August 24
Saints of the Day
 

Saint Bartholomew, the Apostle, St. Nathanael

    Lsted among the twelve Apostles (Matthew 10; Mark 3; Luke 6). Mention of him occurs infrequently in the Gospels, probably because Bartholomew was his patronymic rather than his proper name, and meant "son of Talmai or Tholmai".
    Some commentators identify him with Nathanael (John 1), a man of Cana in Galilee who was summoned to Jesus by Philip. Jesus paid him a great compliment: “Here is a true Israelite. There is no duplicity in him” (John 1:47b). When Nathanael asked how Jesus knew him, Jesus said, “I saw you under the fig tree” (John 1:48b). Whatever amazing revelation this involved, it brought Nathanael to exclaim, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel” (John 1:49b). But Jesus countered with, “Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this” (John 1:50b).

    His missionary labors brought him to India, Mesopotamia, Parthia, and Lycaonia. He is said to have died in Albanopolis, Armenia, but the stories of his death differ; according to one he was beheaded; others state that he was flayed alive and crucified. For this reason he is usually represented in art as flayed and holding his skin in his own hand. Emblems: knife, cross.

Died flayed alive at Albanopolis, Armenia; relics at St Bartholomew-on-the-Tiber Church, Rome, and in the cathedral in Canterbury, England

Images Gallery of images of Saint Bartholomew

Additional Information

http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/saintb11.htm
Martyrdom of Bartholomew

Translate español | français | deutsch | italiano | português