There is no mention of a Matthias among the lists of disciples or followers of Jesus in the threesynoptic gospels, but according toActs, he had been with Jesus from hisbaptism byJohn until hisAscension. In the days following,Peter proposed that the assembled disciples, who numbered about 120, nominate two men to replace Judas. They choseJoseph called Barsabbas (whose surname was Justus) and Matthias. Then they prayed, "Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all [men], shew whether of these two thou hast chosen, That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place."[2] Then theycast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was numbered with the eleven apostles.[3]
All information concerning the ministry and death of Matthias is vague and contradictory. The tradition of the Greeks says that St. Matthias spread Christianity aroundCappadocia and on the coasts of theCaspian Sea, residing chiefly near the portHyssus.[5]
According toNicephorus (Historia eccl., 2, 40), Matthias first preached the Gospel inJudaea, then in Aethiopia (by the region ofColchis, now in modern-dayGeorgia) andwas crucified.[3] An extantCopticActs of Andrew and Matthias, places his activity similarly in "the city of the cannibals" inAethiopia.[a][6] A marker placed in the ruins of the Roman fortress atGonio (Apsaros) in the modern Georgian region ofAdjara claims that Matthias is buried at that site.
TheSynopsis of Dorotheus contains this tradition: "Matthias preached the Gospel to barbarians and meat-eaters in the interior of Ethiopia, where the sea harbor of Hyssus is, at the mouth of the riverPhasis. He died atSebastopolis, and was buried there, near the Temple of the Sun."[7]
Alternatively, another tradition maintains that Matthias was stoned at Jerusalem by the local populace, and thenwas beheaded (cf.Tillemont,Mémoires pour servir à l'histoire ecclesiastique des six premiers siècles, I, 406–7).[7] According toHippolytus of Rome, Matthias died of old age in Jerusalem.
Not that they became apostles through being chosen for some distinguished peculiarity of nature, since also Judas was chosen along with them. But they were capable of becoming apostles on being chosen by Him who foresees even ultimate issues. Matthias, accordingly, who was not chosen along with them, on showing himself worthy of becoming an apostle, is substituted for Judas.
The feast of Saint Matthias was included in the Roman Calendar in the 11th century and celebrated on the sixth day to the Calends of March (24 February usually, but 25 February in leap years). In therevision of theGeneral Roman Calendar in 1969, his feast was transferred to 14 May, so as not to celebrate it inLent but instead inEastertide close to theSolemnity of the Ascension,[9] the event after which the Acts of the Apostles recounts that Matthias was selected to be ranked with theTwelve Apostles.
The Eastern Rites of theEastern Orthodox Church celebrate his feast on 9 August. Yet theWestern Rite parishes of the Orthodox Church continues the old Roman Rite of 24 and 25 February in leap years.[citation needed]
^The Ethiopia/Aethiopia mentioned here as well as in the quote from the "Synopsis of Dorotheus" is that region identified with an ancient Egyptianmilitary colony in theCaucasus mountains on the riverAlazani.
^Stromata Book 4 Ch 6 The New Advent Translation says "It is said, therefore, that Zaccheus, or, according to some, Matthew, the chief of the publicans, on hearing that the Lord had deigned to come to him, said, Lord, and if I have taken anything by false accusation, I restore him fourfold;" but theGreek has 4.6.35.2 Ζακχαῖον τοίνυν, οἳ δὲ Ματθίαν φασίν, ἀρχιτελώνην, ἀκηκοότα τοῦ κυρίου καταξιώσαντος πρὸς αὐτὸν γενέσθαι, ἰδοὺ τὰ ἡμίση τῶν ὑπαρχόντων μου δίδωμι ἐλεημοσύνην φάναι, κύριε, καὶ εἴ τινός τι ἐσυκοφάντησα, τετραπλοῦν ἀποδίδωμι. ἐφ' οὗ καὶ ὁ σωτὴρ εἶπεν· can just about be read as "by some said to be Matthias")
^Butler, Alban."Saint Matthias, Apostle",The Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs, and Other Principal Saints, D. & J. Sadlier, & Company, 1864
^ab One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Jacquier, Jacque Eugène (1911). "St. Matthias". In Herbermann, Charles (ed.).Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 10. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
^Kakhidze, Emzar (2008)."Apsaros: A Roman Fort in Southwestern Georgia". In Bilde, Pia Guldager; Petersen, Jane Hjarl (eds.).Meetings of Cultures – Between Conflicts and Coexistence. Black Sea Studies. 8. Aarhus University Press. pp. 303–332. Archived fromthe original on 22 January 2019. Retrieved21 January 2019.
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