The Liturgical Calendar: The Church Remembers

Today the church remembers Saint Bartholomew the Apostle.

We know very little of Bartholomew; even his name is something of a mystery. Bartholomew is a patronymic meaning “Son of Tolmai.” He is mentioned only in the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) but he is generally believed to be the same person as Nathanael in John’s Gospel.

He is credited by several reliable historical sources with writing a gospel, but the Gospel according to Bartholomew is lost today. Tradition holds that he traveled to India and this is certainly not inconceivable. He is regarded as the founder of the Church in Armenia and may have been martyred there. Ancient tradition maintains that he was flayed alive at Albanopolis, Armenia, by the authorities as a consequence of his evangelistic work.

Read the Wikipedia article here.

Almighty and everlasting God, who gave to your apostle Bartholomew grace truly to believe and to preach your Word: Grant that your Church may love what he believed, and preach what he taught; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, O God, for ever and ever. Amen.

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