Saint Bartholomew Feast day 24th August

Saint Bartholomew was one of the original disciples that Jesus choose. He lived in the First century AD. He was with Jesus throughout his ministry and at Pentecost (Acts ch 2v13). What happened afterwards no one is certain.

There is a story that 100 years after his death there was found, in India, a copy of the Gospel of Matthew, which had been handed down by people made Christian
by Saint Bartholomew. (India, in those days was a word used for many countries)

It is said he was martyred at Albanopolis in Armenia.
In Art he is commonly depicted with a beard and curly hair.
Legends suggest when he was martyred he was skinned alive and then beheaded. (See pictures of paintings)

St. Barts hospital, founded by Rahere following his pilgrimage to Rome, in London is named after him.

Scholars are unsure whether he is called Nathaniel in Saint John’s gospel because John does not mention Bartholomew among the disciples he mentions by name.

In the Synoptic gospels - Matthew, Mark and Luke - he is mentioned by name when the 12 disciples are listed… Matthew ch10 v1-4, Mark ch 3 v13-19 Luke ch 6 v12-16.
Simon Peter, Andrew, James, John, Philip,**** Bartholomew***, Thomas, Matthew, James -son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the zealot and Judas Iscariot.

John, in his Gospel, does not list the 12. In chapter 1 we read of Jesus choosing some of his disciples -Peter and Andrew - and Philip and Nathaniel. Nathaniel’s name is mentioned 4 times in chapter 1 v45-49. Many scholars think Bartholomew and Nathaniel are the same person.

The paintings I have included on the Saint Nathaniel sheet has a mixture of Bartholomew and Nathaniel!

Sources used The Church’s Year by Charles Alexander, wyclipedia, Britannica