From the Acts of the Apostles we learn that St. Mathias had been one of the companions of our Saviour from the day of His baptism by St. John. For when there was a question of electing an Apostle to take the place of Judas, St Peter said “of these men who have been in our company all the time that the Lord Jesus moved among us from John’s baptism until the day He was taken up from us, one must become a witness with us of His Resurrection”.
Two men were proposed, Barsabas and Mathias and Mathias was chosen. According to an ancient tradition handed down by Clement of Alexandria and confirmed by Eusebius and St. Jerome, St. Mathias was one of the seventy-two disciples of our Lord.
Pope Clement of Alexandria writes that St. Mathias was remarkable for inculcating the necessity of mortifying the flesh with its irregular passions and desires. According to the Greeks, St Mathias suffered martyrdom in Colchis, today called Ethiopia in Africa. Colchis was then a district of Asia Minor, situated on the shores of the Black Sea, south of the Caucasus Mountain.
There is great honour in doing good and dying for it.
St. Mathias, pray for us. Happy feast day to all Mathias.
Compiled by Elvira Kudiabor
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