Saint Bartholomew

First century, one of the 12 Apostles

St. Bartholomew as painted by the Dutch artist Rembrandt (1606–1669) in 1657. Timken Museum of Art, Putnam Foundation Collection, San Diego (34.19). ​© Timken Museum of Art, San Diego

All we know about Saint Bartholomew with any degree of certainty is that he is mentioned in the synoptic gospels (those of Ss. Matthew, Mark and Luke), always in association with St. Philip, and that in The Acts of the Apostles he is referred to as one of the twelve apostles.

The Gospel of Bartholomew is apocryphal and was condemned in the decree of Pseudo-Gelasius.
 
His name, a patronymic, means "son of Tolomai" and scholars believe he is the same as Nathanael mentioned in St. John’s Gospel, who says he is from Cana and that Jesus called him an "Israelite... incapable of deceit."

​As Nathanael, he was introduced to Jesus by the apostle Philip who found him sheltering from the sun beneath a fig tree; he is quoted in St John’s Gospel as saying of Nazareth, ‘Can any good thing come from that place?’

The Roman Martyrology says he preached in India and Greater Armenia, and converted King Polymius to Christianity. He was subsequently flayed alive and crucified head down (some accounts suggest he was beheaded) by Polymius' brother Prince Astyages in revenge and in fear of a Roman backlash. Tradition has the place as Abanopolis on the west coast of the Caspian Sea and that he also preached in Mesopotamia, Persia, and Egypt.

The windows in our porch, dating from 1981, depict various scenes from the life of St. Bartholomew.

A detail from one of our porch windows showing Bartholomew converting King Polymius

Another detail from one of our porch windows showing Nathanael being introduced to Jesus by the Apostles Philip and John

St Bartholomew is often depicted carrying the knife that was used in his death, as in our statue of him in the church shown below.

​In Michelangelo’s famous fresco depicting The Last Judgment he is shown as holding his skin, knife in hand.

Detail showing St. Bartholomew as depicted by Michelangelo in his fresco The Last Judgement in the Sistine Chapel, Vatican

The manner in which he died led to him becoming the patron saint of tanners, leatherworkers, bookbinders, farmers, butchers, plasterers, housepainters, tailors, and glove makers. Both he and St. Jude are the patron saints of the Armenian Orthodox church.
 
We celebrate Saint Bartholomew's Feast Day on 24 August

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Prayer to Saint Bartholomew for Inner Peace and Tranquillity

O Saint Bartholomew!
 
You who were without stain or duplicity, I stand before you asking for emotional health and restoring the root of my nervous and emotional situation and/or crisis.
 
Assist me, O Holy Man of God, when the dark cloud of despair threatens my thinking; you who were tormented by a cruel martyrdom, pity my present need:
 
(request the favour needed)
 
Saint Bartholomew intercede for us who live in an agitated world where anguishes and fears, nervousness, anxieties and depression surround us and which, like tempestuous and stormy waves, stir within us.
 
O Saint Bartholomew!
 
Restore in us our inner peace and peace in our homes.
 
Show me that God is always with me and obtain for me the grace of experiencing peace and tranquillity in my life; that, following your steps of Holiness I may imitate your virtues, living a full life, without the stains or errors of corruptions of this world, so as to merit, like you, the praises of God and be able to one day enjoy the Beatitudes worthy of all holy people.
 
I implore this to God the Father, in the name of Jesus Christ Our Lord in union with the Holy Ghost. Amen
 
Saint Bartholomew, plead for me!

Saint Bartholomew - Angelo Inganni 1860 (1807-80)