Dusty Feasts

Official feasts used to be an important part of the human community. People would gather together to remember something sacred, express their faith and hope for the future, and / or just be together formally, recognizing each other as being part of a shared community. Few things express a desire for shared companionship and social intimacy more than dining together. Sadly, the gathering together for feasting is increasingly a relic of the past – at least here in the West.

It need not be so! Today we will remember the ancient feasts.

The Feast of St. Mathias, the Apostle

This feast day is a Christian celebration of Mathias, the man who was appointed to be an Apostle by the early Church, in order to replace Judas Iscariot. He is the patron saint of an interesting list of things, including alcoholics, carpenters, smallpox, hope, and perseverance. Geographically, he is the patron saint of Great Falls-Billings, Montana and Trier, Germany.

Who is St. Mathias? 

Matthias (/məˈθaɪəs/; Koine Greek: Ματθίας, Matthías [maθˈθi.as], from Hebrew מַתִּתְיָהוּ Mattiṯyāhū; Coptic: ⲙⲁⲑⲓⲁⲥ; died c. AD 80) was, according to the Acts of the Apostles, chosen by God through the apostles to replace Judas Iscariot following the latter’s betrayal of Jesus and his subsequent death. His calling as an apostle is unique, in that his appointment was not made personally by Jesus (who had already ascended into heaven), and it came before the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the early Church.

Biography

There is no mention of a Matthias among the lists of disciples or followers of Jesus in the three synoptic gospels, but according to Acts, he had been with Jesus from his baptism by John until his Ascension. In the days following, Peter proposed that the assembled disciples, who numbered about 120, nominate two men to replace Judas. They chose Joseph called Barsabas (whose surname was Justus) and Matthias. Then they prayed, “Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all [men], shew whether of these two thou hast chosen, That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.” Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

No further information about Matthias is to be found in the canonical New Testament. Even his name is variable: the Syriac version of Eusebius calls him throughout not Matthias but “Tolmai”, not to be confused with Bartholomew (which means Son of Tolmai), who was one of the twelve original Apostles; Clement of Alexandria refers once to Zacchaeus in a way which could be read as suggesting that some identified him with Matthias; the Clementine Recognitions identify him with Barnabas; Adolf Bernhard Christoph Hilgenfeld thinks he is the same as Nathanael in the Gospel of John.

Ministry and death

All information concerning the ministry and death of Matthias is vague and contradictory. The tradition of the Greeks says that St. Matthias spread Christianity around Cappadocia and on the coasts of the Caspian Sea, residing chiefly near the port Hyssus.

According to Nicephorus (Historia eccl., 2, 40), Matthias first preached the Gospel in Judaea, then in Aethiopia (by the region of Colchis, now in modern-day Georgia) and was crucified. An extant Coptic Acts of Andrew and Matthias, places his activity similarly in “the city of the cannibals” in Aethiopia. A marker placed in the ruins of the Roman fortress at Gonio (Apsaros) in the modern Georgian region of Adjara claims that Matthias is buried at that site.

The Synopsis of Dorotheus contains this tradition: “Matthias preached the Gospel to barbarians and meat-eaters in the interior of Ethiopia, where the sea harbor of Hyssus is, at the mouth of the river Phasis. He died at Sebastopolis, and was buried there, near the Temple of the Sun.”

Alternatively, another tradition maintains that Matthias was stoned at Jerusalem by the local populace, and then was beheaded (cf. Tillemont, Mémoires pour servir à l’histoire ecclesiastique des six premiers siècles, I, 406–7). According to Hippolytus of Rome, Matthias died of old age in Jerusalem.

Clement of Alexandria observed (Stromateis vi.13.):

Not that they became apostles through being chosen for some distinguished peculiarity of nature, since also Judas was chosen along with them. But they were capable of becoming apostles on being chosen by Him who foresees even ultimate issues. Matthias, accordingly, who was not chosen along with them, on showing himself worthy of becoming an apostle, is substituted for Judas.

Writings

Surviving fragments of the lost Gospel of Matthias attribute it to Matthias, but Early Church Fathers attributed it to heretical writings in the 2nd century.

Veneration

The feast of Saint Matthias was included in the Roman Calendar in the 11th century and celebrated on the sixth day to the Calends of March (24 February usually, but 25 February in leap years). In the revision of the General Roman Calendar in 1969, his feast was transferred to 14 May, so as not to celebrate it in Lent but instead in Eastertide close to the Solemnity of the Ascension, the event after which the Acts of the Apostles recounts that Matthias was selected to be ranked with the Twelve Apostles.

The Eastern Rites of the Eastern Orthodox Church celebrate his feast on 9 August. Yet the Western Rite parishes of the Orthodox Church continues the old Roman Rite of 24 and 25 February in leap years.

The Church of England‘s Book of Common Prayer, as well as other older common prayer books in the Anglican Communion, celebrates Matthias on 24 February. According to the newer Common Worship liturgy, Matthias is remembered in the Church of England with a Festival on 14 May, although he may be celebrated on 24 February, if desired. In the Episcopal Church as well as some in the Lutheran Church, including the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod and the Lutheran Church–Canada, his feast remains on 24 February. In Evangelical Lutheran Worship, used by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America as well as the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada, the feast date for Matthias is on 14 May.

It is claimed that St Matthias the Apostle’s remains were brought to Italy through Empress Helena, mother of Emperor Constantine I (the Great); part of these relics were interred in the Abbey of Santa Giustina, Padua, and the remaining in the Abbey of St. Matthias, Trier, Germany. According to Greek sources, the remains of the apostle are buried in the castle of Gonio-Apsaros, Georgia.

What do you eat to celebrate the Feast Day of St. Mathias?

After looking around, I found an excellent recipe and tradition concerning St. Mathias and the food for his feast day. As you will read below, the tradition is related to the traditional date celebrating the feast – 24 February – and not the 14 May day adopted by the Roman Catholic Church in 1969. I think the meal and the reasoning still works well even with the change. I’ll share the explanation and the recipe from allthehousehold.com below: (there’s a lot of great stuff at that site, and I recommend you follow the link and look around)

St. Matthias Quiche

Many liturgical traditions—while rooted in the Christian calendar—also take their cues from the changing seasons. Think of St. Lucia whose name means “light” and whose feast day falls on one of the darkest days of the year. For centuries Christians have donned crowns of flaming candles and sung about the light of Christ as a contrast to seasonal (and spiritual) darkness.

Today’s tradition also takes its cue from the way the Church’s calendar lines up with the changing seasons. St. Matthias’ Day falls on the 24^th of February, and in some places it has traditionally coincided with the end of winter and the beginning of spring.

Now, perhaps you yourself own chickens or at least know a little something about them. If you do, you’ll know that they require a certain amount of sunlight to produce eggs. That means that as spring approaches and the days grow longer, you will notice your chickens begin to lay eggs again (or at least more than they were in winter).

The historical connection between St. Matthias, chickens, and the beginning of spring is captured in the traditional German saying, “Wenn der Matthias kommt herbei, legt das Huhn das erste Ei.” In English, that translates to, “When St. Matthias’ Day arrives, the hen lays the first egg.” St. Matthias’ Day, then, is a perfect opportunity to give thanks for both the twelfth apostle and the new life that emerges in the coming season.

In honor of St. Matthias’ long-standing relationship with a newfound abundance of eggs, we present you with a St. Matthias’ Day Quiche!

Ingredients

Pie Curst

• 1 ⅓ C flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 stick of butter chilled
• ¼-⅓ C ice-cold water

Filing

• 1 lb ground breakfast sausage
• 1 onion diced
• peppers of choice diced
• 1 C whole milk or cream
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 10 large eggs
• ½ C shredded cheese

Instructions

• To make the pie crust, whisk together the flour and salt and then cut in the butter. Then pour in the water ¼ cup at a time until the dough just comes together. Chill in the fridge while you prepare the filling.
• For the filling, begin by browning the sausage. Then add in the diced onion and peppers of choice (we used 6 sweet peppers) and sauté until tender. 
• Transfer the cooked meat and vegetables into a large bowl and allow to cool. Preheat the oven to 400 °F.
• Meanwhile, roll out the pie crust on a floured surface and transfer into a greased, 9″ pie pan. Prick the dough on the bottom of the pan with a fork and place back in the fridge.
• To the cooled filling mixture add the remaining ingredients and whisk until combined. Pour into the crust and bake until set (about 40 minutes). Allow to cool for 10 minutes and then enjoy! 

What is a prayer to say for the Feast Day of St. Mathias?

via catholicculture.org

O blessed Mathias! spiritual Eden! thou didst flow, like a full river, from the divine fountain; thou didst water the earth with thy mystic rivulets, and make it fruitful. Do thou, therefore, beseech the Lord that he grant peace and much mercy to our souls.

O apostle Mathias! thou didst complete the sacred college, from which Judas had fallen; and by the power of the Holy Ghost, thou didst put to flight the darkness of idolatry by the admirable lightnings of thy wise words. Do thou now beseech the Lord that he grant peace and much mercy to our souls.

He that is the true Vine sent thee, a fruitful branch, bearing the grapes that give out the wine of salvation. When they drank it that before were slaves to ignorance, they turned from the drunkenness of error.

Being made, O glorious Mathias, the chariot of God’s word, thou didst break for ever the wheels of error, and the chariots of iniquity. By the divine power, thou didst defeat the idolaters, and destroy the pillars and the temples; but thou didst build up to the Trinity other temples, which echoed with these words All ye people, praise Christ above all for ever!

O venerable Mathias! thou, like a spiritual firmament, didst proclaim the glory of the only-begotten Son of God. Let us with one glad voice celebrate the praise of this apostle, who was effulgent with the Holy Ghost; he was the fisher of them that had gone astray, the light that reflected the divine brightness, the teacher of the mysteries.

O blessed apostle! the Savior called thee his friend, because thou didst keep his commandments. Thou art heir to his kingdom, and thou art to sit with him, on a throne, at the last terrible day, O most wise Mathias, who didst complete the number of the apostolic college.

Guided by the sail of the cross, thou, O blessed one, didst pass over the troubled sea of life, and didst reach the haven of rest. Do thou now vouchsafe to join the glad choir of the apostles, and beseech the infinite Judge, that he would show himself a merciful Lord unto us.

Thy tongue was a bright lamp of glittering gold, burning with the flame of the Holy Ghost. Thou didst consume all strange doctrines, thou didst quench all fire that was profane, and to them that sat in the darkness of ignorance, thou, O wise Mathias, didst show a brilliant light.

Prayer Source: Liturgical Year, The by Abbot Gueranger O.S.B., Marian House, 1983

When is the Feast Day of St. Mathias celebrated?

14 May – Roman Catholic Church, some places in Anglican Communion and Lutheran Church

9 August – Eastern Orthodox Church

24 February (in leap years 25 February) – pre-1970 General Roman Calendar, Western Rite Orthodoxy, Anglican Communion, Episcopal Church, some places in Lutheran Church

I hope everyone who celebrates has a wonderful day!