Saint Matthias | Apostle & Bible (2024)

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Saint Matthias | Apostle & Bible (1)

St. Matthias

Flourished:
1st century ce,, Judaea
Flourished:
c.1 - c.100

St. Matthias (flourished 1st century ce, Judaea—died, traditionally Colchis, Armenia; Western feast day February 24, Eastern feast day August 9) was, in the New Testament, among the 12 Apostles, the disciple who, according to Acts of the Apostles 1:21–26, was chosen to replace Judas Iscariot after Judas betrayed Jesus.

Jesus’ choice of 12 Apostles points to a consciousness of a symbolic mission—originally there were 12 tribes of Israel—that the community maintained after the Crucifixion. Acts reveals that Matthias accompanied Jesus and the Apostles from the time of the baptism of Jesus to the Ascension and that, when it became time to replace Judas, the Apostles cast lots between Matthias and another candidate, St. Joseph Barsabbas. St. Jerome and the early Christian writers St. Clement of Alexandria and Eusebius of Caesarea attest that Matthias was among the 72 disciples paired off and dispatched by Jesus. Soon after his election, Matthias received the Holy Spirit with the other Apostles (Acts 2:1–4). He is not mentioned again in the New Testament.

It is generally believed that Matthias ministered in Judaea and then carried out missions to foreign places. Greek tradition states that he Christianized Cappadocia, a mountainous district now in central Turkey, and later journeyed to the region about the Caspian Sea, where he was martyred by crucifixion and, according to other legends, chopped apart. His symbol, related to his alleged martyrdom, is either a cross or a halberd. St. Helena, mother of the Roman emperor Constantine the Great, reputedly transported Matthias’s relics from Jerusalem to Rome.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Encyclopaedia Britannica.

Saint Matthias | Apostle & Bible (2024)

FAQs

What is the significance of Matthias in the Bible? ›

Matthias (flourished 1st century ce, Judaea—died, traditionally Colchis, Armenia; Western feast day February 24, Eastern feast day August 9) was, in the New Testament, among the 12 Apostles, the disciple who, according to Acts of the Apostles 1:21–26, was chosen to replace Judas Iscariot after Judas betrayed Jesus.

What is Saint Matthias known for? ›

Saint Matthias was chosen from among Jesus' disciples to replace Judas as the twelfth apostle. After receiving the Holy Spirit with the other apostles on the day of Pentecost, he left to preach the gospel in Judea and Colchis, where he was crucified.

What are the lessons of St Mathias? ›

The election of Saint Mathias whose feast we celebrate today teaches us a very important lesson: no matter how good we think we are, there would always be someone who can take our place and even do the job better. Avoid pride. Another lesson we learn from this election is to always consult God in prayer.

What does the name Mathias mean in the Bible? ›

Mathias is a boy's given name of Hebrew origin. It means "gift of God" or "gift of Yah" and is of particular significance to communities of the Christian and Jewish faiths. Derivatives of Mathias include Mattias and Matthew, both of which also symbolize a divine gift.

What are some facts about Matthias in the Bible? ›

Saint Matthias was one of the seventy disciples of Jesus, with Him from His baptism to His Ascension. The name Matthias is Greek, derived from Mattathias. Matthias became the last of the twelve apostles, chosen to replace the original twelfth, Judas Iscariot.

Who was Jesus favorite saint? ›

On December 27, we celebrate the Feast of Saint John, Apostle and Evangelist – the “disciple Jesus loved” (John 13:23).

What is the meaning of Saint Matthias? ›

Matthias, ApostleFeast day: May 14. Matthias, whose name means “gift of God”, was the disciple chosen to replace Judas as one of the twelve Apostles. The Acts of the Apostles state that he was also one of the 72 disciples that the Lord Jesus sent out to preach the good news.

Is there a Gospel of Matthias? ›

The Gospel of Matthias is a lost text from the New Testament apocrypha, ascribed to Matthias, the apostle chosen by lots to replace Judas Iscariot (Acts 1:15–26).

What is the symbol of the apostle Matthias? ›

St. Matthias was stoned to death and beheaded. The symbol for the Apostle Matthias is an opened bible and a battle axe.

What led to the selection of Mathias as one of the Apostles? ›

Matthias was chosen to be one of the Apostles after Judas of Iscariot had betrayed Jesus and died (Acts 1:26 NIV). The Bible shares in the book of Acts, that the betrayal and arrest of Jesus were foretold long ago by the Holy Spirit. There were 12 men chosen to be disciples of Jesus Christ.

Where was St Matthias martyred? ›

He died at Sebastopolis, and was buried there, near the Temple of the Sun). Still another tradition maintains that Matthias was stoned at Jerusalem by the Jews, and then beheaded (cf. Tillemont, "Mémoires pour servir à l'histoire eccl. des six premiers siècles", I, 406-7).

What is the difference between Mathias and Matthias? ›

Matías is very popular in Latin America especially in Argentina. In German-speaking Europe it is most often written as Matthias. It appears in this form in Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland. Alternate spellings are: Mathias, Mattias, Mattis, Mats and Matti.

What does Matthias translate to in English? ›

In English Baby Names the meaning of the name Matthias is: Gift of God.

Is Matthias a real name? ›

German: from the personal name Matthias (see Matthew ). English (mainly Wales): learned variant of Matthew . Greek: variant of Mathias . Germanized or Americanized form of Hungarian Mátyás and in some cases also of Croatian Matijaš or Slovenian Matjaš Matjaž (see Mathias ).

What is the spiritual meaning of the name Matthias? ›

In Hebrew Baby Names the meaning of the name Matthias is: Gift of the Lord; Gift from God.

Why was Matthias chosen as an Apostle? ›

This Scripture gives insight that Matthias had been with the group the whole time Jesus was alive on earth. They needed to choose someone who had been with them the whole time and who was a true believer and would join them in sharing the message of God.

What is the symbol of Matthias? ›

Matthias Matthias, chosen to take the place of Judas, is symbolized by a battle-ax, with which he was said to be beheaded, and an open Bible.

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