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Bartholomew the Apostle (August 24th) is listed in three Gospels (Mark, Matthew, and Luke) as one of Jesus’ original twelve disciples (he is also named in Acts). Since the name “Bartholomew” is a familial identification that means “son of Tolmai,” it is probably not his individual, proper name. Many scholars identify Bartholomew with Nathanael, who is named as one of Jesus’ followers in John’s Gospel. There is a good case for this. John never mentions a Bartholomew, and the other Gospels never name Nathanael. The first three Gospels consistently link Philip and Bartholomew, and John says Philip and Nathanael came together to follow Christ.
Some reliable sources note that Bartholomew himself wrote a Gospel, the existence of which was known as late as the eighth century but now is lost. The earliest historical information we have about Bartholomew comes from the period 150-200. A teacher visiting India wrote that he had encountered a Christian community there that revered Bartholomew as its founder. They showed him a copy of Matthew’s Gospel, written in Hebrew, that they said Bartholomew had left to their forebears.
Many other regions have ancient traditions that Bartholomew preached among them (including modern-day Iran and Iraq). One of the most attested is that he made many converts in Armenia before being flayed alive there on orders of a barbarian king. Bartholomew appears in Michelangelo’s Last Judgment in the Sistine Chapel holding his own flayed skin over one arm. Happier associations are found in folk traditions. One says that rain during a week around his calendar day blesses the potato crop. Another says: “If St. Bartlemy’s Day be fair and clear, We may hope for a prosperous autumn that year.”
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