Introduction.

Iconography.

Worship. Hymnography.

Troparion of the Apostle and Evangelist Matthew. Voice 3.

The Holy Evangelist Matthew is one of the twelve apostles. The worldly name of the saint, which he bore when ordinary life- Levi. He was the brother of the Apostle James Alpheus. Having received a classical education, he began to work as a tax collector, collecting taxes from the population. But one day his life changed, and an ordinary servant of the state heard the voice of the almighty Jesus Christ. The son of God called him after him, and Matthew abandoned all his secular concerns, completely devoting himself to spiritual life. From then on, Saint Matthew, together with other disciples of Jesus Christ, remained with Him inseparably.

On November 29 (16th Old Style) the church celebrates the memory of the holy Apostle and Evangelist Matthew.

The Apostle Matthew first preached in Palestine, and over time he went on a long journey to other countries. Before leaving, at the request of the Jews, he wrote the first Gospel, which we know as the “Gospel of Matthew.” It is written in Hebrew. It describes three aspects of Christ's ministry: as Prophet and Lawgiver, King over the invisible and visible world, and High Priest, offering sacrifice for the sins of all people. The saint’s wanderings passed through the territories of many states, such as Syria, Persia and Ethiopia.

IN last country he was overtaken by death, the story of which is very fascinating. The tribes of Ethiopia were pagan. They had their own customs and beliefs that ran counter to the faith of the apostle.

To convert the people to his faith, Matthew specially built a beautiful monastery for communication with God in the city of Mirmena. When he wanted to light a holy fire in this monastery, he met the wife and son of the ruler Fulvian. He changed their beliefs and purified their spirit, which the ruler himself did not like very much. He suspected and then accused Matthew of witchcraft and deception, and ordered his execution in the lowest possible way. They laid him face down, covered him with dry brushwood and set him on fire. But the hot fiery skeins did not harm the saint. Then Fulvian ordered to add wood to the fire, dousing it with resin and placing twelve pagan idols around it. But the flame melted these idols and scorched them. The frightened pagan asked for forgiveness and mercy. At the request of the evangelist, the flames subsided, and he met with the Lord. Later, the Ethiopian ruler ordered the body of Saint Matthew to be placed in an iron coffin and released into the sea, explaining that neither fire nor water should take a true righteous man. Fulvian promised that if the water did not touch the body of the greatest helper of Jesus Christ, then he would also accept his faith. The sacred coffin was washed ashore by a wave. After its discovery, everyone was surprised, because the body was unharmed. Then Fulvian ordered to build a temple in the name of St. Matthew on the territory of his country, where he himself was baptized and received the name Matthew. The doomed Matthew continued the work of his savior and devoted his life to enlightening his people, teaching them the sacred spiritual scriptures.

Saint Matthew read prayers daily and encouraged all his brothers and followers to do the same. Therefore, prayers to the saint are an integral part of honoring his memory. But you can and should pray not only on this day, but when necessary. Apostle Matthew is considered the heavenly patron of all customs officers, accountants and other financial services. Therefore, he is usually asked for protection and success in financial matters, promotion or promotion. Also, the Apostle Matthew can help in restoring justice in the event that you were treated unfairly by government agencies during an audit. In addition, he stands guard over the faith and strengthens it when asked to do so.

The Christian religion is a great field for study. According to the Bible, Jesus Christ had twelve disciples, followers, and apostles. Each of them, before meeting the Savior, lived his own life, performed duties, and played a certain role in society. The life stories of the apostles are extremely interesting. In this article we will talk about the life of the Apostle Matthew. The Akathist to the Apostle Matthew is read in all churches on Memorial Day - November 16.

Matthew before meeting the Savior

During the Roman Empire, people often had two names. So, the Apostle Matthew had another name - Levi. Matthew Levi was the son of Alphaeus and the brother of James - another of Jesus Christ. Matthew lived in his own house in the city of Capernaum, which was located on the coast of Judea, like other residents of the territories conquered by the Roman Empire, were obliged to pay taxes to the treasury of the empire. Tax collectors collected taxes. It is not surprising that people did not like those who held such a position, because very often publicans oppressed the people, abusing their job responsibilities, showed cruelty and unmercifulness. One of the tax collectors was Matthew Levi. Thanks to his position, he made a decent fortune. But Matthew, although he was a publican, still did not lose his human appearance.

How Matthew became a disciple of the Savior and an apostle

Matthew more than once heard the sermons of Christ, who settled in the same Capernaum, and saw the miracles he performed. The calling of the Apostle Matthew as a disciple occurred because the Lord saw how Matthew related to him, his teaching, and saw his readiness to believe and follow him. Jesus, accompanied by people, one day left the city and went to the sea. Just to the place where Matthew was collecting taxes from passing ships. Approaching the future apostle, the Lord told him to follow him. The Apostle Matthew, who strived for Christ with his heart and soul, did not hesitate to follow the Teacher. Matthew Levi, not believing himself that Jesus, a sinner, had chosen him, prepared a treat in his house. Everyone was invited to the celebration. Among the people present at the apostle’s house were tax collectors, as well as all his friends and relatives. Jesus sat down at the same table with publicans and sinners in order to give them a chance to repent and be saved with his word. The Apostle Matthew himself confirmed by his example the divine destiny of the Teacher, who said that he came to save sinners, but not the righteous. The future apostle left all his property and followed the Lord. Soon Matthew was added to the number of the twelve apostles.

Apostle and Evangelist Matthew

Matthew was a faithful disciple. Together with the rest of the apostles, he saw all the miracles performed by Jesus, listened to all his sermons, and accompanied him everywhere. Matthew himself went to people, trying to convey to them the teachings of Christ, and thereby giving them the opportunity to be saved.

The apostles, including Matthew, his brother Jacob Alpheus, as well as the Apostle Andrew, with a shudder of heart saw the arrest of the Teacher, His torment, death, and then the ascension. After the Lord ascended into heaven, the apostle, together with the rest of his disciples, preached the teachings of Christ - the Gospel - to the people of Galilee and Jerusalem. When the time came for the apostles to disperse throughout the world and convey the teachings of Christ to all nations, the Jews, the rest of the disciples and the Apostle Andrew, the very first of the called disciples of Jesus, expressed to Matthew their desire in writing to carry the teaching further. Matthew Levi, following the general desire, wrote his Gospel - the Gospel of Matthew.

This was the very first Gospel of the New Testament. This book was aimed primarily at conveying the teaching to the inhabitants of Palestine, and was written in Hebrew.

Conversion of people to faith by the Apostle Matthew

After the apostle left Jerusalem, he visited Syria, Persia, Parthia, Media, Ethiopia or India preaching the Gospel. Here he tried to convert a wild people of cannibals (anthropophagi) with animal customs and morals. (The Akathist to the Apostle Matthew is read on the day of his death in Ethiopia, November 16.) In a city called Mirmenah, at the very beginning of his stay in Ethiopia, the holy Apostle Matthew converted Christian faith several people, appointed a bishop and built a small temple. He prayed all the time for the whole tribe to convert. And then one day Matthew was on high mountain in fasting and prayer. God appeared to him in the form of a young man and handed the apostle a rod, telling Matthew to stick the rod more firmly at the temple. A tree with juicy and tasty fruits should have grown from the staff, and a source of clear water should have appeared from the base of the tree. Everyone who tasted the fruit was supposed to become meek and kind, and after drinking from the source, gain faith. The Apostle Matthew began to descend from the mountain with a rod, but the demon-possessed wife and son of the owner of the city, Fulvian, began to hinder the apostle, shouting that the apostle wanted to destroy them. Matthew cast out demons in the name of Christ. Both Fulvian's wife and son followed the apostle, becoming humble.

Miracle performed by the Apostle Matthew

In the city, near the temple, the apostle firmly stuck the rod, and a miracle happened before everyone’s eyes.

As the Lord told Matthew, a huge tree grew, unprecedented fruits appeared on the tree, and a stream began to flow from the foot of the tree. People gathered from all over the city to see this miracle, taste the fruits and drink water from the stream. The apostle stood on the dais and began to preach a sermon. Everyone who was nearby believed and was baptized in water from the spring. Fulvian's wife and son were also baptized. Fulvian, who initially treated him with respect and surprise, became very angry when he realized that new faith frees the people from idols. And the owner of the city decided to kill the Apostle Matthew.

Attempts to capture the Apostle Matthew

At night, Jesus himself appeared to the apostle and encouraged him, saying that he would not leave him in the torment that Matthew would have to go through. When Fulvian sent his soldiers to the temple to bring Matthew, they were surrounded by darkness, so much so that they could barely find their way back. Fulvian became even more angry and sent many more soldiers after the apostle. But even those soldiers could not grab Matthew, since the heavenly light that illuminated the apostle was so bright that the soldiers threw down their weapons and fled in horror. Then Fulvian himself and his escort came to the temple. But he suddenly became blind and began to ask Matthew to have mercy and forgive his sins. The apostle baptized the evil ruler. He gained the ability to see, but decided that this was only Matthew’s sorcery, and not the power of the Lord. Fulvian decided to burn the apostle.

The end of the life of Saint Matthew

Matthew was grabbed and nailed to the ground by his hands and feet with large nails. By order of the cruel Fulvian, branches, brushwood, sulfur, and resin were placed on top, believing that the apostle would burn.

Instead, the flame died out, and the holy Apostle Matthew, alive and unharmed, glorified the name of the Lord. Those present were horrified and also praised God. All except Fulvian. By his order, they brought even more branches and brushwood, placed it on top of the apostle, and poured resin on it. Fulvian placed twelve golden idols around the supposed fire, which he worshiped. He wanted to burn Matthew with their help. But Matthew, under the blazing flames, fervently prayed that the Lord would show his power and ridicule those who still trusted in idols. The flame turned towards the idols and melted them, scorching those standing nearby. Then he escaped from the flame and headed towards Fulvian, who wanted to run away in fear. Seeing the futility of trying to avoid the serpent, Fulvian prayed to Matthew, asking him to save him from death. The apostle extinguished the flame. The ruler wanted to receive Saint Matthew with honor, but the apostle offered a prayer to the Lord for the last time and died.

How Fulvian became Matthew

Fulvian ordered the unharmed body of the apostle to be dressed in expensive clothes and brought into the palace, but doubts about faith forced him to order to forge an iron ark for the remains and, having sealed it, lower it into the sea. The ruler decided that if God, who saved the apostle from the fire, did not allow the body to drown, then he would believe and renounce idols. At night, the bishop saw Matthew, who gave instructions on where to find his relics brought ashore by the sea. Fulvian also went to see this miracle, and, finally convinced of the power of the Lord, was baptized with the name Matthew. Thus, the calling of the Apostle Matthew by the Lord to become a disciple converted an entire people to the faith.

The exploits of the apostles are invaluable for the development of Christianity. Thus, with his life, the Apostle Matthew set an example for those around him. An icon with his image will remind every Christian of perseverance and feat in the name of the Lord. The life of the Apostle Matthew is an instructive story for everyone.

On November 29, the Orthodox Church celebrates the day of remembrance of the Apostle and Evangelist Matthew. In the churches of the Holy Trinity Sergius Lavra, at evening and morning services they remembered the works and exploits of the saint and prayerfully asked for his intercession. In the Holy Trinity Sergius Lavra in the Nikon chapel of the Trinity Cathedral, a particle of the relics of the Apostle Matthew is kept. The Sergiev Posad Museum-Reserve houses the Royal Doors from the Trinity Cathedral Laurel. One of the images that make up their composition is the icon of the Apostle and Evangelist Matthew.

Icon ap. Matthew. Fragment.

The Royal Doors from the Trinity Cathedral of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra,1420s.,

Sergiev Posad Museum-Reserve

Tradition preserves details of the saint's life. The lives of Dmitry of Rostov describe his works and exploits. The Gospels tell about him. It is known that Matthew, the son of Alphaeus, otherwise called Levi (Mark 2:14. Matt. 9:9. Luke 5:27), lived in the Galilean city of Capernaum. He was a wealthy man and held the position of publican. His compatriots despised and shunned him, like everyone else like him. But Matthew, although he was a sinner, at the same time was not only no worse, but also much better than the Pharisees who were proud of their imaginary external righteousness. And so the Lord fixed His Divine gaze on this despised publican. One day, during His stay in Capernaum, the Lord left the city and went to the sea, accompanied by the people. On the shore He saw Matthew sitting at the Mytnitsa. And he said to him:

Come after me!

Hearing these words of the Lord not only with the ears of the body, but also with the eyes of the heart, the publican immediately rose from his place and, leaving everything, followed Christ. Matthew did not hesitate, was not surprised that the Great Teacher and Wonderworker was calling him, the despised publican; he heeded His words with all his heart and unquestioningly followed Christ. In joy, Matthew prepared a great meal in his house. The Lord did not refuse the invitation and entered Matthew’s house. And many of his neighbors, friends and acquaintances, all publicans and sinners, gathered at Matthew’s house and reclined at the table with Jesus and His disciples. Some of the scribes and Pharisees also happened to be there. Seeing that the Lord does not disdain sinners and publicans, but reclines next to them, they grumbled and said to His disciples:

How is it that He eats and drinks with publicans and sinners?

The Lord, hearing their words, said to them:

It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

From that time on, Matthew, leaving all his property, followed Christ (Luke 5:28) and, as His faithful disciple, after that he was no longer separated from Him. Soon he was awarded membership among the 12 chosen Apostles (Matt. Chapter 10; Mark 3:13-19; Luke 6:13-16). Together with other disciples of the Lord, Matthew accompanied Him on travels through Galilee and Judea, listened to His Divine teaching, saw His countless miracles, went preaching to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, witnessed the suffering on the cross and the atoning death of the Savior and His glorious ascension into heaven.

After the Ascension of the Lord and the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles, Saint Matthew first remained in Palestine, together with the other Apostles, preaching the Gospel in Jerusalem and its environs. But now the time has come for the Apostles to disperse from Jerusalem to different peoples, to convert them to the faith of Christ. Before the Apostle's departure from Jerusalem, Jerusalem Christians asked him to leave for them the writings of the works and teachings of Jesus Christ. And Saint Matthew, fulfilling the common desire, wrote the Gospel, 8 years after the Ascension of Christ.

Holy Apostle Matthew

Having retired from Jerusalem, the holy Apostle Matthew preached the Gospel in many countries. Preaching the gospel of Christ, he went through Macedonia, Syria, Persia, Parthia and Media and went around all of Ethiopia, to which his lot fell, and enlightened it with the light of the mind of the Gospel. Finally, guided by the Holy Spirit, he came to the land of cannibals, to a black, bestial people, entered a city called Myrmene, and there, turning several souls to the Lord, appointed his companion Plato as their bishop and created a small church; He himself ascended a nearby mountain and remained on it in fasting, earnestly praying to God for the conversion of that unfaithful people. And the Lord appeared to him in the form of a beautiful youth, having right hand wand Giving the saint the rod, He commanded him to come down from the mountain and place the rod at the door of the church he had built.

“This rod,” said the Lord, “by My power will grow into a tall tree, and that tree will bear abundant fruit, surpassing in size and sweetness all other garden fruits; and from its root will flow a spring of pure water. Having washed in the water of the spring, the cannibals will receive a beautiful face, and anyone who tastes of that fruit will forget their brutal morals and become a kind and meek person.

Matthew, having accepted the rod from the hand of the Lord, came down from the mountain and went into the city to do what he was commanded. The ruler of that city, an Ethiopian prince named Fulvian, had a wife and son possessed by demons. Having met the Apostle on the way, they shouted at him in wild, threatening voices:

Who sent you here with this rod to our destruction?

The Apostle rebuked the unclean spirits and cast them out; those healed bowed to the Apostle and meekly followed him. Having learned about his arrival, Bishop Platon met him along with the clergy, and Saint Matthew, entering the city and approaching the church, did as he was told: he planted the rod given to him by the Lord, and immediately, in the sight of everyone, the rod became great a tree spreading many leafy branches, and beautiful fruits appeared on it, large and sweet, and a source of water flowed from the root.

Everyone who saw this was amazed. The whole city came together for such a miracle, and they ate the fruit of the tree and drank clean water. And the holy Apostle Matthew, standing on a high place, preached the word of God to the assembled people in their language; and immediately everyone believed in the Lord, and the Apostle baptized them in miraculous spring. And all the baptized cannibals, according to the word of the Lord, came out of the water with beautiful faces and white skin; they received not only physical, but also spiritual whiteness and beauty, putting off the old man and putting on the new man - Christ. Having learned about what had happened, the ruler at first rejoiced at the healing of his wife and son, but then, according to the teachings of the demons, he became angry with the apostle because all the people were coming to him, leaving their gods, and planned to destroy him. But that same night the Savior appeared to the Apostle, commanding him to take courage and promising to be with him in the coming tribulation. When morning came, and the Apostle in the church together with the believers sang the praises of God, the governor sent four soldiers to take him; but when they came to the temple of the Lord, darkness immediately enveloped them, and they could hardly return back. When they were asked why they did not bring Matthew, they answered:

We heard him talking, but we could not see or take him.

Fulvian became even more angry. He sent even more soldiers with weapons, commanding them to bring Matthew by force, and whoever resists and defends Matthew, to kill them. But these soldiers also returned with nothing, for when they approached the temple, heavenly light shone on the Apostle, and the soldiers, being unable to look at him, came to great fear and, throwing down their weapons, they ran back half-dead with fear. Fulvian was terribly furious and went with all his many servants, wanting to seize the apostle himself. But as soon as he managed to approach the apostle, he suddenly became blind. Then he began to beg the apostle to forgive him his sin and to enlighten his blinded eyes. The Apostle, having made the sign of the cross in front of the prince, gave him insight. The prince regained his sight, but only with his physical eyes, and not with his spiritual ones, for malice blinded him, and he attributed such a great miracle not to God’s power, but to sorcery. Taking the apostle by the hand, he led him to his palace, as if wanting to honor him, but in his heart slyly plotting to burn the apostle of the Lord like a sorcerer. But the apostle, foreseeing the secret movements of his heart and evil plans, denounced the ruler, saying:

Flattering tormentor! Will you soon do what you plan to do to me? Do what Satan has put in your heart, and I, as you see, am ready to endure everything for my God.

Then the prince ordered the soldiers to grab Saint Matthew and stretch him face up on the ground, and nail his hands and feet tightly. When this was done, the servants, at the command of the tormentor, collected a lot of branches and brushwood, brought resin and sulfur and, placing it all on Saint Matthew, lit it. But when the fire flared up with a great flame and everyone thought that the apostle of Christ had already been burned, suddenly the fire cooled and the flame died out and Saint Matthew found himself alive, unharmed and glorifying God. Seeing this, all the people were horrified by such a great miracle and gave praise to the God of the apostle. But Fulvian became even more furious. Not wanting to recognize the power of God in what happened, which preserved the preacher of Christ alive and undamaged from the fire, he brought a lawless accusation against the righteous man, calling him a sorcerer.

By magic,” he said, “Matthew extinguished the fire and remained alive in it.

Then he ordered to bring even more firewood, branches and brushwood and, laying it on Matthew, lit it, and poured resin on top; in addition, he ordered to bring twelve of his golden idols and, placing them in a circle of fire, called on them for help, so that by their power Matthew could not get rid of the flame, and would turn to ashes. The Apostle, in the flames, prayed to the Lord that He would show His invincible power, reveal the powerlessness of the pagan gods and shame those who trusted in them.

And suddenly a fiery flame with terrible thunder rushed towards the golden idols and they melted from the fire like wax, and in addition, many of the infidels standing around were scorched; and from the melted idols a flame came out in the form of a serpent and rushed towards Fulvian, threatening him, so that he could not run away and get rid of the danger until he cried out with humble prayer to the apostle for deliverance from destruction.

The Apostle rebuked the fire, and immediately the flame went out and the likeness fire snake disappeared. Fulvian wanted to honorably deliver the saint from the fire, but he, having made a prayer, gave up his holy soul into the hands of God. Then the prince ordered to bring a golden bed and lay on it the honorable body of the Apostle, undamaged by the fire, and, dressing him in precious clothes, he lifted him up together with his nobles and brought him into his palace. But he did not yet have perfect faith, and therefore he ordered to forge an iron ark, fill it tightly with tin on all sides and throw it into the sea, while saying to his nobles:

If the One who preserved Matthew whole from the fire will also preserve him from drowning in water, then truly He is the One God, and we will worship Him, leaving behind all our gods who could not save themselves from destruction in the fire.

After this iron ark with the holy relics was thrown into the sea, the saint appeared to Bishop Plato at night, saying:

Tomorrow go to the seashore east of the princely palace and there take my relics, which were brought to land.

In the morning, the bishop, accompanied by many believers, went to the shown place and found an iron ark with the relics of St. Apostle Matthew, as he had been told in a vision.

Having learned about this, the ruler came with his nobles and, this time having fully believed in our Lord Jesus Christ, was baptized, having received the name of the Apostle in baptism, the prince tried to be an imitator of the life of the Apostle: he soon transferred his princely power to another, and completely refused from the vanity of the world, devoted himself to prayer in the Church of God and was awarded the priesthood by Bishop Plato. And when, after three years, the bishop died, the holy Apostle Matthew, who had left the princely presbyter Matthew, appeared in a vision and exhorted him to accept the episcopal throne after blessed Plato. Having accepted the episcopacy, Matthew worked well in the gospel of Christ and, having turned many away from idolatry, led them to God, and then he himself went to Him, after a long godly life, and, standing with the holy evangelist Matthew before the throne of God, to pray to the Lord for us, so that we were heirs of the eternal kingdom of God. Amen.

November 29 is the day of the Angel of the ever-memorable monk of the Holy Trinity Sergius Lavra, Archimandrite Matthew (Mormyl), musical soul Laurel St. Sergius over many decades of XX and beginning of the XXI century.

The joint choir of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra and Moscow theological schools under the direction of Archimandrite Matthew sounded at all festive church events in Russia; Having performed abroad many times, he presented Russian church singing art to the world. These performances were of great missionary significance. During the years of Soviet persecution, when the Church was presented as something archaic, as some kind of superstition and prejudice, the highest examples of church culture and church singing testified precisely to the fact that the Church is the most living and most creative thing that exists on earth.

On the day of remembrance of the Apostle and Evangelist Matthew, his heavenly patron, the chief regent of the united choir of the Holy Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius and the Moscow Theological Schools, Archimandrite Matthew always led the divine service as a priest.

Possessing extraordinary musical and organizational talent, Father Matthew tried to make church singing in such a way that it brought the souls of believers into a prayerful and reverent state. When he passed away, he left behind a whole direction in church singing, his own style, his own school. He left behind followers and students with whom he shared his amazing gift, thus multiplying the talents given to him by the Lord.

Eternal memory to our ever-memorable father Archimandrite Matthew!

On the occasion of the name day of the legendary regent of the Lavra choir, Archimandrite Matthew (Mormyl), we present to your attention photographs from the archives of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra.