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Saint Matthew the Apostle is remembered in the Catholic Church as one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ and, in Christian tradition, as the author of the Gospel according to Matthew. The New Testament identifies him as a former tax collector whom Jesus called to leave his work and follow Him. His calling is one of the clearest examples in the Gospels of Jesus reaching out to someone whose profession placed him in an unpopular position within Jewish society.
Matthew is especially remembered for his response to Christ's call, his service as an apostle, and his place in the Church's tradition as an evangelist. The Gospel traditionally associated with his name presents Jesus as the promised Messiah and gives particular attention to His teaching, including the Sermon on the Mount. The Gospel itself does not name its author, so the traditional identification of the Apostle Matthew with its writer has been received by the Church from early Christianity, while the precise circumstances of its composition are not recorded in the New Testament.
The New Testament gives only a limited account of Matthew's personal life. It tells us that he was called while sitting at the tax booth and that he followed Jesus. Matthew's Gospel also includes the account of a tax collector named Matthew among the Twelve Apostles. Christian tradition identifies this Matthew with Levi, the tax collector mentioned in the Gospels of Mark and Luke, although the Gospel accounts do not explicitly explain the relationship between the two names.
Saint Matthew's main feast day in the Roman Catholic Church is September 21. The same date is also observed in several Western Christian traditions. In the Eastern Orthodox Church, Saint Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist is commemorated on November 16. The differences in feast dates come from the different liturgical calendars used by the Christian traditions that honor him.
Matthew's story begins with an ordinary working day that changed when Jesus approached him and said, "Follow me." The Gospel simply tells us that Matthew got up and followed Christ. From that brief account came a life remembered by Christians for apostolic service and for the proclamation of the Gospel.
To understand Matthew's story, we first have to look at the world in which he lived and at the work he was doing when Jesus called him.
Quick Facts About Saint Matthew the Apostle
| Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Born | 1st century. His exact date and place of birth are not recorded in reliable early sources. |
| Died | 1st century. The New Testament does not give the date, place, or circumstances of his death. Later Christian traditions differ about where and how he died. |
| Category | Apostle; Evangelist; Martyr (according to longstanding Christian tradition) |
| Venerated in | Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, Oriental Orthodox Churches, Anglican Communion, Lutheran traditions, and other historic Christian communities that honor the Apostles |
| Feast Day | September 21 in the Roman Catholic Church and several Western traditions; November 16 in the Eastern Orthodox Church. Other Eastern Christian calendars may commemorate him on additional dates. |
| Beatified | Pre-Congregation |
| Canonized | Pre-Congregation |
The Gospel of Matthew calls him Matthew, while the Gospels of Mark and Luke mention a tax collector named Levi whom Jesus called to follow Him. The Catholic tradition has commonly identified Matthew with Levi, but the Gospel texts themselves do not explicitly state that the two names refer to the same person. This distinction is worth keeping in mind when telling his story.
The New Testament also does not establish that Matthew was certainly martyred or record where he died. Several ancient Christian traditions describe his missionary work and martyrdom in different places, including Ethiopia or other regions, but these accounts cannot be treated as equally certain historical facts.
Early Life
Very little is known about Saint Matthew's life before he met Jesus. The New Testament does not give his birth date, birthplace, childhood story, or the names of his parents. It also does not preserve an account of his education. What can be said with confidence begins with the work he was doing as an adult in Galilee.
Matthew lived in the first century, during the time when the Jewish people lived under Roman rule. Galilee was part of the Roman world, although Jewish religious and cultural life remained strong. The people followed the Law of Moses and worshipped the God of Israel, while Roman political authority and taxation affected everyday life.
Matthew was a tax collector. The Gospel of Matthew describes him as sitting at a tax booth when Jesus saw him and called him to follow Him. Tax collectors worked within the Roman taxation system and collected payments from the local population. The work could place a person in an uncomfortable position within Jewish society because taxes ultimately supported Roman rule. The Gospels also show that tax collectors were often regarded negatively by many of their fellow Jews and were sometimes grouped with sinners.
The New Testament does not tell us whether Matthew personally abused his position, collected more than was required, or committed any particular wrongdoing. Such practices did occur among tax collectors, and the Gospels record complaints about them, but there is no reliable evidence that Matthew himself was guilty of such conduct. His profession alone should not be turned into a personal accusation.
The Gospel accounts also leave an interesting question about his name. Matthew is called Matthew in the Gospel that bears his name, while Mark and Luke describe the tax collector whom Jesus called as Levi. Mark names him "Levi the son of Alphaeus," while Luke also calls him Levi. The Gospel of Matthew, however, gives the tax collector's name as Matthew. Early Christian tradition came to identify Matthew and Levi as the same person. The New Testament itself does not directly explain why the names differ, so the identification belongs to the longstanding Christian tradition rather than to an explicit statement in the Gospel texts.
Matthew's religious background was Jewish. As someone living in Galilee during the time of Jesus, he belonged to the Jewish world in which Jesus Himself lived and taught. Beyond this, the sources tell us very little about Matthew's family, childhood, education, or personal religious practice before his calling.
His life therefore comes into clearer view at a particular moment: he was sitting at his tax booth when Jesus approached him. The Gospel records Jesus' words simply: "Follow me." Matthew then got up and followed Him. From that point, the tax collector who had been known by his occupation began a new life among the disciples of Christ.
Religious Life and Calling
Matthew's life changed when Jesus called him from the tax booth. The Gospel gives the moment in very simple terms: Jesus saw Matthew and said, "Follow me." Matthew then rose and followed Him. There is no account of a long period of hesitation, a dramatic conversion experience, or a vision before this decision. The Gospel simply presents his response as immediate.
This calling placed Matthew among Jesus' disciples during the years of Christ's public ministry. He was no longer known only by his work as a tax collector. He became one of the men who accompanied Jesus, listened to His teaching, witnessed His works, and took part in the mission that Jesus gave to His disciples.
Matthew is specifically named among the Twelve Apostles. In the Gospel according to Matthew, Jesus sends the Twelve to proclaim that the kingdom of heaven had come near, to care for the sick, and to carry His message to the people of Israel. Matthew's inclusion among these Twelve shows that his calling was not simply a private change of life. He was being prepared for a role in the mission of Christ and, eventually, in the life of the early Church.
The Gospel accounts do not tell us when Matthew was baptized, who baptized him, or whether he had received any particular religious training before becoming a disciple. They also do not record an ordination ceremony for him. As an Apostle, however, Matthew belonged to the group that Jesus chose and commissioned for the work of proclaiming the Gospel.
One event connected with Matthew's calling is especially significant. According to the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus later shared a meal in a house with tax collectors and sinners, and His disciples were present. Matthew's Gospel places this account immediately after the call of the tax collector. The passage explains why Jesus associated with people who were often rejected by respectable society. Jesus said that those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick do, and that He had come to call sinners.
The Gospel of Matthew does not clearly identify whose house it was, while Mark and Luke describe a similar meal at the house of Levi. Because of the traditional identification of Matthew with Levi, Christians have long understood these accounts as referring to the same calling and meal. The central point remains clear: Jesus called a tax collector to become His disciple and did not treat his former occupation as an obstacle to receiving God's call.
Matthew then shared in the life of the apostolic group. He was present during a period when Jesus taught His disciples privately as well as publicly, prepared them for their mission, and sent them out to proclaim the Gospel. The New Testament does not preserve a separate account of Matthew's personal preaching during Jesus' earthly ministry, nor does it record private conversations between him and Jesus.
After the death and Resurrection of Christ, the Apostles received the mission to proclaim the Gospel to others. Matthew belonged to this apostolic community. The Acts of the Apostles names him among the disciples gathered in Jerusalem after the Ascension of Jesus, together with the other Apostles and the women who followed Christ. He was therefore part of the earliest Christian community as it awaited the coming of the Holy Spirit.
Beyond this point, the New Testament gives very little individual information about Matthew. Unlike Peter, Paul, John, and several other early Christian figures, he does not receive a detailed personal account of his later ministry. Ancient Christian writers later preserved traditions about Matthew's missionary work in different regions, but these accounts are not consistent enough to establish a single detailed itinerary with certainty.
What remains firmly rooted in the early Christian tradition is Matthew's place among the Twelve and his association with the proclamation of the Gospel. The man who had once sat at a tax booth had become an Apostle entrusted with the message of Christ.
That apostolic calling leads naturally to the next part of his story: the work attributed to Matthew as a witness to Jesus and, in Christian tradition, as an evangelist whose name became closely connected with one of the four Gospels.
Major Contributions and Mission
Matthew's contribution to the first Christian community began with his place among the Twelve Apostles. Jesus entrusted the Apostles with the task of proclaiming the Gospel, and Matthew belonged to the group sent to announce the coming of God's kingdom. The New Testament does not preserve a detailed record of Matthew's individual preaching or missionary journeys, so his later work cannot be described with the same precision as the ministry of Peter or Paul.
One of the most important works associated with Matthew is the Gospel according to Matthew. The Gospel itself does not name its author within the text, but from the early centuries of Christianity it was traditionally attributed to Matthew the Apostle. This tradition is already associated with early Christian writers, including Papias of Hierapolis, who is reported by Eusebius to have said that Matthew collected the sayings of Jesus in the Hebrew language or style. The exact meaning of Papias's statement and its relationship to the present Greek Gospel of Matthew have been discussed by Christian scholars, so the precise circumstances of the Gospel's composition remain uncertain.
The Gospel of Matthew became one of the four Gospels received by the Church as part of the New Testament. It presents the life, teaching, death, and Resurrection of Jesus and gives particular attention to His identity as the promised Messiah. It also contains some of the best-known teachings of Jesus, including the Sermon on the Mount, the Beatitudes, the Lord's Prayer, and the command to make disciples of all nations.
Matthew's Gospel also connects the life of Jesus with the Scriptures of Israel. Again and again, it presents events in Christ's life in relation to the writings and promises of the Old Testament. This helped early Christians understand Jesus' ministry within the history of God's covenant with Israel.
The Gospel also preserves the account of Matthew's own calling as a tax collector. This is a small but significant detail in the story. The man who had been sitting at the tax booth is identified among the Twelve, showing that Jesus' choice of apostles included people from very different backgrounds.
Matthew's later missionary activity is much less certain. Early Christian tradition says that he preached the Gospel, but different ancient sources place his mission in different regions. Some traditions connect him with Ethiopia, while others associate him with Persia, Syria, or other eastern regions. Because these accounts differ, a precise route for Matthew's missionary journeys cannot be established from the surviving evidence.
There are also later traditions about miracles associated with Matthew's apostolic ministry. These stories became part of Christian devotional tradition, but the New Testament does not provide a separate collection of miracles performed personally by Matthew after Christ's Ascension. They should therefore not be presented as contemporary eyewitness accounts without qualification.
What can be established more securely is Matthew's place in the apostolic mission and the enduring importance of the Gospel traditionally connected with his name. Through the apostolic preaching and the Gospel tradition, the message of Christ was carried beyond the original circle of disciples and preserved for generations of Christians.
The later traditions about Matthew's missionary work also describe opposition to his preaching and, in some accounts, his death as a martyr. Since the ancient accounts disagree about where his final mission took place and how he died, his later suffering must be considered separately from the more firmly documented events of his life.
Suffering, Persecution, or Martyrdom
The New Testament does not record what happened to Matthew after the early Christian community in Jerusalem. It does not describe his arrest, imprisonment, persecution, death, or martyrdom. For this reason, the circumstances of his final years cannot be stated with the same confidence as the events recorded in the Gospels.
The early Church nevertheless preserved traditions that Matthew continued preaching the Gospel after the Resurrection of Christ and eventually suffered for his faith. Ancient Christian writers and later traditions connect his death with martyrdom, but they do not agree on the place or manner of his death.
Some traditions place Matthew's later missionary work and death in Ethiopia. Other traditions associate him with Persia or regions farther east. The accounts also differ about the way he died. Some later traditions describe him as being killed with a sword, while others give different accounts. Because these traditions developed at different times and are not consistent with one another, there is no reliable historical basis for giving a precise date, location, persecutor, or method of Matthew's martyrdom as an established fact.
The New Testament gives no name of a person who persecuted Matthew, no Roman official who arrested him, and no account of a trial or execution. It therefore would be misleading to identify a particular ruler or describe a specific form of torture as though it were recorded history.
What the early Christian tradition does preserve is the memory of Matthew as an Apostle who continued to belong to the Church's mission after the earthly ministry of Jesus. The Twelve faced opposition as they proclaimed Christ, and several of them are remembered as martyrs, but the individual circumstances of Matthew's final witness were not preserved in the New Testament.
For Catholics, Matthew's possible martyrdom is therefore best understood alongside the more certain part of his story: he was called by Christ, became one of the Twelve, and was remembered by the early Church as a witness and evangelist. The later traditions about his death helped Christians remember the cost that apostolic preaching could involve, even though the precise details of Matthew's final suffering remain uncertain.
His death eventually gave rise to another question for the Christians who came after him: where was Matthew buried, and how did devotion to this Apostle develop as his memory spread through the Church?
Death and Legacy
The New Testament does not record when, where, or how Matthew died. After his appearance among the disciples in the Acts of the Apostles, Scripture gives no further account of his personal ministry or death. For this reason, the exact circumstances of his final years cannot be established from the earliest Christian writings.
Later Christian traditions preserve different accounts of Matthew's death. Some traditions place his final missionary work and death in Ethiopia, while others connect him with Persia or other regions farther east. Accounts also differ about the manner of his death. Some later traditions describe him as being killed for his preaching, while other accounts give different circumstances. Because these traditions do not agree, a specific date, place, or method of death cannot be presented as certain historical fact.
The same uncertainty applies to Matthew's original burial place. No early source securely identifies his tomb. A longstanding tradition in southern Italy connects his relics with the city of Salerno. According to this tradition, Matthew's remains were brought to Salerno in the tenth century, where they became the focus of an important Christian shrine. The Cathedral of Salerno, also known as the Duomo di San Matteo, was dedicated to Saint Matthew, and his traditional relics are venerated in its crypt.
The tradition of Matthew's relics at Salerno became especially important after the construction and development of the cathedral. His tomb and relics helped establish the city as a major place of devotion to the Apostle. The cathedral continues to be closely associated with his memory, and September 21 is celebrated there as his principal feast in the Roman Catholic calendar.
Other churches and shrines dedicated to Matthew developed in different parts of the Christian world. His importance as one of the Twelve Apostles and as the traditional author of the Gospel according to Matthew meant that his name became associated with churches, altars, works of art, and places of pilgrimage. His image was also widely represented in Christian art, often showing him with a book or writing instrument because of his traditional connection with the Gospel.
Devotion to Matthew also spread through the reading of the Gospel that bears his name. The Gospel according to Matthew became one of the four canonical Gospels of the New Testament and was read throughout the developing Christian communities. Its presentation of Jesus' teaching, including the Sermon on the Mount, the Beatitudes, the Lord's Prayer, and the Great Commission, gave Matthew a lasting place in Christian preaching and instruction.
Matthew's traditional association with the Gospel also influenced the way Christians remembered him. In Christian art and theology, he became associated with the winged human figure of the four Evangelist symbols. This symbolism developed from interpretations of the four living creatures described in the biblical books of Ezekiel and Revelation and became established in Christian tradition.
His traditional role as a former tax collector also influenced later devotion. Because the Gospel presents Matthew as leaving his work at the tax booth to follow Jesus, Christians came to associate him with occupations connected with money, accounting, taxation, and financial administration. These later patronages developed from the biblical story and the Church's devotional tradition rather than from detailed records of Matthew's later life.
The spread of Matthew's Gospel was ultimately more historically significant than the uncertain details of his final years. His name became connected with one of the central texts of Christianity, and the Gospel attributed to him was copied, read, preached, translated, and commented upon across many generations. Whether the Apostle himself personally wrote the Gospel in its present form remains a matter of historical discussion, but the traditional connection between Matthew and the Gospel was already established in early Christian testimony.
Matthew's memory therefore developed along two closely connected paths: as one of the Twelve Apostles chosen by Jesus and as the traditional Evangelist whose name became attached to one of the four canonical Gospels. The exact details of his death and burial remain uncertain, while his place in Christian Scripture and the continuing devotion associated with his name became firmly established.
In the centuries after his death, churches in both East and West continued to commemorate Matthew in their liturgical calendars. Roman Catholics celebrate his feast on September 21, while the Eastern Orthodox Church ordinarily commemorates him on November 16. These different dates reflect the liturgical traditions of the various Christian communities that honor him.
The long development of Matthew's feast, Gospel tradition, shrines, churches, artistic symbols, and relic devotion eventually formed the basis of his continuing public veneration. As with other ancient Apostles, his formal recognition predates the modern canonization procedures used by the Catholic Church. His place in Christian worship was inherited from the early Church and preserved through the centuries.
Canonization and Veneration
Saint Matthew belongs to the earliest generation of Christian saints. Because he was one of the Twelve Apostles, his public veneration began in the ancient Church, long before the Catholic Church introduced the formal canonization procedures used today.
For this reason, Matthew was not beatified or canonized by a modern pope. His recognition is classified as Pre-Congregation. This means that his veneration was established in the Church from ancient times, before the present system of beatification and canonization developed. There is therefore no beatification date, canonization date, or canonizing pope to record.
Matthew's place among the Apostles gave him a permanent position in the Church's liturgical calendar. In the Roman Catholic Church, his principal feast is celebrated on September 21. The day is listed in the General Roman Calendar as the Feast of Saint Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist. The liturgy commemorates both his calling as an Apostle and his traditional role as an Evangelist.
The Eastern Orthodox Church also venerates Matthew. His principal feast there is ordinarily celebrated on November 16, and he is commemorated as the Holy Apostle and Evangelist Matthew. Other Eastern Christian communities also preserve his memory in their own liturgical calendars. He is likewise honored in the Anglican Communion and in various Lutheran traditions that commemorate the Apostles and Evangelists.
The Gospel according to Matthew has played a major part in maintaining his memory throughout Christian history. The book became one of the four canonical Gospels, and generations of Christians encountered Matthew's name whenever the Gospel was read and proclaimed. Its account of Jesus' teaching includes the Sermon on the Mount, the Beatitudes, the Lord's Prayer, and the Great Commission. The continuing liturgical reading of the Gospel helped keep Matthew's name closely connected with Christian teaching.
One of the most important centers of devotion to Matthew is the Cathedral of Salerno in Italy, also known as the Duomo di San Matteo. The cathedral is dedicated to him and contains the traditional tomb and relics associated with the Apostle. The crypt became an important place of prayer and pilgrimage, particularly for Christians who wished to honor Matthew at a shrine traditionally connected with his remains.
The tradition concerning Matthew's relics at Salerno became especially important during the Middle Ages. The city developed a strong connection with the Apostle, and his feast continues to be celebrated there. The cathedral's dedication and the veneration of the relics have made Salerno one of the best-known places associated with Matthew's cult.
Churches dedicated to Matthew were also established in other parts of the Christian world. His status as an Apostle and Evangelist made his name suitable for churches, chapels, altars, monasteries, and other places of Christian worship. Artistic representations commonly show him holding a book or writing instrument, reflecting his traditional association with the Gospel.
Matthew's traditional occupation before following Jesus also influenced later devotional associations. He is commonly regarded as a patron of tax collectors, accountants, bookkeepers, bankers, customs officers, and other people whose work is connected with financial administration. These patronages developed from the Gospel account of Matthew as a tax collector and from later Christian devotional practice. They should not be understood as evidence that Matthew himself held the particular professions in their modern forms.
His traditional symbol is a winged human or angelic figure. This became part of the Christian system of symbols for the four Evangelists. Matthew's symbol is connected with the opening genealogy of Christ in his Gospel and with ancient Christian interpretations of the four living creatures described in Scripture.
Devotion to Matthew spread far beyond the places traditionally connected with his relics. Because the Gospel attributed to him became part of the New Testament canon, his influence reached Christian communities across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and later the Americas and other parts of the world. Churches bearing his name can therefore be found in many countries and among different Christian traditions.
Matthew is especially associated with Italy through the shrine at Salerno, but his veneration is not limited to Italy. His identity as one of the Twelve Apostles gives him a place in the universal calendar of historic Christianity. His feast, Gospel, artistic representation, and traditional patronages have continued to connect his name with Christian worship and teaching.
Today, Catholics honor Saint Matthew principally through the celebration of his feast on September 21, the reading of the Gospel according to Matthew, prayer, churches dedicated to him, and devotion associated with his traditional relics. Pilgrims continue to visit the Cathedral of Salerno, while Christian communities throughout the world commemorate him as an Apostle and Evangelist.
His recognition therefore does not rest on a modern canonization ceremony. It comes from the ancient Christian memory of Matthew as one of the Twelve, preserved through Scripture, liturgy, churches, relic traditions, and centuries of public devotion. His continuing place in Christian worship leads naturally to the prayer through which believers ask for his intercession.
Short Prayer for Intercession
Prayer to Saint Matthew the Apostle
Saint Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist, you left your work as a tax collector when Jesus called you to follow Him. Pray for us, that we may also respond faithfully when God calls us and use our lives in His service.
Ask God to forgive our sins, strengthen us in our weaknesses, and help us remain faithful to Christ in our daily lives. May we learn from your example to listen to God's word and put the teachings of Jesus into practice.
Saint Matthew, pray for us. May God guide us, protect us, and bring us closer to Christ. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
