He was the last one to be chosen as one of the Twelve Apostles, and he is the last one in this series. But just as the last will be first, so he is the first to be honored during the ordinary calendar year, after Christmas tide, at least according to the traditional calendar: Saint Matthias.
Elected by lot
“They returned to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, as it is called, which is near Jerusalem, no more than a Sabbath walk; and when they reached the city they went to the upper room where they were staying; there were Peter and John, James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Jude son of James. With one heart all these were constantly persevering in prayer, together with the women, including Mary, the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.
Acts 1: 12-26
In those days Peter stood up and spoke to the brothers – the crowd was about a hundred and twenty people, ‘Brothers,‘ he said, ‘the passage of scripture had to be fulfilled in which the Holy Spirit, speaking through David, foretold the fate of Judas, who became the guide to those who arrested Jesus – he had been one of our number and allotted his share in our ministry. As you know, he bought a plot of land with the money he was paid for his crime. He fell headlong and burst open, and all his entrails poured out. This became known to everyone living in Jerusalem, so that the plot came to be called in their language ‘Hakeldama‘, that is, ‘Field of Blood‘. For in the book of Psalms it is written: Let his encampment be ruined, and let no one live in it. And again: Let someone else take over his position. From the men who have been with us the whole time that the Lord Jesus was coming in and going out among us, beginning from the baptism of John till the day when he was taken up from us, one must be appointed to serve with us as a witness to his resurrection.‘
Having nominated two candidates – Joseph, known as Barsabbas, whose surname was Justus, and Matthias – they prayed and said, ‘Lord, you know everyone‘s heart; show is which of these two you have chosen to take the place of this ministry and apostolate, which Judas abandoned to go to his proper place.‘ They then drew lots for them, and as the lot fell to Matthias, he was added to the eleven apostles.“
So all we know so far about Saint Matthias the Apostle is that he was with Jesus and with the other disciples from the beginning – that he was an eyewitness to all the events just like them.
It is not easy to find out more about this man who succeeded Judas Iscariot and who is barely even mentioned in Sacred Scripture. Jacobus de Voragine in his Golden Legend cites several different legendary sources about the person, life, and death of Saint Matthias which I‘d like to share here in just a few short excerpts.
But before we turn to the Golden Legend, let us take a look at what the Roman Martyrology has to say concerning his feast day, the 24th February, in leap years the 25th. In the new Roman calendar his feast day is the 14th May, by the way.
The Roman Martyrology as a source on Saint Matthias
It was only in the 11th century that the Church assigned a feast day to Saint Matthias. The Roman Martyrology states that he died as a martyr in Judea:
“In Judea, the birthday of the Apostle St. Matthias, who was chosen by lot by the apostles after the Ascension of our Lord in the place of the traitor Judas, and suffered martyrdom for preaching the Gospel.“
Roman Martyrology, 24th February
The Golden Legend about Saint Matthias
“Judea was assigned to Matthias the apostle by lot, and he preached there assiduously, wrought many miracles (…).“
Jacobus de Voragine: The Golden Legend. Readings on the Saints, Princeton University Press 1993, p. 170
“In another legend, found in Trier, we read among other things that Matthias, of the tribe of Judah, was born in Bethlehem of illustrious parentage. At his studies he quickly acquired much knowledge of the law and the prophets, shunned everything lascivious, and overcame the temptations of adolescence by the maturity of his conduct. (…)
He made every effort to carry out in action what he prescribed by command, and to demonstrate his oral teaching by putting it in practice. While he was preaching throughout Judea, he cleansed the lepers, drove out demons, made the lame walk, the blind see, and the deaf hear, and raised the dead to life. (…)
Matthias was very learned in the law, clean of heart, prudent in judgment, keen in solving problems concerning the sacred Scripture, cautious in counseling, and frank in his speech. During his preaching in Judea he converted many to the faith by signs and miracles.“
This legend from Trier, Germany, goes on to describe the manner of Saint Matthias‘ martyrdom in Judea and how his body was translated from Judea to Rome and from Rome to Trier. Since the 12th century, Saint Matthias‘ tomb has been venerated in the crypt of a basilica belonging to a Benedictine monastery founded in Trier during the 4th century. It is the one and only apostolic tomb north of the Alps.
The year of his martyrdom is often given to be about the year 80, and the particular manner of his martyrdom included, according to the legend from Trier, that he was stoned and beheaded in Jerusalem. Many icons show Saint Matthias, the Torah scholar, either with Sacred Scripture or with an axe – or with both items.
Saint Matthias, holy apostle and martyr, pray for us!