St Matthew left his lucrative work as a tax collector when Jesus called him. He became one of the Twelve Apostles, wrote one of the four gospels, and was likely martyred in the first century.
Read the full St Matthew novena on the novena page. You can also learn more about novenas here.
What is St Matthew the Patron Saint of?
St Matthew is the patron saint of managing money, bankers, and financial wisdom.
St Matthew left his lucrative work as a tax collector when Jesus called him. He became one of the Twelve Apostles, wrote one of the four gospels, and was likely martyred in the first century.
St Matthew was the son of Alpheus. He worked in Capernaum and exacted Roman taxes from his fellow Jewish people. Because of this, he was hated.
Jesus encountered him and said, “follow me,” at which point Matthew left his tax collector booth and became one of Christ’s Apostles.
St Matthew’s gospel was written in Aramaic and its primary audience at the time was his fellow Jews, hoping to show them that Jesus was the promised Messiah.
According to tradition, sometime between 40 and 50 AD he traveld to Parthia, Persia, and perhaps Ethiopia, preaching the gospel.
It is not known with certainty whether he was martyred, but given the fate of almost all the other Apostles, it is likely.
Saint Matthew’s symbol is the Angel, one of the four living creatures of Revelation 4:7. In many churches you will see the four gospel writers with their associated symbol.
Matthew is the patron saint of bankers and managing money.
St Matthew’s feast day is September 21st.