St. Matthew - September 21

On September 21, we celebrate the feast of St. Matthew, one of the twelve Apostles and the author of the first Gospel. The name "Matthew" is derived from the Hebrew form "Matthaios, "meaning "gift of God." According to tradition, Matthew remained in Palestine for some time after Christ's Ascension. He wrote the Gospel in Aramaic, not in Greek, specifically for the Jews to learn about Christ's teachings and to demonstrate Jesus Christ as the Messiah by referencing the messianic prophecies of the Old Testament. The time of its creation is uncertain, estimated to be between 50 and 60 AD. It is not known who translated the Gospel according to St. Matthew into Greek and when. According to Christian tradition, he was martyred in Ethiopia, and the circumstances of his death remain unknown. His relics have been in Salerno near Naples, Italy, since the 10th century.

St. Matthew is the patron saint of tax collectors, accountants, financial officials, and bankers.

The symbol of St. Matthew is a winged man, representing his transformation from a tax collector, one of the most despised figures in Jewish culture, to a disciple of Jesus, who looked at him with love and called him to follow. Through Christ, Matthew discovered his human dignity and his relationship with God. He provided detailed descriptions of Jewish customs and rituals in his Gospel, emphasizing the importance of humanity. The Gospel of Matthew begins with a thorough examination of the genealogy and birth of Jesus Christ, highlighting his vulnerability as a child and during his death on the cross.