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St Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist

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St. Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist Feast Day and Greek Name Day

 

St. Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist is honored in the Orthodox Christian Church as one of the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ and the author of the first Gospel. His feast day is celebrated on November 16, and on this day people named Matthew, Mathew, Matt, Mat, Matthaios, and Matteo, among other variations, celebrate their Greek name day.

 

Who Was St. Matthew the Apostle

St. Matthew was originally a tax collector, a profession that was often disliked in ancient Jewish society because tax collectors worked for the Roman authorities.

Despite this, Jesus called Matthew to follow Him, and Matthew immediately left his work to become one of Christ’s disciples.

 

One of the Twelve Apostles

As one of the Twelve Apostles, Matthew traveled with Jesus during His ministry and witnessed many of the events described in the Gospels.

He later became one of the early leaders who helped spread the Christian faith after the Resurrection of Christ.

 

The Gospel of Matthew

St. Matthew is traditionally credited with writing the Gospel of Matthew, one of the four canonical Gospels of the New Testament.

This Gospel places strong emphasis on the teachings of Jesus and presents Him as the fulfillment of the prophecies of the Old Testament.

 

Greek Name Day for Matthew

Because St. Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist is commemorated on November 16, this date is also the Greek name day for:

 

Matthew

Mathew

Matt

Mat

Matthaios

Matteo

 

In Greek culture, celebrating a name day is often just as important as celebrating a birthday. Friends and family commonly offer well wishes or visits to honor the person whose name is being celebrated.

 

When St. Matthew Is Celebrated

The feast of St. Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist is observed each year on November 16 in the Greek Orthodox Church. The day commemorates the apostle who left his former life behind to follow Christ and later helped record the teachings of Jesus in the Gospel bearing his name.

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