21/09/2026
St. Matthew the Apostle, also known as Matthew the Evangelist, was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus and is traditionally regarded as the author of the Gospel of Matthew.
According to the Gospels, Matthew was a tax collector—also called Levi—when Jesus called him to become a disciple. Matthew immediately left his work and followed Jesus (Matthew 9:9). His conversion is especially significant because tax collectors were widely disliked and associated with the Roman system, yet Jesus chose him as an apostle.
Matthew's Gospel particularly emphasizes Jesus as the promised Messiah, the fulfillment of the Hebrew Scriptures, the Kingdom of Heaven, and Jesus' teachings, including the Sermon on the Mount.
In Christian art, St. Matthew is commonly represented by a winged man or angel, one of the four traditional symbols of the Evangelists. He is the patron saint of accountants, bankers, tax collectors, and financial workers.
His feast day is celebrated on September 21 in the Roman Catholic Church. A traditional prayer associated with his example is: St. Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist, pray for us.