruler sent another detachment, but this time the soldiers were blinded by an unusually bright light and again the king’s order was not carried out.
But still, Fulfian managed to deceive Matthew to his palace, where he accused the apostle of witchcraft and sentenced him to be burned in the fire. The fire was lit, but when they began to carry out the sentence, it went out without harming Matthew at all. The executioners again lit a fire and began to pour flammable resin onto it, which ignited, then unexpectedly spilled and sprayed its fire onto the tormentors. At the same time, there was a threat of fire. After Fulfian began to ask the saint, whom the Lord preserved this time too, to spare him, the fire immediately went out.
After seeing the miracles, Fulfian set out to free apostle from torment, but by the will of God the saint, having prayed, died.
Deciding to give special honors to Matthew, the Apostle’s body was dressed in expensive clothes, placed on a golden bed and solemnly brought into the palace.
The prince had not yet become an unconditional zealot of the Christian faith and, apparently, therefore, decided to arrange another test. He ordered Matthew's body to be placed in a metal ark, which was hermetically sealed with tin and thrown into the sea.
Fulfian told all the courtiers that this final test was to show the true strength of the Lord. That same night, when the iron ark with the relics was thrown into the water, the holy apostle appeared to Bishop Plato and revealed to him the place where the ark was discovered the next morning.
Now the prince completely believed in Christ and in His faith, confessed Him as the One true God, who performed such miracles through His holy apostle - he did not allow him to burn in fire and drown in water. After the ark was delivered to the palace, the ruler fell before the holy relics of Matthew, began to ask him for forgiveness, repented of his sins and wanted to be baptized.
Seeing Fulvian's sincerity, Bishop Plato explained to him the truths of the holy faith, after which, having announced, he baptized the ruler. While laying hands on the head of the newly baptized, a voice was heard from above that commanded:
“Call him not Fulvian, but Matthew.”
So, after baptism, the ruler took the name of the holy Apostle Matthew. In his Christian life, the prince wanted to be like a saint: he also renounced worldly goods, transferred his power and wealth to other hands, he himself became an ardent prayer book for people and for these merits he was even elevated to presbyter. Three years later, Bishop Plato died. In a vision of Presbyter Matthew, the Holy Apostle Matthew appeared and persuaded him to become a bishop after Blessed Plato.
Having become a bishop, Matthew put a lot of effort into the work of the annunciation; many people, thanks to his sermons, moved away from idolatry and converted to the Christian faith.
We magnify you, Apostle of Christ Matthew, and honor your illnesses and labors, in the image of which you worked in the piety of Christ.
Levi Matthew/Apostle MATTHEW EVANGELIST
Apostle Matthew was born on February 27, 13 BC.Matthew was beautiful man with dark brown hair, blue eyes, 1 meter 82 cm tall, he was nine years older than Jesus. Had a very a good education, which he received in 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 get to know it personally amazing person. 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.
Having stayed in Rome and its environs for about three years, Matthew went to Egypt, where he met 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 entries were on Greek, since 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 local fish factory).
Patronizes the entire territory located beyond the Arctic Circle, Arkhangelsk region, Yakutia, Kamchatka, Chukotka, Magadan region, Alaska, Yukon province in Canada.
In the prayers of the Apostle Matthew they ask good relations in the family, about advice and love between husband and wife.
Prayers
Cathedral of the glorious and all-validated 12 apostles. TroparionPrayer to the Holy 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 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
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. End XIII - beginning of the XIV V. 105 x 56.5. Ohrid. Macedonia. 
Deesis with Sts. Evangelists (fragment). Miniature. Byzantium. XII century Monastery of St. Catherine in Sinai.
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.
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:
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.
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 peoples, 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 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.
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. He himself 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. The 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.
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 followed around 60 A.D.
Then Fulvian ordered to bring a golden bed and lay on it the honest body of the Apostle, undamaged by fire, and, dressing him in precious clothes, picked him up along with his nobles and carried 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.
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.
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).
Saint Matthew and the Angel (Guido Reni. 1635-1640)
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. Apostle Matthias(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 temple Life-Giving Trinity on Vorobyovy Gory
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.
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 despite the good life we are so poor, and we are not able to resist the predatory wolf who will plunder us from here on out. The things of God strive boldly. Oh, strong one! Bear our infirmities, 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.
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.
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.
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 all of us for your prayers for the sake of, 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
Levi Matthew/Apostle MATTHEW EVANGELIST
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, as 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 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.
– in the Orthodox church calendar: November 16/NOVEMBER 29 and June 30/July 13 (Council of the Twelve Apostles);
Frescoes of the upper church of San Francesco in Assisi, vault painting, scene: St. Matthew, detail.
Considered the patron saint of accountants, customs officers, and 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.
Cathedral of the glorious and all-validated 12 apostles. Troparion
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
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.
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
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
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
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.
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.
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