Apostle and Evangelist
Feast day August 24th
Bartholomew means "son of Tolomai" and scholars believe he is the same person as Nathanael mentioned by John, who says he is from Cana. He is often linked with St. Phillip.
Philip found Nathanael, (Bartholomew) and said to him, "We have found him of whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see."
Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and said of him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no guile!" Nathanael said to him, "How do you know me?" Jesus answered him, "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you." Nathanael answered him, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!" Jesus answered him, "Because I said to you, I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? You shall see greater things than these." And he said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man." (John 1: 45-51). Bartholomew was to witness the Resurrection of our Lord.
When the Apostles spread throughout the whole world in order to announce the Gospel to all the peoples of the earth, Bartholomew was assigned to Mesopotamia, Persia, Egypt, Lycaonia, Phrygia, and on the shores of the Black Sea.
In order to fill himself entirely with the Gospel truths, he always carried the Gospel of Saint Matthew with him on his journeys. This was the treasure in which he placed all his confidence for securing the salvation of the souls whom he converted in great numbers.
It was his assignment to preach in Armenia that led to his death. While there he persuaded the king, Polymius, the queen, the whole royal family, and the population of twelve cities in the kingdom to make public professions of faith and commit to the law of Jesus Christ. Legend has the place as Abanopolis on the west coast of the Caspian Sea.
Bartholomew was held in high esteem and veneration, and was looked upon as an extraordinary man whom God had sent to save them from their blindness and ignorance, and to provide their means of salvation. Since Bartholomew knew that he could not succeed in apostolic work without the special help of God, he faithfully prayed and frequently asked God to touch their hearts.
The great number of conversions brought about by this saint caused him great persecution by the priests in the region who were very opposed to the establishment of the Christian religion. The priests believed that if they caused Bartholomew death they would destroy Christianity. This led them to incite the king's brother, King Astyages, to make an attempt on his life.
King Astyages was so inhuman and filled with hatred for Saint Bartholomew, he had him flayed alive, crucified, and then cut off his head. His relics were said to have been interred on the island of Lipara and eventually sent to Benevento, Italy, then on to Rome, where the church of Saint Bartholomew on Isola San Bartolomeo in the Tiber claims them. One of his arms was said to have been given to Canterbury in the 11th century by King Canute's wife, Queen Emma.
Bartholomew is the patron of bookbinders, butchers, corn-chandlers, dyers, glovers, furriers, leather-workers, plasterers, shoemakers, tailors, tanners, vine-growers, and Florentine salt and cheese merchants. He is invoked against nervous disorders and twitchings
In our window, he is holding a copy of the Scriptures, and the knife is the instrument of his martyrdom.