Feast Day: August 24
Title: Apostle and Martyr
Patron Saint of:

• Tanners and leather workers

• Butchers and meat cutters

• Bookbinders

• Shoemakers

• Neurological diseases

• Plasterers

• Armenia

A Faithful Witness to Christ in Distant Lands

Saint Bartholomew, one of the original Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ, is traditionally identified with Nathanael—whom Jesus praised as a man “in whom there is no deceit” (John 1:47). Called by Christ through the Apostle Philip, Bartholomew quickly responded to the Lord’s invitation and became a faithful disciple.

Though the Gospels offer little detail about him, the legacy of Saint Bartholomew lives on through ancient Church tradition, which tells of his missionary journeys to regions such as India, Mesopotamia, Persia, Egypt, and particularly Armenia. There, he is believed to have converted King Polymius to Christianity, which enraged local pagan priests. As a result, Bartholomew was captured, tortured, and martyred in an especially brutal manner: flayed alive and then beheaded.

Legacy and Veneration

Saint Bartholomew’s relics were eventually brought to Rome and are enshrined in the Basilica of St. Bartholomew on Tiber Island. His name appears in all ancient lists of the Twelve Apostles, and he is honored as a courageous and zealous preacher of the Gospel.

In sacred art, Bartholomew is often depicted holding a flaying knife or his own skin, symbolizing the manner of his martyrdom. Michelangelo’s famous Last Judgment fresco in the Sistine Chapel includes an image of Saint Bartholomew holding his skin—believed to be a self-portrait of the artist.

Prayer for the Intercession of Saint Bartholomew

O Glorious Saint Bartholomew, Apostle and Martyr, faithful follower of Christ, intercede for us. Strengthen us in times of doubt, give courage to proclaim our faith boldly, and obtain for us the grace to remain steadfast in love and truth. Amen.