was the evangelist who was a Jew and a tax-collector 
	referred to as Levi before he was called by Christ, Whom 
	be followed. He is the author of the First Gospel. In his 
	genealogy of Jesus Christ, he emphasizes the Lord's human 
	nature and origin. Therefore, in Christian symbolism, 
	Matthew has been represented by the figure of man 
	(cf Rev 4:7). The icon of Matthew in the Orthodox Church 
	is to be found in one of the four triangles which are 
	formed by the arches connected to the dome of the Church. 
	Any reference to the Apostle Saint Matthew, author of the 
	first book of the New Testament, is made with such 
	solemnity and reverence that speaking of him as a man 
	seems almost sacrilegious, so close to the divine is he 
	considered. But when Jesus came upon Matthew, he was a 
	man who could scarcely be viewed with little but contempt 
	by the human eye; the divine insight of Christ, however, 
	saw in this man which he beckoned to his service that 
	spark of greatness invisible to the rest of the world. 
	t is doubtful that Matthew himself was aware of what lay 
	dormant in him that was to place him in the forefront of 
	Christianity. 
	
	Matthew was a native of Cana, the scene of the wedding 
	feast at which Jesus performed his first miracle of 
	changing the water to wine. He became a tax collector for 
	the Roman government, a position that has endeared non oe 
	to the taxpayer at any time in history, but which in the 
	time of Christ, when the populace was taxed to excess, was 
	deemed second in unpopularity only to the executioner. 
	Jesus was traveling on the Mediterranean Damascus road 
	when he came upon Matthew who was stationed there in his 
	inglorious pursuit. Standing at a lake near the city of 
	Capernaum, Matthew's gaze met the Lord's and Jesus spoke 
	to him, uttering only two words: "Follow me." 
	
	Thus, in most unceremonious fashion did the divinity of 
	Christ assert itself and an overwhelmed Matthew took up 
	the cause of Christ without any reply. He was no doubt so 
	overcome with emotion at the majestic power of Jesus that 
	he could not speak, but the communication between them was 
	clear and Matthew felt a resurgence of the spirit within 
	him and came to know the tranquillity that emanates from 
	God. 
	
	The service of Saint Matthew is familiar to all who call 
	themselves Christian. His close association with Jesus 
	tends to obscure the man who shed the ignominious role of 
	tax collector to become the most intellectual of the twelve 
	apostles chosen by the Lord. The awesome task of carrying 
	the word of Christ to a people oppressed for centuries and 
	suspicious of any newcomer was assumed by Saint Matthew 
	with a determination that could not be denied. If the 
	fifteenth century civilization could laugh at Columbus 
	who said the world was round, what did they say to Matthew 
	fifteen hundred years earlier when he declared that Jesus 
	was the Son of God. In simple terms, it wasn't easy. 
	Matthew says it in Chapter 10:16 when he quotes Jesus as 
	saying to his disciples: "Behold, I send you a sheep in 
	the midst of wolves." 
	
	After the crucifixion f Christ and his resurrection, the 
	inspiration of the Master was reaffirmed with renewed 
	vigor at Pentecost when all the apostles were enlightened 
	by the Holy Spirit. Christianity owes its existence to the 
	indomitable will and courage of the apostles, who 
	surmounted great obstacles of disbelief, superstition, 
	distrust and open hostility in spreading the gospel. There 
	was no mass media, only the word of mouth and the weary 
	foot travel from village to village. Christianity is the 
	greatest single achievement in the history of mankind and 
	to Saint Matthew and his ten comrades goes the credit for 
	having successfully spread the worship of Jesus Christ. 
	Matthew's near divinity is augmented by the fact that a 
	book of the New Testament bears his name. For that reason, 
	among others, his name can be mentioned in the same breath 
	as the name Jesus Christ. The Savior summoned him with but 
	two words but for what ensued there was not enough words 
	in all the languages to describe. Matthew is precisely 
	what is prefixed to his name. A Saint. 
	
	Matthew preached the Gospel for many years after the death 
	of Christ, traveling throughout the Holy land and finally 
	meeting a martyr's death at the hands of pagans in Ethiopia. 
	His final verse is his epitaph. "Teaching them to observe 
	all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am 
	with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen."