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Bartholomew the Apostle

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Saint

Bartholomew the Apostle
St BartholomewbyRubens,c. 1611
ApostleandMartyr
Born1st century AD
Cana,Galilee,Roman Empire
Diedc. 69/71 AD
Albanopolis,Kingdom of Armenia[1][2][3][4]
Venerated inAllChristian denominationswhich venerate saints
Majorshrine
Feast
Attributes
Patronage

Bartholomew[a]was one of thetwelve apostles of Jesusaccording to theNew Testament.Most scholars today identify Bartholomew asNathanael,[6]who appears in theGospel of John(1:45–51; cf. 21:2).[7][8][9]

Bartholomew the Apostle, detail of the mosaic in theBasilica of San Vitale,Ravenna,6th century

New Testament references

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The nameBartholomew(Greek:Βαρθολομαῖος,transliterated "Bartholomaios" ) comes from theImperial Aramaic:בר-תולמיbar-Tolmay"son ofTalmai"[10]or "son of the furrows".[10]Bartholomew is listed in theNew Testamentamong the Twelve Apostles ofJesusin the threeSynoptic Gospels:Matthew,[11]Mark,[12]andLuke,[13]and inActs of the Apostles.[14]

Tradition

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Eusebius of Caesarea'sEcclesiastical History(5:10) states that after theAscension,Bartholomew went on amissionarytour to India, where he left behind a copy of the Gospel of Matthew. Tradition narrates that he served as a missionary inMesopotamiaandParthia,as well asLycaoniaandEthiopiain other accounts.[15] Popular traditions say that Bartholomew preached the Gospel in India and then went to Greater Armenia.[10]

Mission to India

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Two ancient testimonies exist about the mission of Saint Bartholomew in India. These are by Eusebius of Caesarea (early 4th century) and bySaint Jerome(late 4th century). Both of these refer to this tradition while speaking of the reported visit ofSaint Pantaenusto India in the 2nd century.[16]The studies of Fr A.C. Perumalil SJ and Moraes hold that the Bombay region on theKonkancoast, a region which may also have been known as the ancient cityKalyan,was the field of Saint Bartholomew's missionary activities. Previously the consensus among scholars was at least skeptical about an apostolate of Saint Bartholomew in India. Stallings (1703), Neander (1853), Hunter (1886), Rae (1892), Zaleski (1915) supported it, while scholars such as Sollerius (1669), Carpentier (1822), Harnack (1903), Medlycott (1905), Mingana (1926), Thurston (1933), Attwater (1935), etc. do not. The main argument is that the India that Eusebius and Jerome refer to should be identified asEthiopiaorArabia Felix.[16]

In Armenia

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Saint Bartholomew Monasteryat the site of the Apostle's martyrdom in historical Armenia, now ruinous

Along with his fellow apostleJude "Thaddeus",Bartholomew is reputed to have brought Christianity to Armenia in the 1st century. Thus, both saints are considered thepatron saintsof theArmenian Apostolic Church.According to these traditions, Bartholomew is the secondCatholicos-Patriarchof theArmenian Apostolic Church.[17]

Christian tradition offers three accounts of Bartholomew's death: "One speaks of his being kidnapped, beaten unconscious, and cast into the sea todrown."

In the Hellenic tradition, Bartholomew was executed inAlbanopolisin Armenia, where he was martyred for having converted Polymius, the local king, to Christianity. Enraged by the monarch's conversion, and fearing a Roman backlash, King Polymius's brother, Prince Astyages, ordered Bartholomew's torture and execution. However, this version of the story appears ahistorical, as there are no records of any Armenian king of theArsacid dynasty of Armeniawith the name "Polymius". Other accounts of his martyrdom name the king as either Agrippa (identified withTigranes VI), orSanatruk,king of Armenia.[18]

The 13th-centurySaint Bartholomew Monasterywas a prominent Armenian monastery constructed at the presumed site of Bartholomew's martyrdom inVaspurakan,Greater Armenia (now in southeastern Turkey).[19]

In present-day Azerbaijan

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Saint Bartholomew Church (Baku)before the destruction

Saint Bartholomew Church (Baku)was built in 1892 with donations from the local Christian population.[20]The Azerbaijani government promotes a narrative of St. Bartholomew being martyred in the area near theMaiden Tower.

Veneration

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Main article:Feast of Saint Bartholomew

TheArmenian Apostolic Churchhonours Saint Bartholomew andSaint Thaddeusas its patron saints.

TheEastern Orthodox Churchvenerates Bartholomew on June 11.[21]Bartholomew is also venerated on August 25 in commemoration of the transfer of Bartholomew's relics.[22]He is also venerated as one of the twelve apostles on June 30.[23]

In theSynaxariumof theCoptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria,Bartholomew'smartyrdomis commemorated on the first day of theCoptic calendar(i.e., the first day of the month ofThout), which currently falls on 11 September (corresponding to 29 August in theJulian calendar).

In the current Roman General Calendar Saint Bartholomew's feast occurs on 24 August.[24]

Bartholomew the Apostle isrememberedin theChurch of Englandwith aFestivalon 24 August.[25][26]

Relics

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Altar of San Bartolomeo Basilica inBenevento,containing the relics of Bartholomew

The 6th-century writerTheodorus Lectoraverred that in about 507, the Byzantine emperorAnastasius I Dicorusgave the body of Bartholomew to the city ofDaras,in Mesopotamia, which he had recently refounded.[27]The existence of relics atLipari,a small island off the coast ofSicily,in the part of Italy controlled from Constantinople, was explained byGregory of Tours[28]by his body having miraculously washed up there. A large piece of his skin and many bones that were kept in the Cathedral of St. Bartholomew in Lipari, were translated toBeneventoin 838, where they are still kept in the Basilica San Bartolomeo. A portion of the relics was given in 983 byOtto II, Holy Roman Emperor,to Rome, where it is conserved atSan Bartolomeo all'Isola,which was founded on the site of the temple ofAsclepius,in pagan times an important Roman medical centre. This association with medicine caused Bartholomew's name to become associated in course of time with hospitals.[29]A part of Bartholomew's alleged skull was transferred to theFrankfurt Cathedral,while an arm was venerated inCanterbury Cathedral.[citation needed] In 2003, PatriarchBartholomew I of Constantinoplebrought some of the remains of St. Bartholomew to Baku as a gift to Azerbaijani Christians, and these remains are now kept in theHoly Myrrhbearers Cathedral.[30]

Saint Bartholomew has been credited with several miracles.[31]

Art and literature

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In artistic depictions, Bartholomew is most commonly depicted holding hisflayedskin and the knife with which he was skinned.[32]Of this a well known example is featured inMichelangelo'sLast Judgement.

Not rarely, Bartholomew is shown draping his own skin around his body.[33]Moreover, representations of Bartholomew with a chained demon are common in Spanish painting.[33]

St Bartholomew Manuscript Leaf with the Martyrdom of Saint Bartholomew, from a 'Laudario', byPacino di Bonaguidac. 1340Florence
The Martyrdom of Saint BartholomewbyJusepe de Ribera(1634)

St. Bartholomew is the most prominent flayed Christian martyr;[34]During the 16th century, images of the flaying of Bartholomew were popular and this detail came to become a virtual constant of iconography.[33][32]An echo of concentration on these details is found in medieval heraldry regarding Bartholomew, which depicts "flaying knives with silver blades and gold handles, on a red field."[35]

Saint Bartholomew is often depicted in lavish medieval manuscripts.[36]Bearing in mind that manuscripts are in fact made from flayed and manipulated skin, they hold a strong visual and cognitive association with the saint during the medieval period.[36]

Florentine artistPacino di Bonaguida,depicts his martyrdom in a complex and striking composition in hisLaudarioof Sant'Agnese, a book of Italian Hymns produced for the Compagnia di Sant'Agnesec. 1340.[34]In the five-scene, narrative-based image, three torturers flay Bartholomew's legs and arms as he is immobilised and chained to a gate. On the right, the saint wears his own skin tied around his neck while he kneels in prayer before a rock, his severed head lying on the ground.

A further depiction is that of theFlaying of St. Bartholomewin theLuttrell Psalterc. 1325–1340. There, Bartholomew is depicted lying on a surgical table, surrounded by tormentors while he is flayed with golden knives.[37]

Martyrdoms of St. Francis, St. Claire, St. Bartholomew, and St. Catherine of Alexandria
Reliquary shutters with theMartyrdoms of St. Francis, St. Claire, St. Bartholomew, and St. Catherine of AlexandriabyGuido da Siena

Due to the nature of his martyrdom, Bartholomew is thepatron saintoftanners,plasterers,tailors,leatherworkers,bookbinders,farmers,housepainters,butchers,and glove makers.[38][33]In works of art the saint has been depicted being skinned by tanners, as inGuido da Siena's reliquary shutters with theMartyrdoms of St. Francis, St. Claire, St. Bartholomew, and St. Catherine of Alexandria.[39]Popular inFlorenceand other areas inTuscany,the saint also came to be associated with salt, oil, and cheese merchants.[40]

The Martyrdom of Saint Bartholomew(1634) byJusepe de Riberadepicts Bartholomew's final moments before being flayed alive. The viewer is meant to empathize with Bartholomew, whose body seemingly bursts through the surface of the canvas, and whose outstretched arms embrace a mystical light that illuminates his flesh. His piercing eyes, open mouth, and petitioning left hand bespeak an intense communion with the divine; yet this same hand draws our attention to the instruments of his torture, symbolically positioned in the shape of a cross. Transfixed by Bartholomew's active faith, the executioner seems to have stopped short in his actions, and his furrowed brow and partially illuminated face suggest a moment of doubt, with the possibility of conversion.[41]The representation of Bartholomew's demise in the National Gallery painting differs significantly from all other depictions by Ribera. By limiting the number of participants to the main protagonists of the story (the saint, his executioner, one of the priests who condemned him, and one of the soldiers who captured him), and presenting them half-length and filling the picture space, the artist rejected an active, movemented composition for one of intense psychological drama. The cusping along all four edges shows that the painting has not been cut down: Ribera intended the composition to be just such a tight, restricted presentation, with the figures cut off and pressed together.[42]

Although Bartholomew's death is commonly depicted in artworks of a religious nature, his story has also been used to represent anatomical depictions of the human body devoid of flesh. An example of this can be seen inMarco d'Agrate'sSt Bartholomew Flayed(1562) where Bartholomew is depicted wrapped in his own skin with every muscle, vein and tendon clearly visible, acting as a clear description of the muscles and structure of the human body.[43]

This idea has influenced some contemporary artists to create an artwork depicting an anatomical study of a human body is found amongst withGunther Von Hagens'sThe Skin Man(2002) andDamien Hirst'sExquisite Pain(2006). Within Gunther Von Hagens's body of work calledBody Worldsa figure reminiscent of Bartholomew holds up his skin. This figure is depicted in actual human tissues (made possible by Hagens's plastination process) to educate the public about the inner workings of the human body and to show the effects of healthy and unhealthy lifestyles.[44]InExquisite Pain2006,Damien Hirstdepicts St Bartholomew with a high level of anatomical detail with his flayed skin draped over his right arm, a scalpel in one hand and a pair of scissors in the other. The inclusion of scissors was inspired byTim Burton's filmEdward Scissorhands(1990).[45]

Bartholomew plays a part inFrancis Bacon'sUtopiantaleNew Atlantis,about a mythical isolated land, Bensalem, populated by a people dedicated to reason and natural philosophy. Some twenty years after the ascension of Christ the people of Bensalem find an ark floating off their shore. The ark contains a letter as well as the books of the Old and New Testaments. The letter is from Bartholomew the Apostle and declares that an angel told him to set the ark and its contents afloat. Thus the scientists of Bensalem receive the revelation of the Word of God.[46]

Culture

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The festival in August has been a traditional occasion for markets and fairs, such as theBartholomew Fairwhich was held inSmithfield, London,from the Middle Ages,[47]and which served as the scene forBen Jonson's1614 homonymous comedy.

St Bartholomew's Street Fair is held inCrewkerne,Somerset,annually at the start of September.[48]The fair dates back toSaxontimes and the major traders' market was recorded in theDomesday Book.St Bartholomew's Street Fair, Crewkerne is reputed to have been granted its charter in the time ofHenry III(1207–1272). The earliest surviving court record was made in 1280, which can be found in theBritish Library.[citation needed]

In Islam

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TheQur'anicaccount of thedisciplesofJesusdoes not include their names, numbers, or any detailed accounts of their lives. Muslimexegesis,however, more or less agrees with theNew Testamentlist and holds that the disciples includedPeter,Philip,Thomas,Bartholomew,Matthew,Andrew,James,Jude,James the Less,JohnandSimon the Zealot.[49]

See also

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References

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Notes

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  1. ^Aramaic:ܒܪ ܬܘܠܡܝ;Ancient Greek:Βαρθολομαῖος,romanized:Bartholomaîos;Latin:Bartholomaeus;Armenian:Բարթողիմէոս;Coptic:ⲃⲁⲣⲑⲟⲗⲟⲙⲉⲟⲥ;Hebrew:בר-תולמי,romanized:bar-Tôlmay;Arabic:بَرثُولَماوُس,romanized:Barthulmāwus

Citations

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  1. ^"Saint Bartholomew | Christian Apostle | Britannica".www.britannica.com.Retrieved30 November2022.
  2. ^"Lives of the Saints: August: 24. St. Bartholomew, Apostle".sacred-texts.com.Retrieved24 August2024.
  3. ^Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible by David Noel Freedman, Allen C. Myers, and Astrid B. Beck,2000,page 152: "... Bartholomew preached to the Indians and died at Albanopolis in Armenia). It was condemned in the Gelasian decree, referred..."
  4. ^The Untold Story of the New Testament Church: An Extraordinary Guide to Understanding the New Testament by Frank Viola,page 170: "... one of the Twelve, is beaten and crucified in Albanopolis, Armenia...."
  5. ^Curtin, D. P. (July 2015).Jacobite Arab Synaxarium- Volume I.Dalcassian Publishing Company.ISBN9781088061237.
  6. ^Green, McKnight & Marshall 1992,p. 180.
  7. ^"What Do We Know about Nathanael – the Disciple without Deceit? - Topical Studies".Bible Study Tools.6 September 2022.Retrieved24 August2024.
  8. ^"Meet the Apostle Nathanael, a 'True Israelite'".Learn Religions.Retrieved24 August2024.
  9. ^Raymond F. Collins, "Nathanael 3," inThe Anchor Bible Dictionary,vol. 4 (New York: Doubleday), p. 1031.
  10. ^abcButler & Burns 1998,p. 232.
  11. ^10:1–4
  12. ^3:13–19
  13. ^6:12–16
  14. ^1:13
  15. ^Encyclopædia Britannica,Micropædia. vol. 1, p. 924. Chicago: Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 1998.ISBN0-85229-633-9.
  16. ^ab"Mission of Saint Bartholomew, the Apostle in India".Nasranis.10 October 2014.Retrieved24 August2020.
  17. ^Gilman, Ian; Klimkeit, Hans-Joachim (11 January 2013).Christians in Asia before 1500.Routledge.ISBN9781136109782.
  18. ^Curtin, D. P. (January 2014).The Martyrdom of St. Bartholomew: Greek, Arabic, and Armenian Versions.Dalcassian Publishing Company.ISBN9798868951473.
  19. ^"The Condition of the Armenian Historical Monuments in Turkey".raa.am.Retrieved24 August2020.
  20. ^"Bakıda məzarı tapılan İsa peyğəmbərin apostolu Varfolomey".qaynarinfo.az.Retrieved28 April2021.
  21. ^"Apostle Bartholomew of the Twelve".Orthodox Church in America.Archivedfrom the original on 11 June 2023.Retrieved21 July2023.
  22. ^"Return of the Relics of the Apostle Bartholomew from Anastasiopolis to Lipari".Orthodox Church in America.Archivedfrom the original on 21 July 2023.Retrieved21 July2023.
  23. ^"Synaxis of the Holy, Glorious and All-Praised Twelve Apostles".Orthodox Church in America.Archivedfrom the original on 30 June 2023.Retrieved21 July2023.
  24. ^"24 AVQUST – MÜQƏDDƏS HƏVARİ BARTALMAYIN BAYRAMI".catholic.az.
  25. ^"The Calendar".The Church of England.Retrieved27 March2021.
  26. ^Damo-Santiago 2014.
  27. ^Smith & Cheetham 1875,p. 179.
  28. ^Gregory,De Gloria Martyrum,i.33.
  29. ^Attwater & John 1995.
  30. ^"KONSTANTİNOPOL PATRİARXI I VARFOLOMEY AZƏRBAYCANA GƏLMİŞDİR".azertag.az.16 April 2003.Retrieved28 April2021.
  31. ^"Golden Legend: Life of St. Bartholomew the Apostle".www.christianiconography.info.Retrieved21 December2021.
  32. ^abCrane 2014,p. 5.
  33. ^abcdGiorgi 2003,p. 51.
  34. ^abMittman & Sciacca 2017,pp. viii, 141.
  35. ^Post 2018,p. 12.
  36. ^abKay 2006,pp. 35–74.
  37. ^Mittman & Sciacca 2017,pp. 42.
  38. ^Bissell 2016.
  39. ^Decker & Kirkland-Ives 2017,p. ii.
  40. ^West 1996.
  41. ^"The Martyrdom of Saint Bartholomew".nga.gov.Retrieved24 August2020.
  42. ^DeGrazia & Garberson 1996,p. 410.
  43. ^"The statue of St Bartholomew in the Milan Duomo".Duomo di Milano.29 June 2018. Archived fromthe originalon 31 October 2018.Retrieved30 October2018.
  44. ^"Philosophy".Body Worlds.Archived fromthe originalon 9 June 2019.Retrieved30 October2018.
  45. ^Dorkin 2003.
  46. ^Bacon 1942.
  47. ^Cavendish 2005.
  48. ^"About the Fair".Crewkerne Charter Fair, Somerset – (Formerly St.Bartholomew's Street Fair).Retrieved24 August2020.
  49. ^Noegel & Wheeler 2002,p. 86: Muslim exegesis identifies the disciples of Jesus as Peter, Andrew, Matthew, Thomas, Philip, John, James, Bartholomew, and Simon

Sources

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Further reading

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