Feast Day -
September 21
Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist,
also called Levi, was sitting at his tax-collector's desk in Caphernaum when he was called
by Christ. He followed Him at once, and also gave a feast for Him and the other disciples.
After the resurrection of Christ, while Matthew was still in Judea before going to the
district which it had fallen to his lot to evangelize, he wrote the Gospel of Jesus Christ
in Hebrew for the sake of the Jews who had become believers. Then he went to Ethiopia and
preached the Gospel, confirming his teaching with many miracles.
By one of his greatest miracles, that
of bringing back to life the king's daughter, he converted the king and his wife together
with the whole country to the faith of Christ. When the king died, his successor Hirtacus
wished to marry Iphigenia, the daughter of the former king; but she had vowed her
virginity to God, and she persevered in her holy determination. Since the vow had been
taken through Matthew's influence, Hirtacus had Matthew killed at the altar while
celebrating Mass. It was on the 21st of September that Matthew's apostolic work was
crowned with the glory of martyrdom. His body was taken to Salerno, and later, under Pope
Gregory VII, it was transferred to the church dedicated to St. Matthew. There it is
honored devoutly by a great number of persons.
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