Category:Saint Matthias

Saint Matthias - Apostle Born: 1st century AD in Judaea (modern-day Israel) Died: c. 80 AD in Jerusalem or in Colchis (modern-day Georgia) Honored in: Roman Catholic Church Eastern Orthodox Churches Oriental Orthodox Churches Anglican Communion Lutheran Church Canonized: Pre-Congregation Feast: May 14 (Roman Catholic Church, Anglican Communion) August 9 (Eastern Orthodox Churches) February 24 (in leap years February 25) (pre-1970 General Roman Calendar, Episcopal Church, Lutheran Church) Attributes: axe Patronage: alcoholism; carpenters; Gary, Indiana; Great Falls-Billings, Montana; smallpox; tailors

Excerpt from Lives of the Saints, 1894
February 24.—ST. MATTHIAS, Apostle. His feast day had been on February 24, but is now on May 14.

AFTER our blessed Lord's Ascension, His disciples met together, with Mary His mother and the eleven Apostles, in an upper room at Jerusalem. The little company numbered no more than one hundred and twenty souls. They were waiting for the promised coining of the Holy Ghost, and they persevered in prayer. Meanwhile there was a solemn act to be performed on the part of the Church, which could not be postponed. The place of the fallen Judas must be filled up, that the elect number of the apostles might be complete. St. Peter, therefore, as Vicar of Christ, arose to announce the divine decree. That which the Holy Ghost had spoken by the mouth of David concerning Judas, he said, must be fulfilled. Of him it had been written, "His bishopric let another take." A choice, therefore, was to be made of one among those who had been their companions from the beginning, who could bear witness to the Resurrection of Jesus. Two were named of equal merit, Joseph called Barsabas, and Matthias. Then, after praying to God, Who knows the hearts of all men, to show which of these He had chosen, they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Matthias, who was forthwith numbered with the apostles. It is recorded of the Saint, thus wonderfully elected to so high a vocation, that he was above all remarkable for his mortification of the flesh. It was thus that he made his election sure.

Reflection.—Our ignorance of many points in St. Matthias's life serves to fix the attention all the more firmly upon these two—the occasion of his call to the apostolate, and the fact of his perseverance. We then naturally turn in thought to our own vocation and our own end. Excerpt from Lives of the Saints, 1894 by Alban Butler, Benziger Brothers edition, 1894