Antonio Veneziano (fl. 1369–1388),
Saint Bartholomew the Apostle, circa 1376,
46 x 31,2, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki
Saint Barthélemy
Apôtre (1er s.)
Il ne méritait pas que
son nom et sa fête soient surtout attachés dans la mémoire des français au
massacre des protestants par les souverains catholiques pour des raisons plus
politiques que religieuses.
Originaire de Cana en
Galilée, il est aussi le Nathanaël, ami
de saint Philippe, qui vint
l'évangéliser. Il est, selon la parole du Seigneur: "un vrai fils
d'Israël". Que s'était-il passé sous le figuier? cela restera un secret
entre le Christ et lui. La tradition veut qu'il ait évangélisé l'Inde.
Barthélemy, mentionné
dans toutes les listes des douze apôtres - parfois sous le nom de Nathanael -
ne joue aucun rôle dans les Évangiles ni dans les Actes des Apôtres. La légende
s'est donc emparée de lui. Il passe pour avoir évangélisé l'Arabie, la
Mésopotamie, pour être allé jusqu'aux Indes et pour avoir subi le martyre,
écorché vif en Arménie. Cela lui vaut d'être le patron des métiers en rapport
avec le cuir, riches corporations qui ont souvent offert des œuvres le
représentant. Ses attributs sont le couteau et la peau de bête. (diocèse
de Poitiers- quelques saints du Poitou et d'ailleurs)
Fête de saint Barthélemy,
Apôtre. Identifié généralement avec Nathanaël, originaire de Cana en Galilée,
il fut conduit à Jésus par Philippe; le Seigneur l’appela ensuite à le suivre
et le mit dans le groupe des Douze. Des traditions assurent qu’après
l’Ascension du Christ, il annonça l’Évangile en Inde et qu’il y fut couronné du
martyre.
Martyrologe romain
45 Philippe rencontre
Nathanaël et lui dit: «Celui dont parlent la loi de Moïse et les Prophètes,
nous l'avons trouvé: c'est Jésus fils de Joseph, de Nazareth.»
46 Nathanaël répliqua:
«De Nazareth! Peut-il sortir de là quelque chose de bon?» Philippe répond:
«Viens, et tu verras.»
47 Lorsque Jésus voit
Nathanaël venir à lui, il déclare: «Voici un véritable fils d'Israël, un homme
qui ne sait pas mentir.»
48 Nathanaël lui demande:
«Comment me connais-tu?» Jésus lui répond: «Avant que Philippe te parle, quand
tu étais sous le figuier, je t'ai vu.»
49 Nathanaël lui dit:
«Rabbi, c'est toi le Fils de Dieu! C'est toi le roi d'Israël!»
50 Jésus reprend: «Je te
dis que je t'ai vu sous le figuier, et c'est pour cela que tu crois! Tu verras
des choses plus grandes encore.»
51 Et il ajoute: «Amen,
amen, je vous le dis: vous verrez les cieux ouverts, avec les anges de Dieu qui
montent et descendent au-dessus du Fils de l'homme.»
Évangile
selon saint Jean, chapitre 1, AELF
SOURCE : http://nominis.cef.fr/contenus/saint/1725/Saint+Barth%E9lemy.html
Master of Saint Francis (fl.
circa 1260–1280), Saints Bartholomew the Apostle and Simon, 1266-1275,
Tempera and gold on wood, 47.6 x 22.9, Metropolitan Museum of Art
Saint Barthélemy
Apôtre
(+ vers l'an 71)
Barthélemy, appelé par le
Sauveur, vécut avec Lui, assista à Ses prédications, entendit Ses paraboles,
fut le témoin de Ses vertus divines.
Après la Pentecôte, il
fut envoyé prêcher l'Évangile dans l'Inde, au-delà du Gange. Dans tous les pays
qu'il dut traverser, il annonça Jésus-Christ, Rédempteur du monde. Son zèle et
ses prodiges eurent bientôt changé la face de ces contrées; non seulement il
convertit les foules, mais il ordonna des prêtres pour le seconder et consacra
des évêques. Quand, plus tard, saint Pantène évangélisa ce pays, il y trouva
l'Évangile de saint Matthieu, apporté là par Barthélemy.
En quittant les Indes,
l'Apôtre vint dans la grande Arménie. Dans la capitale de ce pays, il y avait
un temple où l'on rendait les honneurs divins à l'idole Astaroth, et où l'on
allait lui demander la délivrance des sortilèges et lui faire prononcer des
oracles; le prédicateur de la foi s'y rendit, et aussitôt l'idole devint muette
et ne fit plus de guérisons. Les démons avouèrent aux prêtres de ce faux dieu
que la faute en était à Barthélemy, et leur donnèrent son signalement; mais l'Apôtre
se fit assez connaître par ses miracles; il délivra du démon la fille du roi,
et fit faire à l'idole, en présence d'une foule immense, l'aveu public de ses
fourberies; après quoi le démon s'éloigna en grinçant des dents. Une merveille
si éclatante convertit le roi et une multitude de personnes; la famille royale
et douze villes du royaume reçurent bientôt le baptême.
Le démon résolut de se
venger; l'Apôtre fut saisi par le frère du roi et condamné à être écorché vif.
Les bourreaux inhumains s'armèrent de couteaux et de pierres tranchantes et
écorchèrent la victime de la tête aux pieds; de telle sorte que, n'ayant plus
de peau, son corps montrait une chair sanglante percée de ses os. Il eut
ensuite la tête tranchée. Le corps écorché et la peau sanglante de l'Apôtre
furent enterrés à Albane, en la haute Arménie; il s'y opéra tant de miracles,
que les païens furieux, enfermèrent le corps du bienheureux dans un cercueil de
plomb et le jetèrent à la mer. Mais le cercueil, flottant sur l'onde, vint
heureusement à l'île de Lipari, près de la Sicile.
Plus tard, les Sarrasins
s'emparèrent de cette île et dispersèrent les saintes reliques; mais un moine
reçut, dans une vision, l'ordre de recueillir les ossements de l'Apôtre. Le
corps de saint Barthélemy est aujourd'hui à Rome, son chef à Toulouse.
Abbé L. Jaud, Vie des Saints pour tous les jours de l'année, Tours, Mame, 1950
SOURCE : http://magnificat.ca/cal/fr/saints/saint_barthelemy.html
Konrad
Witz (1400–), Heilsspiegelaltar Außentafel: Hl. Bartholomäus, circa
1434-1435, tempera on panel, 99.5 x 69.5,
Kunstmuseum Basel
Saint Barthélemy
Barthélemy est l'un des
douze apôtres choisis par le Christ pour continuer sa mission et porter la
Bonne Nouvelle vers toutes les nations. On l'identifie habituellement avec
Nathanaël, dont le début de l'Évangile selon saint Jean donne un portrait fort
vivant. À cet homme de Cana en Galilée, Philippe vient annoncer : "Celui
de qui il est écrit dans la Loi et les Prophètes, nous l'avons trouvé. C'est
Jésus, le fils de Joseph de Nazareth." La réaction de Nathanaël est
franche et spontanée, avec ce qu'elle suppose de rivalités de villages :
"De Nazareth (sous-entendu : d'un tel trou !), que pourrait-il sortir de
bon ?"
Jésus passe et fixe son
regard sur lui ; il lance une appréciation pleine d'humour : "Voici un
véritable Israélite, chez lequel il n'y a pas d'artifice" (qui dit ce
qu'il pense, sans détour). Nathanaël, tout retourné, lui demande : "Mais,
tu me connais ?". Jésus lui fait cette réponse : "Avant même que
Philippe ne t'appelle, quand tu étais sous le figuier, je t'ai remarqué".
Que voulait-il signifier ? À l'époque du Christ, dans les commentaires des
rabbins Juifs, le figuier était comparé à l'arbre de la connaissance du bien et
du mal. L'expression "être sous le figuier" pouvait s'appliquer à
quelqu'un qui s'intéresse intensément aux saintes Écritures.
Nathanaël est tout fier
et heureux d'avoir été remarqué et félicité par ce Maître qui, sans doute, l'a
déjà intrigué. Tout aussi spontanément qu'il était sceptique, il lui accorde sa
foi et sa confiance. Il proclame : "Rabbi, tu es le Fils de Dieu, tu es le
roi d'Israël". La tradition des Églises d'Orient rapporte de l'apôtre
Barthélemy-Nathanaël qu'il évangélisa, après la Pentecôte, la Phrygie, les rives
du Bosphore et l'Arménie.
D'étymologie araméenne,
Barthélémy signifie "fils de Tolmaï" (bar-Tolmaï). Nathanaël signifie
en hébreu "Yahvé (Dieu) a donné.
Rédacteur : Frère Bernard Pineau, OP
SOURCE : http://www.lejourduseigneur.com/Web-TV/Saints/Barthelemy-apotre-du-Christ
BENOÎT XVI
AUDIENCE GÉNÉRALE
Mercredi 4 octobre 2006
Barthélemy
Chers frères et soeurs,
Dans la série des Apôtres
appelés par Jésus au cours de sa vie terrestre, c'est aujourd'hui l'Apôtre
Barthélemy qui retient notre attention. Dans les antiques listes des Douze, il
est toujours placé avant Matthieu, alors que le nom de celui qui le précède
varie et peut être Philippe (cf. Mt 10, 3; Mc 3, 18; Lc 6, 14) ou bien Thomas
(cf. Ac 1, 13). Son nom est clairement un patronyme, car il est formulé avec
une référence explicite au nom de son père. En effet, il s'agit probablement
d'un nom d'origine araméenne, bar Talmay, qui signifie précisément "fils
de Talmay".
Nous ne possédons pas
d'informations importantes sur Barthélemy; en effet, son nom revient toujours
et seulement au sein des listes des Douze susmentionnées et ne se trouve donc
au centre d'aucun récit. Cependant, il est traditionnellement identifié avec
Nathanaël: un nom qui signifie "Dieu a donné". Ce Nathanaël provenait
de Cana (cf. Jn 21, 2) et il est donc possible qu'il ait été témoin du grand
"signe" accompli par Jésus en ce lieu (cf. Jn 2, 1-11).
L'identification des deux personnages est probablement motivée par le fait que
ce Nathanaël, dans la scène de vocation rapportée par l'Evangile de Jean, est
placé à côté de Philippe, c'est-à-dire à la place qu'occupe Barthélemy dans les
listes des Apôtres rapportées par les autres Evangiles. Philippe avait dit à ce
Nathanaël qu'il avait trouvé "Celui dont parle la loi de Moïse et les
Prophètes [...] c'est Jésus fils de Joseph, de Nazareth" (Jn 1, 45). Comme
nous le savons, Nathanaël lui opposa un préjugé plutôt grave: "De
Nazareth! Peut-il sortir de là quelque chose de bon?" (Jn 1, 46a). Cette
sorte de contestation est, à sa façon, importante pour nous. En effet, elle
nous fait voir que, selon les attentes des juifs, le Messie ne pouvait pas
provenir d'un village aussi obscur, comme l'était précisément Nazareth (voir
également Jn 7, 42). Cependant, dans le même temps, elle met en évidence la
liberté de Dieu, qui surprend nos attentes en se faisant trouver précisément là
où nous ne l'attendrions pas. D'autre part, nous savons qu'en réalité, Jésus
n'était pas exclusivement "de Nazareth", mais qu'il était né à Bethléem
(cf. Mt 2, 1; Lc 2, 4), et qu'en définitive, il venait du ciel, du Père qui est
aux cieux.
L'épisode de Nathanaël
nous inspire une autre réflexion: dans notre relation avec Jésus, nous ne
devons pas seulement nous contenter de paroles. Philippe, dans sa réponse,
adresse une invitation significative à Nathanaël: "Viens et tu
verras!" (Jn 1, 46b). Notre connaissance de Jésus a surtout besoin d'une
expérience vivante: le témoignage d'autrui est bien sûr important, car
généralement, toute notre vie chrétienne commence par une annonce qui parvient
jusqu'à nous à travers un ou plusieurs témoins. Mais nous devons ensuite
personnellement participer à une relation intime et profonde avec Jésus; de
manière analogue, les Samaritains, après avoir entendu le témoignage de leur
concitoyenne que Jésus avait rencontrée près du puits de Jacob, voulurent
parler directement avec Lui et, après cet entretien, dirent à la femme:
"Ce n'est plus à cause de ce que tu nous as dit que nous croyons
maintenant; nous l'avons entendu par nous-mêmes, et nous savons que c'est
vraiment lui le Sauveur du monde!" (Jn 4, 42).
En revenant à la scène de
vocation, l'évangéliste nous rapporte que, lorsque Jésus voit Nathanaël
s'approcher, il s'exclame: "Voici un véritable fils d'Israël, un homme qui
ne sait pas mentir" (Jn 1, 47). Il s'agit d'un éloge qui rappelle le texte
d'un Psaume: "Heureux l'homme... dont l'esprit est sans fraude" (Ps
32, 2), mais qui suscite la curiosité de Nathanaël, qui réplique avec
étonnement: "Comment me connais-tu?" (Jn 1, 48a). La réponse de Jésus
n'est pas immédiatement compréhensible. Il dit: "Avant que Philippe te
parle, quand tu étais sous le figuier, je t'ai vu" (Jn 1, 48b). Nous ne
savons pas ce qu'il s'est passé sous ce figuier. Il est évident qu'il s'agit d'un
moment décisif dans la vie de Nathanaël. Il se sent touché au plus profond du
coeur par ces paroles de Jésus, il se sent compris et comprend: cet homme sait
tout sur moi, Il sait et connaît le chemin de la vie, je peux réellement
m'abandonner à cet homme. Et ainsi, il répond par une confession de foi claire
et belle, en disant: "Rabbi, c'est toi le Fils de Dieu! C'est toi le roi
d'Israël!" (Jn 1, 49). Dans cette confession apparaît un premier pas
important dans l'itinéraire d'adhésion à Jésus. Les paroles de Nathanaël
mettent en lumière un double aspect complémentaire de l'identité de Jésus: Il
est reconnu aussi bien dans sa relation spéciale avec Dieu le Père, dont il est
le Fils unique, que dans celle avec le peuple d'Israël, dont il est déclaré le
roi, une qualification propre au Messie attendu. Nous ne devons jamais perdre
de vue ni l'une ni l'autre de ces deux composantes, car si nous ne proclamons
que la dimension céleste de Jésus, nous risquons d'en faire un être éthéré et
évanescent, et si au contraire nous ne reconnaissons que sa situation concrète
dans l'histoire, nous finissons par négliger la dimension divine qui le
qualifie précisément.
Nous ne possédons pas
d'informations précises sur l'activité apostolique successive de
Barthélemy-Nathanaël. Selon une information rapportée par l'historien Eusèbe au
IV siècle, un certain Pantenus aurait trouvé jusqu'en Inde les signes d'une
présence de Barthélemy (cf. Hist. eccl. V, 10, 3). Dans la tradition
postérieure, à partir du Moyen Age, s'imposa le récit de sa mort par
écorchement, qui devint ensuite très populaire. Il suffit de penser à la très
célèbre scène du Jugement dernier dans la Chapelle Sixtine, dans laquelle
Michel-Ange peignit saint Barthélemy qui tient sa propre peau dans la main
gauche, sur laquelle l'artiste laissa son autoportrait. Ses reliques sont
vénérées ici à Rome, dans l'église qui lui est consacrée sur l'Ile Tibérine, où
elles furent apportées par l'empereur allemand Otton III en l'an 983. En
conclusion, nous pouvons dire que la figure de saint Barthélemy, malgré le
manque d'information le concernant, demeure cependant face à nous pour nous
dire que l'on peut également vivre l'adhésion à Jésus et en témoigner sans
accomplir d'oeuvres sensationnelles. C'est Jésus qui est et reste
extraordinaire, Lui à qui chacun de nous est appelé à consacrer sa propre vie
et sa propre mort.
* * *
Je salue cordialement les
pèlerins francophones présents ce matin. Puisse la figure de l’Apôtre
Barthélemy vous inviter, dans le quotidien de vos vies, à témoigner du Christ,
lui qui vous appelle à lui consacrer toute votre existence !
© Copyright 2006 - Libreria Editrice Vaticana
.jpg)
24 août
Saint Barthélemy
Biographie
Si les évangélistes, et
la tradition après eux, désignent habituellement le sixième apôtre sous le nom
de Barthélemy, c'est-à-dire fils de Tolmaï, il est généralement
convenu de l'identifier avec ce Nathanaël que l'on voit amené par
Philippe à Jésus, au début de l'évangile selon saint Jean (I 45-51).
Jésus, rencontrant
Philippe qui, comme Pierre et André, était de Bethsaïde, lui dit : « Suis-moi. »
Philippe qui était lié à Nathanaël n'a rien de plus pressé que d'aller trouver
son ami : « Celui dont ont parlé Moïse et les prophètes, nous l'avons
trouvé : c'est Jésus de Nazareth, fils de Joseph » ; mais Nathanaël était
un homme réfléchi, versé dans les saintes Écritures, qui n'était pas disposé à
se laisser emporter par un enthousiasme passager, et c'est dans ces
dispositions, en homme de bonne volonté, cherchant la lumière qu'il avait
écouté Jean-Baptiste. Sans doute, assis sous un figuier, près de Cana,
revoyait-il en esprit la figure inspirée du Baptiste, et repassait-il les mots
brûlants tombés de ses lèvres, entretenant l'espérance de voir lui-même le
Messie. Encore qu'il doutait qu'il pût sortir quelque chose de bon de Nazareth,
il accepta de suivre Philippe. Lorsque Jésus lui révéla l'avoir vu sous le
figuier, avant que Philippe l'appelât, Nathanaël qui comprit que Jésus avait eu
la connaissance de son état d'âme, ne résista plus : « Tu es le fils de
Dieu, le roi d'Israël ! »
Quant à nous, nous
admettons l'existence du regard de Jésus, mais d'une manière trop souvent
théorique qui reste extérieure à notre vie morale et religieuse ; il n'entre
pas, dans nos décisions, comme l'élément primordial, toujours présent, et,
pourtant, ce regard est inéluctable, infaillible, il atteint jusqu'aux
mouvements les plus secrets de notre cour. Ce n'est pas un regard de curiosité
qui se donne libre cours, mais le regard d'un ami qui n'utilise ce qu'il voit
que pour mieux répandre ses bienfaits, fût-ce sur ceux qui en sont les plus
indignes : ainsi, dans le but d'écarter Judas de l'abîme, Jésus le
regarde.
Daigne le Seigneur, par
l'intercession de saint Barthélemy, nous faire la grâce d'être attentifs à son
regard posé sur nous et nous donner la force de détruire les obstacles qui nous
empêchent de le voir.
SOURCE : http://missel.free.fr/Sanctoral/08/24.php
SAINT BARTHÉLEMY
Barthélemy signifie fils
de celui qui suspend les eaux, ou fils de celui qui se suspend. Ce mot vient
de Bar, qui veut dire fils, de thelos, sommité, et de moys, eau.
De là Barthélemy, c'est-à-dire, le fils de celui qui suspend les eaux de Dieu ;
donc, qui élève l’esprit des docteurs en haut, afin. qu'ils versent 'en bas les
eaux de la doctrine. C'est un nom Syrien et non pas Hébreu, il v a trois
manières d'être suspendu, que notre saint posséda. En effet il fut suspendu,
c'est-à-dire élevé au-dessus de l’amour du monde, porté à l’amour des choses du
ciel, entièrement appuyé sur la grâce et le secours de Dieu, de sorte que toute
sa vie dépendit non de ses mérites mais de l’aide de Dieu. Par la seconde
étymologie, est indiquée la profondeur de sa sagesse dont saint Denys dit ce qui
suit dans sa Théologie mystique *: « Le divin Barthélemy avance que la
Théologie est tout ensemble développée et brève, l’évangile ample, abondant et
néanmoins concis. » Saint Barthélemy veut insinuer par là, , d'après l’opinion
de Denys, que la nature suprême de Dieu s'élève au-dessus de tout, au-dessus de
toute négation, comme de toute affirmation.
Saint Barthélemy, apôtre,
en venant dans l’Inde **, qui est située aux extrémités du monde, entra dans un
temple où se trouvait une idole nommée Astaroth, et il s'y arrêta comme ferait
un voyageur. Dans cette idole habitait un démon qui prétendait faire du bien
aux malades; or, il ne les guérissait pas, mais il suspendait seulement leurs
souffrances. Cependant comme le temple était rempli de malades et que, malgré
les sacrifices offerts tous les jours pour les infirmes des pays les plus
éloignés, on ne pouvait avoir aucune réponse d'Astaroth, les malades allèrent à
une autre ville où l’on adorait une idole nommé Bérith. Ils demandèrent à
Bérith pourquoi Astaroth ne donnait pas de réponse, et il dit: « Notre Dieu est
lié dans des chaînes de feu ; il n'ose ni respirer, ni parler, à dater du
moment où est: entré l’apôtre de Dieu Barthélemy.» Ils lui disent: « Et quel
est ce Barthélemy ? » Le démon répondit : « C'est l’ami du Dieu tout-puissant;
il est venu en cette province pour chasser tous les dieux de l’Inde. » Et ils
dirent : « Dis-nous à quels signes nous pourrions le trouver. » Le démon
reprit: « Il a les cheveux crépus et noirs, le teint pâle, les yeux grands, le
nez régulier et droit, la barbe longue et mêlée de quelques poils blancs, la
taille bien prise; il est revêtu d'une robe sans manches avec des noeuds
couleur de pourpre, son manteau est blanc, garni de pierres précieuses couleur
de pourpre à chaque coin. Depuis vingt ans qu'il les porte, ses habits et ses
sandales ne s'usent ni ne se salissent. Chaque jour il fléchit les genoux cent
fois pour prier, et autant pendant la nuit. Les anges voyagent avec lui, et ils
ne le laissent pas se fatiguer, ni avoir faim. Son visage , est toujours le même,
toujours il est joyeux et gai. Il prévoit tout, il sait tout. Il connaît et
comprend les langues de tous les pays, et ce que je vous dis en ce moment, il
le sait, déjà; quand vous le cherchez, s'il le veut, il se montrera à vous,
mais, s'il ne le veut pas, vous ne pourrez le trouver. Or, je vous prie, quand
vous l’aurez rencontré, conjurez-le de ne pas venir ici de peur que ses anges
ne me fassent ce qu'ils ont déjà fait à mon compagnon. » Après donc qu'on l’eut
cherché avec soin pendant deux jours sans le trouver, un démoniaque s'écria
titi jour: « Apôtre de, Dieu, Barthélemy, tes prières me brûlent. » L'apôtre
lui dit: « Tais-toi, et sors de cet homme. » A l’instant le possédé fut
délivré. En apprenant cela, le roi de ce pays, nommé Polimius, qui avait une
fille lunatique, envoya prier l’apôtre de venir chez lui et de guérir, sa
fille. L'apôtre étant venu chez le roi, et voyant sa fille enchaînée, parce
qu'elle déchirait par ses morsures ceux qui l’approchaient, ordonna de la
délier; et comme les serviteurs n'osaient l’approcher, il dit: « Déjà je tiens
enchaîné le démon qui était en elle, et vous craignez ? » Ou la délia et elle
fut délivrée. Alors le roi fit charger des chameaux d'or, d'argent et de
pierres précieuses, et fit chercher l’apôtre qu'on ne put rencontrer nulle
part. Le lendemain matin, cependant, le roi étant seul dans sa chambre,
l’apôtre lui apparut et lui dit: «Pourquoi m’as-tu cherché toute la
journée avec de l’or, de l’argent et des pierres précieuses? Ces présents sont
utiles à ceux qui sont avides des biens de la terre; quant à moi, je ne désire
rien; de terrestre, rien de charnel. » Alors saint Barthélemy se mit à lui
apprendre beaucoup de choses sur la manière dont nous avons été rachetés ; il
lui montra, entre autres, que J.-C. avait vaincu le diable par convenance
prodigieuse, par puissance, par justice et par sagesse. 1° Il fut convenable en
effet que celui qui avait vaincu le fils d'une vierge, c'est-à-dire, Adam créé
de la terre, alors qu'elle était encore vierge, fût vaincu par le fils de la
Vierge. 2° Il le vainquit par puissance : comme le diable, en faisant tomber
l’homme, avait usurpé l’empire de Dieu, J.-C. l’en chassa avec sa
toute-puissance. Et comme le vainqueur d'un tyran envoie ses compagnons de
victoire pour arborer ses drapeaux partout et pour abattre ceux du tyran, de
même J.-C. vainqueur envoie partout ses messagers afin de renverser le culte du
diable et établir à la place le culte de J.-C. 3° Il le vainquit avec justice.
Il était juste en effet que celui qui avait vaincu l’homme par le manger, et
qui le tenait encore sous sa puissance, fût vaincu par le jeûne d'un homme, et
dépouillé de son usurpation. 4° Il le vainquit par sagesse, puisque les
artifices du diable furent déjoués par l’habileté de J.-C. Tel fut l’artifice
du diable: comme un épervier qui saisit un oiseau, il devait saisir J.-C. dans
le désert; si en jeûnant J.-C. n'avait pas faim, il n'y aurait plus de doute
qu'il fût Dieu; mais s'il avait faim, il l’aurait vaincu lui-même parla
gourmandise comme il avait fait du premier homme; mais Dieu ne se fit pas
connaître, parce qu'il eut faim; il ne put pas être vaincu, car il résista à sa
tentation. Quand donc il eut enseigné au roi les mystères de la foi, il ajouta
que s'il voulait recevoir le baptême, il lui montrerait son Dieu, chargé de
chaînes.
Le lendemain, les
pontifes offraient, vis-à-vis du palais du roi, un sacrifice à l’idole, quand
le démon se mit à crier en disant : « Cessez, misérables, de m'offrir des
sacrifices, de peur que vous ne souffriez pire encore que moi qui suis lié de
chaînes de feu par l’ange, de J.-C., que les Juifs ont crucifié, avec la pensée
qu'il serait retenu par la mort : au lieu qu'il a enchaîné la mort elle-même,
notre reine, et qu'il retient captif, dans des chaînes de feu, notre prince,
l’auteur de la mort. » Aussitôt tous se mirent en oeuvre d'attacher des cordes
pour renverser l’idole, mais ils ne le purent. Alors l’apôtre commanda au démon
de sortir de l’idole on la brisant : et à l’instant le démon sortit et brisa
lui-même toutes les idoles du temple. Puis l’apôtre fit une prière et tous les
infirmes furent guéris. Alors saint Barthélemy consacra le temple à Dieu et
ordonna au démon de s'en aller dans le désert. L'ange du Seigneur apparut en
cet endroit, et en volant autour, du temple, il gava le signe de la crois avec
le doigt aux quatre angles en disant: « Voici ce que dit le Seigneur : Comme je
vous ai purifiés de votre infirmité, de même aussi ce temple sera purifié de
toute souillure, et de la présence de celui qui l’habitait, puisque l’apôtre
l'a fait s'en aller au désert. Mais auparavant, je vous le ferai voir. Ne
craignez pas en le regardant, mais faites sur votre front un signe pareil à
celui que j'ai sculpté sur ces pierres. » Et il leur montra un Éthiopien plus noir
que la suie, à la figure anguleuse, avec une longue barbe, et des cheveux qui
lui tombaient aux pieds, des yeux enflammés et jetant des étincelles comme le
fer rouge; des flammes couleur de soufre lui sortaient de la bouche et des
yeux, et il avait les mains liées derrière le dos avec des chaînes de feu. Et
l’ange lui dit : « Puisque tu as entendu l’ordre de l’apôtre, et que tu as
brisé toutes lés idoles en sortant du temple, je te délierai afin que tu
puisses aller en tel endroit où aucun homme n'habite, et que tu y restes
jusqu'au jour du jugement. » Quand il fut délié il disparut en hurlant et
faisant un grand bruit : mais l’ange du Seigneur s'envola vers le ciel à la vue
de tous les assistants. Alors le roi avec son épouse, ses enfants et tout le peuple
reçut le baptême après quoi il quitta son royaume pour se faire le disciple de
l’apôtre.
Tous les pontifes des
temples s'assemblèrent et allèrent trouver le roi Astyage, son frère. Ils
portèrent contre l’apôtre des plaintes concernant la perte de leurs dieux, la
profanation du temple et la séduction magique qu'on avait exercée contre le roi
(* Bréviaire romain.). Alors le roi Astyage indigné fit partir mille hommes
armés pour prendre l’apôtre. Quand il eut été amené au roi, celui-ci lui dit :
« Es-tu celui qui a perverti mon frère ? » L'apôtre répondit : « Je ne l’ai pas
perverti, mais je l’ai converti. » Le roi lui dit : « De même que tu as fait
que mon frère abandonnât son Dieu pour croire au tien, de même aussi je te
ferai abandonner ton Dieu pour sacrifier au mien. » L'apôtre repartit: « Le
Dieu qu'adorait ton frère, je l’ai lié, et je l’ai fait voir lié; après quoi je
l’ai forcé à briser la statue de l’idole : si tu parviens à en faire autant à
mon Dieu, alors tu pourras m’inviter à adorer la statue, sinon, de
mon côté, je briserai tes dieux et tu croiras au mien. »
Comme l’apôtre parlait
encore, on annonce au roi que son dieu Baldach s'était renversé et brisé en
morceaux. A cette nouvelle, le roi déchira la robe, de pourpre dont il était
revêtu ; ensuite il fit fouetter l’apôtre avec des verges, et commanda qu'on
l’écorchât vif. Mais les chrétiens enlevèrent son corps, et l’ensevelirent avec
honneur. Quant au roi Astyage, et aux pontifes des temples, ils furent saisis
par les démons et ils moururent : mais le roi Polimius fut ordonné évêque et
après avoir rempli avec honneur pendant vingt ans, le ministère épiscopal, il
mourut en paix et plein de vertus. — Il y a différentes opinions sur le genre
de la passion de saint Barthélemy car le bienheureux Dorothée dit qu'il fut
crucifié. Voici ses paroles : « Barthélemy prêcha aux Indiens et il traduisit
dans leur langue l’Évangile selon saint Mathieu. Il s'endormit à Albane, ville
de la grande Arménie, et fut crucifié la tête en. bas.» Mais saint Théodore dit
qu'il fut écorché. Cependant, dans beaucoup de livres, on lit qu'il fut
seulement décapité. On peut concilier ces opinions différentes, en disant qu'il
fut d'abord crucifié, ensuite qu'il fut descendu de la croix avant de mourir,
et que pour ajouter à ses tortures, il fut écorché et, qu'en dernier lieu, il
eut la tête tranchée.
L'an du Seigneur 831, les
Sarrasins, qui envahirent la Sicile, ravagèrent l’île de Lipard, où
reposait le corps de saint Barthélemy, et brisant son tombeau, ils dispersèrent
ses ossements. Or, voici comme on rapporte que son corps fut transporté, de
l’Inde dans cette île. Ces païens voyant que son corps était en grande
vénération à cause de la quantité de miracles qu'il opérait, en furent remplis
d'indignation et ils le renfermèrent dans un coffre de plomb qu'ils jetèrent
dans la mer. Dieu permit qu'il abordât dans l’île susdite (Grég. de
Tours, De Glor. Martyr., l. I, c. XXXVIII.) ; et comme les Sarrasins
avaient dispersé ses os, quand ils se furent retirés, le saint apparut à un moine
et lui dit : « Lève-toi, rassemblé mes os qui ont été dispersés. » Le moine lui
répondit : « Pour quelle raison devons-nous ramasser vos os ou vous rendre
quelque honneur, quand vous nous avez laissé exterminer sans nous secourir? »
L'apôtre reprit : « Pendant un long espace de, temps, le Seigneur a épargné ce
peuple en vue de mes mérites; mais ses péchés s'augmentant de plus en plus et
criant jusqu'au ciel, je n'ai plus pu obtenir pardon pour lui. » Comme le moine
lui demandait comment il pourrait jamais trouver ses os qui étaient confondus
avec beaucoup d'autres, l’apôtre lui dit : « La nuit, tu iras pour les
rassembler, et ceux que tu verras briller comme du feu, tu les enlèveras. » Le
moine trouva tout ainsi que l’apôtre lui avait dit : il enleva
les os, et, s'embarquant sur un vaisseau, il les transporta à Bénévent,
métropole de la Pouilles Maintenant on dit qu'ils sont à Rome, quoique les
Bénéventins assurent les posséder encore. — Une femme avait apporté un vase
plein d'huile qu'elle voulait verser dans la lampe de saint Barthélemy. Mais de
quelque façon que l’on penchât le vase sur la lampe, il ne pouvait rien en
sortir, quoique en touchant l’huile avec les doigts on la trouvât liquide.
Alors quelqu'un s'écria : « Je pense qu'il n'est pas agréable à l’apôtre qu'on
verse de cette huile dans sa lampe.» C'est pourquoi on versa dans une autre
lampe cette huile qui coula aussitôt.
Quand l’empereur Frédéric
détruisit Bénévent, il donna l’ordre de raser toutes les-églises ; car son
intention était de transporter la ville entière dans un autre endroit. Alors un
homme rencontra quelques personnages revêtus d'aubes blanches, et
resplendissants, qui, paraissaient parler ensemble et discuter entre eux une
question. Cet homme, rempli d'étonnement, demanda qui ils étaient, et l’un
d'eux répondit : « Voici l’apôtre Barthélemy avec les autres saints dont
il se trouvait des églises. dans la ville : ils se sont réunis pour chercher et
discuter quelle peiné devra subir celui qui les a chassés de leurs demeures :
déjà ils ont décidé entre eux et leur sentence est inviolable, que le coupable
sera traduit sans retard au tribunal de Dieu, devant lequel il aura à répondre
de tout cela. ».Et de vrai, peu après, ledit empereur mourut misérablement. —
On lit dans un livre des Miracles des Saints, qu'un Docteur célébrait
solennellement chaque année la fête de saint Barthélemy. Un jour qu'il
prêchait, le diable lui apparut sous l’apparence d'une jeune fille
remarquablement belle : Le prédicateur jeta les yeux sur elle et l’invita à
dîner. Pendant le repas, elle faisait tous ses efforts pour lui inspirer de
l’amour. Saint Barthélemy vint à la porte sous la figure d'un pèlerin qui
demanda avec instance qu'on le fit entrer pour l’amour de saint Barthélemy. La
jeune fille s'y opposa et on envoya au pèlerin un pain que celui-ci refusa
d'accepter. Alors, par le messager il envoya prier le (490) maître de lui dire
ce qui était plus particulièrement propre à l’homme. Le maître prétendait que
c'était le rire, mais la jeune fille répondit : « Dites plutôt le péché, avec
lequel l’homme est conçu, naît et vit.» Barthélemy répondit que le maître avait
bien parlé, mais quels femme avait donné une réponse renfermant un sens plus
profond. En second lieu, le pèlerin envoya demander au maître de lui indiquer
un endroit n'ayant qu'un pied d'étendue où Dieu avait manifesté les plus
grandes merveilles. Comme le maître disait que, c'était l’endroit de la croix
dans lequel Dieu a opéré des miracles, la femme dit : « C'est plutôt la tête de
l’homme, dans laquelle existe comme un petit monde. » L'apôtre approuva la
sentence de l’un et de l’autre. Troisièmement il demanda quelle distance il y
avait depuis le haut du ciel, jusqu'au bas de l’enfer. Comme le maître avouait
qu'il ne le savait pas, la femme dit : « Je vois maintenant que je suis
surpassée : mais je le sais, moi, qui suis tombée de l’un dans l’autre; et il
faut que je te montre cela. » Alors le diable en poussant un grand hurlement se
précipita dans l’abîme. Or, quand on chercha le pèlerin, on ne le trouva pas.
On lit quelque chose d'à peu près semblable de saint André.
Saint Ambroise dans la
préface qu'il a composée pour cet apôtre raconte ainsi sa légende en abrégé. «
O Jésus, vous avez daigné manifester d'une manière admirable votre majesté à
ceux que vous avez chargés de prêcher votre Trinité qui forme une seule
divinité.. Parmi eux, c'est sur saint Barthélemy que vous avez daigné jeter les
yeux pour l’envoyer prêcher un peuple éloigné. Aussi l’avez-vous orné de toutes
sortes de vertus. Ce peuple, bien que séparé du reste du monde, vous a été
acquis, et a été rapproché de vous par les mérites de la prédication de votre
apôtre. De quelles louanges n'est pas digne cet homme merveilleux! Ce n'est pas
assez pour lui de gagner à la foi les cœurs de ceux qui l’environnent; il vole
plutôt qu'il ne marche vers les extrémités du monde habitées par les Indiens:
Une multitude innombrable de malades le suit dans le temple du démon et, à
l’instant ce père du mensonge ne donne plus de réponses. Oh! combien furent merveilleux
les prodiges de sa vertu! Un sophiste veut argumenter contre lui; l’apôtre
ordonne et le sophiste reste, muet et épuisé. La fille du roi que le démon
tourmentait, il la délivre et la rend guérie à son père. Oh ! prodige de
sainteté! il force le démon à réduire en poudre les idoles sous lesquelles
l’antique ennemi du genre humain se faisait adorer. Il peut bien être compté
dans l’armée du ciel celui auquel apparut un ange envoyé de la cour céleste
afin de rendre un témoignage certain à la vérité! Cet ange montre, le démon
enchaîné, et grave sur la pierre le signe de la croix qui a sauvé les hommes.
Le roi et la reine sont baptisés avec leur peuplé, et les habitants de douze
villes vous confessent de corps et de cour. Enfin, sur la dénonciation des pontifes
païens, un tyran, le frère de Polémius encore néophyte, fait battre de verges
l’apôtre, et le fait écorcher et périr de la mort la plus atroce. » Le
bienheureux Théodore *, abbé et docteur, dit entre autres ces paroles, au sujet
de saint Barthélemy (Cf. Anastase le Biblioth., t. III, p. 732.) : « L'apôtre
Barthélemy prêcha premièrement en Lycaonie, ensuite dans l’Inde, enfin dans
Albane, ville de la grande Arménie où il fut d'abord écorché et enfin décapité;
il y fut aussi enseveli. Quand il reçut du Seigneur la mission de prêcher, je
pense qu'il entendit qu'on lui adressait ces mots : « Mon disciple, va prêcher,
va au combat : affronte les périls; j'ai achevé l’oeuvre de mon père; j'ai été
témoin le premier; accomplis la tâche qui t'est imposée; marche sur
les pas de ton maître; donne sang pour sang, chair pour chair; endure ce que
j'ai enduré pour toi dans ma passion. Que tes armes soient la bénignité au
milieu de tes fatigues, et la douceur vis-à-vis des méchants, et la patience
dans cette vie qui passe. » L'apôtre accepta, et comme un serviteur fidèle, il
acquiesça à l’ordre de son Seigneur; il s'avance plein de joie comme la lumière
du monde, afin d'éclairer ceux qui vivaient dans les ténèbres : c'est le sel de
la terre qui conserve les peuples énervés; c'est le laboureur qui met la
dernière main à la culture des cœurs. L'apôtre saint Pierre enseigne aussi les
nations, saint Barthélemy en fait autant : Pierre opère de grands
prodiges ; Barthélemy fait des miracles éclatants ; Pierre est crucifié la
tête en bas ; Barthélemy, après avoir été écorché vif, est décapité. Autant
Pierre conçoit de mystères, autant en pénètre Barthélemy. Il féconde l’Église
comme le prince des apôtres; les grâces qu'ils ont reçues tous les deux se
balancent. De même que la harpe produit des accords harmonieux, de même
Barthélemy, qui tient le milieu dans le mystérieux nombre douze, s'accorde avec
ceux qui le précèdent comme avec ceux qui le suivent pour produire des sons
mélodieux au moyen de la parole divine. Tous les apôtres, en se partageant
l’univers, ont été établis les pasteurs du Roi des rois. L'Arménie qui s'étend
de Ejulath jusqu'à Gabaoth est la partie qui lui échoit; aussi voyez-le se
servir de sa langue comme d'un soc pour labourer le champ de l’esprit des hommes,
dans les coeurs desquels il enfouit la parole de sa foi; il plante les jardins
et les vignes du Seigneur; il greffe les remèdes qui guériront les passions de
chacun; il extirpe les épines nuisibles, il coupe le bois de l’impiété; il
entoure le dogme de défenses. Mais qu'ont-ils gagné pour l’offrir au Créateur !
Au lieu des honneurs, ils n'ont que déshonneur, au lieu. de bénédiction,
malédiction, au lieu des récompenses, .des tourments; au lieu d'une vie de
repos, la mort la plus amère: car après avoir subi des supplices intolérables,
Barthélemy ;fut écorché par les impies comme s'ils avaient prétendu en faire un
sac et après sa sortie de ce monde, il ne méprisa pas ceux qui l’avaient tué ;
mais ceux qui se perdaient, il les attirait par des miracles, ceux qui étaient
des adversaires, il les gagnait par des prodiges. Cependant il n'y avait rien
qu'il n'employât pour calmer leur fureur aveugle, et pour les éloigner du mal.
Or, comment se comportent-ils ensuite? Ils s'acharnent contre le corps du
saint. Les malades méprisent celui qui les voulait guérir; les orphelins, celui
qui les menait parla, main, les aveugles, leur conducteur, les naufragés, leur
pilote, les morts, celui qui leur rendait la vie. Et comment cela? En jetant ce
corps saint dans la mer. »
« Le flot poussa des
rivages de l’Arménie le coffre où étaient les ossements du saint avec quatre
autres coffres d'os de martyrs qui avaient été jetés aussi dans la mer. Pendant
tout le trajet, les quatre coffres précédaient celui de l’apôtre auquel ils semblaient
faire cortège. Ils abordèrent ainsi, auprès de la Sicile, dans une île appelée
Lipari. Le prodige fut révélé à l’évêque d'Ostie qui se trouvait présent. Ce
trésor inestimable vint dans un lieu très pauvre. Cette pierre des plus
précieuses vint aborder sur un rocher ; cette lumière resplendissante se
répandit dans un lieu obscur. Les quatre autres coffres allèrent dans
différents pays et laissèrent le saint apôtre dans l’île citée plus-haut. En
effet l’apôtre laissa les quatre martyrs par derrière et envoya l’un, savoir:
Papinus, dans une ville de Sicile nommée Milas, un autre qui s'appelait Lucien,
à Messine; les deux autres, il les fit aller dans la Calabre, savoir: Grégoire
dans la cité de Colonne, et Achatius dans la cité de Chale où jusque aujourd'hui
ils brillent par les faveurs qu'ils accordent. Le corps de saint Barthélemy fut
reçu au chant des hymnes, au milieu des louanges ; on alla au-devant de lui
avec des flambeaux, et on éleva en son honneur un temple magnifique. — Le mont
Volcano, voisin de l’île, causait: des dommages aux habitants parce qu'il
jetait du feu : il s'éloigna de sept stades sans qu'on le vît, et s'arrêta au
milieu de la mer, en sorte qu'aujourd'hui encore on n'en aperçoit plus que
comme l’apparence d'un feu qui s'échappe. Maintenant donc, salut, ô bienheureux
des bienheureux! Trois fois heureux Barthélemy, qui êtes la splendeur de la
lumière divine, le pêcheur de la sainte Eglise, l’homme habile à prendre les
poissons doués de raison, le doux fruit du palmier vivace, l’exterminateur du
diable occupé à blesser le monde par ses violences ! Gloire à vous, soleil qui
éclairez tout ce qu'il y a sur la terre, bouche de Dieu, langue de feu qui
répand la sagesse, fontaine intarissable de santé, qui avez sanctifié la mer
dans votre course, qui avez, rougi la terre de la pourpre de votre sang, qui
êtes monté aux cieux, où vous brillez dans l’armée divine, qui êtes environné
d'un éclat, d'une gloire incorruptible; et qui nagez dans des transports d'un
bonheur sans fin ! »
* Chapitre I, 3
** Bréviaire romain.
La Légende dorée de Jacques de Voragine nouvellement traduite en
français avec introduction, notices, notes et recherches sur les sources par
l'abbé J.-B. M. Roze, chanoine honoraire de la Cathédrale d'Amiens, Édouard
Rouveyre, éditeur, 76, rue de Seine, 76, Paris mdcccci
SOURCE : http://www.abbaye-saint-benoit.ch/voragine/tome02/124.htm
Schwabach
- City Church. Altar of Saint Catherine (1465) with closed wings: Saint
Bartholomew.
Schwabach - Stadtkirche. Katharinenaltar (1465) mit geschlossenen Flügeln: Heiliger Bartholomäus.
Schwabach
- City Church. Altar of Saint Catherine (1465) with closed wings: Saint
Bartholomew.
Schwabach - Stadtkirche. Katharinenaltar (1465) mit geschlossenen Flügeln: Heiliger Bartholomäus.
« Les documents relatifs aux fêtes des
Apôtres, qui sont publiés en tête du martyrologe hiéronymien, se partagent
entre le 24 et le 25 août pour annoncer le natale de saint Barthélémy. Il
en va de même, selon les manuscrits, dans le corps du martyrologe, ainsi que
dans les calendriers. La plupart des documents liturgiques du XIe et du XIIe
siècle, qui nous font connaître l’usage romain, optent pour le 24, tandis que
le martyrologe de Saint-Pierre et le passionnaire du Latran choisissent le 25.
A la fin du XIIe siècle, les calendriers du Latran et du Vatican s’accordent
sur cette dernière date. Les Byzantins, qui fêtent saint Barthélémy avec saint
Barnabé le 11 juin, comme le font aussi les Syriens, célèbrent en ce jour une
translation de ses reliques, mais, au début du Xe siècle, le manuscrit du
typicon originaire de la laure de saint Saba, est encore le seul à mentionner
cette fête secondaire de l’Apôtre.
A Rome, le pape Honorius
Ier (625-628) transforma sa propre maison, près du Latran, en monastère des
saints Apôtres André et Barthélémy. Il faut attendre ensuite l’époque d’Otton
III (983-1002) pour trouver une nouvelle attestation du culte romain de saint
Barthélémy, avec la translation de ses reliques de Bénévent dans la basilique
de l’Ile du Tibre, qui devait ensuite recevoir son nom. Les oraisons que consacrent
à la fête de l’apôtre le sacramentaire de Saint-Pierre du XIe siècle et le
missel du Latran du XIIe sont celles des Gélasiens du VIIIe. La collecte, qui
fait allusion à la veneranda sanctaque laetitia qu’apporte cette fête, provient
du Veronense, qui l’attribue à la fête de saint Jean l’Évangéliste » [1].
[1] Cf. Pierre
Jounel, Le Culte des Saints dans les Basiliques du Latran et du Vatican au
douzième siècle, École Française de Rome, Palais Farnèse, 1977.
Francesco Primaticcio (1504–1570), Bartholomew the Apostle decorated segment of the ribbed vault of the choir in the Holy Mary Chapel at the Chaalis Abbey, fresco / Saint Barthélemy, voûtain peint du chœur dans la Chapelle Sainte-Marie de l'abbaye de Chaalis
Dom Guéranger, l’Année
Liturgique
Un témoin du Fils de
Dieu, un des princes qui annoncèrent sa gloire aux nations, illumine ce jour
des incomparables feux de la lumière apostolique. Tandis que ses frères du
collège sacré suivaient la race humaine sur toutes les routes où la migration
des peuples l’avait portée, c’est au point de départ, sur les monts d’Arménie
d’où les fils de Noé remplirent la terre, que Barthélémy parut comme l’envoyé
des collines éternelles et le héraut de l’Époux. Là, s’était arrêtée l’arche
figurative ; l’humanité, partout ailleurs voyageuse, y restait assise, se
souvenant de la colombe au rameau d’olivier, attendant la consommation de
l’alliance dont l’arc-en-ciel, brillant sur la nue, avait dans ces lieux pour
la première fois signifié les splendeurs [64]. Or, voici qu’une nouvelle
bienheureuse a réveillé dans ces hautes vallées les échos des antiques
traditions : nouvelle de paix [65], fin du péché dont l’universel déluge recule
devant le bois du salut. Combien la sérénité qu’apportait la colombe de jadis
est dépassée ! Au châtiment va succéder l’amour. L’ambassadeur du ciel a montré
Dieu aux fils d’Adam dans le plus beau de leurs frères [66]. Les nobles sommets
d’où coulent les fleuves qui arrosèrent autrefois le jardin de délices, voient
renouveler le contrat déchiré en Éden, et célébrer dans l’allégresse de la
terre et des cieux les noces divines, attente des siècles, union du Verbe et de
l’humanité régénérée.
Personnellement, que fut
l’Apôtre dont le ministère emprunte une telle solennité du lieu où il
s’accomplit ? Sous le nom ou le surnom de Barthélémy [67], qui est le seul
trait que nous aient conservé de lui les trois premiers Évangiles, devons-nous
voir, comme plusieurs l’ont pensé, ce Nathanaël dont la présentation par
Philippe à Jésus est l’objet en saint Jean d’une scène si suave [68] ?
Personnage tout de droiture, d’innocence, de simplicité, bien digne d’avoir eu
la colombe pour précurseur, et pour lequel on sent que l’Homme-Dieu dès l’abord
réservait des tendresses et des grâces de choix [69].
Quoi qu’il en puisse être,
la part échue entre les douze à l’élu de ce jour dit assez la spéciale
confiance du Cœur divin ; l’héroïsme du redoutable martyre où il scelle son
apostolat, nous révèle sa fidélité ; la dignité qu’a su garder sous toutes les
latitudes où elle vit transplantée la nation qu’il greffa sur le Christ,
témoigne de l’excellence de la sève infusée originairement dans ses rameaux.
Lorsque, deux siècles et demi plus tard, Grégoire l’illuminateur fit germer par
toute l’Arménie l’abondance des fleurs et des fruits qui la manifestèrent si
belle, il n’eut qu’à réveiller la semence divine déposée par l’Apôtre, et dont
les épreuves, qui ne devaient jamais manquer à la généreuse contrée, avaient un
temps comprimé l’essor, sans pouvoir l’étouffer.
Pourquoi faut-il que de
déplorables malentendus, nourris dans le trouble d’invasions sans fin, aient
maintenu trop longtemps en défiance contre Rome une race que les guerres
d’extermination, les supplices, la dispersion, n’ont pu détacher de l’amour du
Christ Sauveur ! Grâce à Dieu pourtant, le mouvement de retour, plus d’une fois
commencé pour ensuite se ralentir, semble aujourd’hui s’accentuer davantage ;
l’illustre nation voit l’élite de ses fils travailler avec persévérance au
rapprochement si souhaitable, en dissipant les préjugés de leur peuple, en
révélant à nos régions les trésors de sa littérature si chrétienne, les
magnificences de sa liturgie, en priant surtout et en se dévouant sous
l’étendard du père des moines de l’Occident [70]. Avec ces tenants de la vraie
tradition nationale, prions Barthélémy leur Apôtre, et le disciple Thaddée [71]
qui eut aussi part à l’évangélisation primitive, et Ripsima, l’héroïque vierge
amenant des terres romaines ses trente-cinq compagnes à la conquête d’une
nouvelle patrie, et tous les martyrs dont le sang cimenta l’édifice sur le seul
fondement posé par le Seigneur. Puisse, comme ces grands prédécesseurs, le chef
du second apostolat, Grégoire l’Illuminateur, qui voulut voir Pierre [72] en la
personne de Silvestre et reçut la bénédiction du Pontife romain ; puissent les
saints rois, les patriarches et les docteurs de l’Arménie, redevenir pour elle
les guides écoutés des beaux temps de son histoire, et ramener tout entière,
sans retour enfin, à l’unique bercail [73], une Église faite pour marcher d’un
même pas avec l’Église maîtresse et mère !
Nous apprenons d’Eusèbe
[74] et de saint Jérôme [75], qu’avant de se rendre dans l’Arménie, but suprême
de son apostolat, saint Barthélémy évangélisa les Indes, où Pantène, au siècle
suivant, trouva un exemplaire de l’Évangile de saint Matthieu en lettres
hébraïques qu’il y avait laissé. Saint Denys rapporte aussi du glorieux Apôtre
une parole profonde, qu’il cite et commente en ces termes : « Le divin
Barthélémy dit de la théologie qu’elle est à la fois abondante et succincte, de
l’Évangile qu’il est de vaste étendue et en même temps concis ; donnant ainsi
excellemment à entendre que la bienfaisante cause de tous les êtres s’exprime
et en beaucoup et en peu de paroles, ou même sans discours, n’y ayant parole ou
pensée qui la puisse rendre. Car elle est au-dessus de tout par son essence
supérieure ; et ceux-là seuls l’atteignent dans sa vérité, non dans les voiles
dont elle s’entoure, qui dépassant la matière et l’esprit, s’élevant par delà
le faite des plus saints sommets, laissent tous les rayonnements divins, tous
les échos de Dieu, tous les discours des cieux, pour entrer dans l’obscurité où
habite, comme dit l’Écriture [76], celui qui est au delà de toutes choses »
[77].
C’est demain seulement
que la ville de Rome célèbre la fête de saint Barthélémy ; elle est en cela
d’accord avec les Grecs, qui rattachent au 25 août le souvenir d’une
translation des reliques de l’Apôtre. Les translations diverses en effet du
saint corps, jointes à la difficulté de préciser la date du martyre de
Barthélémy, expliquent la variété des jours adoptés pour cette fête par les
Églises de l’Orient comme de l’Occident. La détermination du 24 de ce mois,
consacrée par l’usage de la plupart des Églises latines, remonte aux plus
anciens martyrologes, y compris le hiéronymien. Au XIIIe siècle, Innocent III,
consulté sur la divergence, répondit qu’il fallait maintenir en ce point les
coutumes locales [78].
En cette fête qui vous
est consacrée, ô Apôtre, l’Église implore la grâce d’aimer ce qui fut l’objet
de votre foi, de prêcher ce que vous avez enseigné [79]. Non que l’Épouse du
Fils de Dieu puisse défaillir jamais dans la croyance ou dans l’amour ; mais
elle sait trop que si sa tête sera toujours dans la lumière et son cœur toujours
à l’Époux dans l’Esprit qui la sanctifie, ses membres isolés, les Églises
particulières qui la composent, peuvent se détacher de leur centre vital et
s’égarer dans la nuit. O vous qui choisîtes notre Occident pour le lieu de
votre repos, vous dont Rome se glorifie de garder les restes précieux, ramenez
à Pierre les nations que vous avez évangélisées ; justifiez les espérances
d’universelle union qui se ravivent en nos jours ; aidez les efforts que tente
le Vicaire de l’Homme-Dieu pour rassembler sous la houlette du pasteur les
troupeaux dissidents dont le schisme a desséché les pâturages. Puisse votre
Arménie achever la première un retour commencé par elle dès longtemps : qu’elle
croie à l’Église Mère, et ne se livre plus aux semeurs d’embûches. Tous réunis,
puissions-nous jouir en commun des trésors de nos traditions concordantes,
aller à Dieu, au prix de tous les dépouillements, par le procédé à la fois si
vaste et si simple que nous enseignent votre sublime théologie et vos exemples.
[65] Isai. LII, 7.
[66] Psalm. XLIV.
[67] Fils de Tholmaï.
[68] Johan. I, 45-51.
[69] Ibid. XXI.
[70] Les Mekhitaristes,
arméniens moines de saint Benoît.
[71] Un des
soixante-douze.
[72] Gal. I, 18.
[73] Johan. X, 16.
[74] Hist. eccl. Lib. V,
C. L.
[75] De Script, eccl. C.
XXXVI.
[76] Psalm. XVII, 12.
[77] Dion. De mystica
theol. C. I, § 3.
[78] Decretal. Lib. III,
Tit XLVI c. 2 Consilium.
[79] Collecta diei.
Flügelaltar
von Martial Raymond, Limoges, 2. Hälfte 16. Jh.; Maler-Email in Ebenholzrahmen.
Detail: Aposteldarstellung am Seitenflügel, St. Bartholomäus und St. Judas
Thaddäus; Papstwappen Clemens VIII. Kunstgewebermuseum Berlin, Inv. Nr. K 5044
Bx cardinal
Schuster, Liber Sacramentorum
Aujourd’hui tombe
l’anniversaire d’une des nombreuses translations du corps de saint Barthélemy,
et c’est conformément à cette indication que la fête de ce jour est célébrée
par les Grecs : Ἠ ἐπάνοδος τοῦ λειφάνου τοῦ ἀγίου Ἀποστόλου Βαρθολομαίου.
Théodore le Lecteur rapporte que l’empereur Anastase fit transporter une
première fois le corps de l’apôtre à Daras en Mésopotamie [80], où Justinien
lui érigea une basilique [81]. Grégoire de Tours raconte, de son côté, que, de
son temps, les reliques de saint Barthélémy étaient vénérées dans l’île de
Lipari, d’où finalement, vers le IXe siècle, elles furent transférées à
Bénévent, où on les conserve encore.
Que, au début du XIe
siècle, les habitants de Bénévent aient réellement concédé à Othon III une
partie de ce dépôt sacré, ou qu’ils l’aient trompé en substituant à ceux de
l’apôtre les ossements de saint Paulin de Nole, le fait est que durant
plusieurs siècles ce fut là le sujet d’âpres querelles entre les Romains et les
habitants de Bénévent.
Dans la Ville éternelle,
on dédia aux saints apôtres André et Barthélemy le monastère que le pape
Honorius Ier érigea dans sa maison paternelle près du Latran, et qui, pour
cette raison, reçoit aussi son nom dans le Liber Pontificalis : monasterium...
quod appellatur Honorii. La petite église du monastère, avec son pavement des
Cosmas, existe encore et se trouve entre les bâtiments de l’ancien hôpital de
Saint-Michel-Archange et ceux qu’érigea Everso dell’Anguillara. Plusieurs
Pontifes l’ont restaurée et enrichie de présents, entre autres Hadrien Ier et
Léon III.
Après le Xe siècle, un
autre sanctuaire, en l’honneur de saint Barthélémy, s’éleva dans l’île du
Tibre, où, peu à peu, le temple érigé par Othon III en l’honneur de son ancien
ami, saint Adalbert de Prague, changea de titre et fut placé sous le vocable de
l’apôtre Barthélémy.
D’autres églises
médiévales, à Rome, étaient aussi dédiées à saint Barthélémy : Saint-Barthélemy
in Cancellis, Saint-Barthélemy de capite Merulanae, Saint-Barthélemy de
Vaccinariis, etc.
Les Actes de saint
Barthéleémy inspirent peu de confiance. Il semble qu’on doive faire plus de cas
des traditions arméniennes, selon lesquelles Barthélemy aurait prêché
l’Évangile à Urbanopolis (ou Arenban) dans les environs d’Albak. Là il
convertit au Christ la propre sœur du roi, en sorte que celui-ci, enflammé de
colère, le fit rouer de coups jusqu’à ce qu’il eût rendu l’esprit, après trois
heures de ce supplice. Les Arméniens regardent à bon droit saint Barthélémy
comme l’apôtre de leur nation.
L’introït est celui du
Commun des Apôtres, comme le 30 novembre.
Prière. — « Seigneur qui
avez rempli cette journée d’une joie toute sainte et vénérable, à cause de la
fête du bienheureux apôtre Barthélémy : faites que votre Église puisse toujours
aimer ce qu’il crut, en enseignant fidèlement ce qu’il prêcha ».
Dans le symbole de la
foi, l’Église est appelée catholique et apostolique, parce que, tout ce que
nous croyons maintenant, les saints apôtres l’ont annoncé jadis, confirmant
parle martyre leur Bonne Nouvelle. Cette commune Foi qui nous relie aux martyrs
et aux apôtres et remonte jusqu’au Christ, allume dans notre cœur la flamme de
l’amour, et elle est .aussi le motif de la joie qui distingue toujours l’esprit
de l’Église catholique de la sombre tristesse des sectes hérétiques.
La lecture est tirée de
la première épître aux Corinthiens (XII, 27-31) où l’apôtre saint Paul démontre
que, précisément parce que l’Église est un organisme vivant, il doit exister en
elle unité d’esprit mais multiplicité de fonctions et d’organes. Ainsi tous ne
pourront être apôtres, ou prophètes, ou docteurs ; celui-ci fera une chose, et
celui-là une autre ; mais chacun devra désirer la charité, c’est-à-dire
l’esprit qui anime tout le corps mystique de Jésus nous unit à Lui et à notre
prochain, double amour dans lequel universa lex pendet et prophetae.
Le répons : Constitues
est le même que le 30 novembre, tandis que le verset alléluiatique est tiré de
l’hymne célèbre et triomphale de Nicétas de Remesiana : « Seigneur, le chœur glorieux
des Apôtres vous loue ».
La lecture évangélique
est empruntée à saint Luc (VI, 12-19) et se rapporte à la vocation des Apôtres.
Avant de faire son choix, Jésus demeure toute une nuit en oraison sur la cime
d’une montagne, pour nous enseigner que la vocation à l’apostolat est une chose
toute divine, qui requiert une longue prière et une grande lumière. C’est Jésus
qui choisit ou appelle les ministres du sanctuaire, car personne ne peut
prétendre à coopérer avec Dieu dans la plus divine de ses œuvres, qui est celle
du salut des âmes, si Dieu lui-même ne le désigne d’abord pour être son
coopérateur. Le Rédempteur choisit simultanément les Apôtres et les organise
dès le début en un groupe hiérarchique avec saint Pierre comme chef, pour nous
apprendre que le sacerdoce légitime, institué par Jésus-Christ, est celui qui,
par une chaîne ininterrompue, remonte aux douze premiers Apôtres choisis par le
Sauveur, et qui par la communion avec le Siège de Pierre, est en communion avec
tout l’épiscopat catholique.
L’antienne pour
l’offrande des oblations est la même que le 30 novembre.
Sur les oblations, — «
Aujourd’hui que nous célébrons la solennité du bienheureux Barthélémy apôtre,
et que nous vous offrons des hosties en son honneur, nous vous supplions aussi,
Seigneur, par son intercession, de nous accorder votre secours ». Voilà la
prière catholique, humble et sincère. Elle sait bien que notre nature a été
gravement blessée par la faute originelle, et elle supplie le Seigneur de lui
tendre la main, de la relever et de l’entraîner au bien.
Aujourd’hui, quelques
Sacramentaires rapportent la préface suivante, qui d’ailleurs diffère peu de
celle qui est commune à tous les Apôtres : Vere... Qui ecclesiam tuam
sempiterna pietate non deseris, sed per beatos Apostolos tuos iugiter erudis et
sine fine custodis. Per... [82].
L’antienne pour la
Communion est la même que pour saint Mathias le 24 février.
Après la Communion. — «
Que le gage de l’éternelle rédemption que nous avons reçu nous vaille,
Seigneur, par les prières de votre bienheureux apôtre Barthélémy, tous les
secours de votre grâce pour la vie présente, et nous mérite la vie éternelle ».
La sainte Eucharistie reçoit le beau titre de gage d’éternelle rédemption,
parce que Dieu veut se donner à nous. Il veut être notre récompense et notre
béatitude. Cependant comme cette félicité est réservée à un avenir plus ou
moins éloigné de notre vie présente, Jésus, grâce à son Sacrement, nous en
donne ici-bas une anticipation, et ces arrhes ne sont autres que la récompense
elle-même dans son intégrité : Dieu.
[80] P. G., LXXXVI, 212.
[81] Procopio, De aedif.
II, 2, 3.
[82] Il est vraiment… Par
votre piété éternelle, vous n’abandonnez pas votre Église, mais par les
bienheureux Apôtres, vous l’enseignez continuellement et la gardez sans fin.
Girolamo da Carpi (Ferrare, 15011 - 1er août 1556), San Bartolomeo, dal convento di S. Giorgio a Ferrara
Dom Pius Parsch, Le
guide dans l’année liturgique
Voici vraiment un
Israélite en qui il n’y a pas d’artifice.
1. Saint Barthélemy. —
L’Église veut nous remplir aujourd’hui d’une « digne et sainte joie », car nous
célébrons la fête d’un Apôtre, d’un « ami » du Seigneur, d’un « prince » du
Royaume de Dieu, qui, avec le Christ, « règne et juge les douze tribus d’Israël
», l’Église. Ce qui rend notre joie si intense aujourd’hui, c’est la pensée que
nous appartenons, nous aussi, à la grande famille de Dieu, que nous sommes,
comme l’Apôtre saint Barthélemy, membres du corps du Christ. Les membres de ce
corps ont des fonctions diverses, mais ils s’aident réciproquement ; la
glorification de l’un prépare celle de l’autre (pensée que nous trouvons
magnifiquement traduite dans l’Épître de la messe : « Vous êtes le corps du
Christ, et vous êtes ses membres, chacun pour sa part »).
Le nom de Barthélemy et
celui de Nathanaël qu’on trouve dans saint Jean désignent la même personne
(identité dont ne tient d’ailleurs pas compte la liturgie). Barthélemy,
originaire de Cana, en Galilée, est un des premiers disciples qui suivirent
l’appel du Sauveur. La première fois qu’il le vit, Jésus lui rendit ce
magnifique témoignage : « Voici vraiment un Israélite en qui il n’y a nul
artifice ». Après la Résurrection, il fut un des quelques disciples à qui Jésus
« se montra... sur les bords de la mer de Tibériade » [83]. Il évangélisa,
croit-on, la grande Arménie où il fut écorché vif. Les Arméniens l’honorent
comme l’Apôtre de leur pays. Voici l’histoire de ses reliques d’après le
martyrologe : Son corps fut d’abord transporté dans l’île Lipari (au nord de la
Sicile), puis à Bénévent, et finalement à Rome, dans l’île du Tibre, où il est
l’objet d’un culte fervent ». Néanmoins, il semble plus vraisemblable que ses
reliques sont encore à Bénévent. La date du 24 août est celle d’une de leurs
translations.
2. La messe (Mihi autem).
— Pour mieux comprendre cette messe, il est bon que nous nous transportions par
la pensée aux premiers temps de l’Église, L’office de la vigile occupait alors
toute la nuit. Dès le lever du soleil, on assistait à la messe célébrée par
l’évêque entouré de tout son clergé. Le jour même de la fête, les fidèles
accouraient de tous côtés au sanctuaire du saint et aimaient à appliquer des
linges sur sa châsse, persuadés qu’il en sortait une vertu ; on y amenait
également des malades.
Ces détails nous
permettent de situer certaines allusions de l’Évangile : le corps mystique, la
communauté des fidèles (Épître) vient de passer « la nuit entière en prières »
; c’était la vigile. Vers l’aurore, le Christ appelle ses douze apôtres et « descend
avec eux dans la plaine » pour la célébration de la messe. A la messe
d’aujourd’hui, nous voyons le Christ s’avancer avec « le chœur glorieux des
Apôtres » (All.). A Introït, lorsque l’évêque et le clergé se dirigent vers
l’autel, nous voyons en eux « les dignes amis et les princes ». Et maintenant
nous voici, à la messe, la « grande multitude » des fidèles qui « étaient venus
pour l’entendre (avant-messe : lectures et prédication) et pour être guéris de
leurs maladies » (au Saint Sacrifice). A la Communion, même scène qu’à
l’Évangile : « et toute la foule cherchait à le toucher parce qu’une vertu
sortait de lui, et il les guérissait tous ». Aujourd’hui le pain céleste a
toujours la même vertu. Il est « un gage de l’éternelle rédemption » (Postc.).
Joignons-nous donc en ce jour à la « multitude » du Christ ; suspendons-nous
ardemment à ses lèvres (à l’avant-messe). supplions-le de guérir les blessures
de notre âme, et puisons la vertu qui sort de son saint corps.
3. La prière des Heures.
— Voici le commentaire donné par saint Ambroise à la péricope de l’Évangile : «
Et il passa toute la nuit à prier Dieu... C’est un exemple qui vous est offert,
c’est un modèle qui vous est présenté et que vous devez imiter. Car, que ne
devez-vous pas faire pour votre salut, lorsque, pour vous, le Christ passa
toute la nuit en prière ? Que convient-il que vous fassiez avant d’entreprendre
une bonne action, puisque le Christ pria avant d’envoyer ses Apôtres en mission
? Et, si je ne me trompe, on ne le voit jamais ailleurs prier avec les Apôtres
: partout il est seul à prier. C’est que l’homme, avec ses désirs, ne comprend
pas les intentions de Dieu, et aucun de ses proches ne peut être ici un
compagnon du Christ. « Il appela ses disciples, lisons-nous, et choisit douze
d’entre eux » — qu’il destinait à porter aux hommes le secours du salut dans
l’univers entier, en y répandant la semence de la foi. Remarquez en même temps
l’économie du plan céleste. Ce ne sont pas des savants, ce ne sont pas des
riches, ce ne sont pas des nobles, mais des pêcheurs et des publicains qu’il a
choisis pour cette mission. Il ne voulut pas sembler avoir usé, auprès de
certains, de la science pour tes séduire, des richesses pour les acheter, du
prestige de l’autorité ou de la noblesse pour les amener à ses faveurs. C’est
la force de la vérité, et non le charme de l’éloquence qui devait triompher ».
[83] Jean, 21, 1.
SOURCE : http://www.introibo.fr/24-08-St-Barthelemy-apotre#nb1
Detail
of Michelangelo's The Last Judgement (1535-1541,
fresco, Sistine
Chapel, Rome) Saint Bartholomew holding the knife of his
martyrdom and his flayed skin. The face of the skin is Michelangelo's.
Also
known as
Bartolomé
Bartolomeo
Nathanael bar Tolomai
24
August (Roman calendar)
11
June (Orthodox calendar)
13
February (translation of relics)
5
March (Lipari, Sicily, Italy to
celebrate the end of a plague in 1823 through
the intercession of Saint Bartholomew)
16
November (Lipari, Sicily, Italy to
celebrate the escape of the earthquake in 1894)
Profile
One of the Twelve
Apostles. Probably a close friend of Saint Philip;
Bartholomew’s name is always mentioned in the Gospels in
connection with Philip,
and it was Philip who
brought Bartholomew to Jesus. May have written a gospel,
now lost; it is mentioned in other writings of the time. May have preached in Asia
Minor, Ethiopia, India and Armenia;
some one did, leaving behind assorted writings,
and local tradition says it was Bartholomew. Martyr.
Born
Galilee
flayed
alive at Albanopolis, Armenia
relics at Saint Bartholomew-on-the-Tiber
Church, Rome, Italy,
and in the cathedral in Canterbury, England
in Italy
Benevento,
city of
elderly man
holding a tanner‘s
knife and a human skin
tanner‘s
knife
bright red (skinless) man
holding his own skin
Additional
Information
A
Garner of Saints, by Allen Banks Hinds, M.A.
Book
of Saints, by the Monks of
Ramsgate
Catholic
Encyclopedia, by John F Fenlon
Lives
of the Saints, by Father Alban
Butler
Lives
of the Saints, by Father Francis
Xavier Weninger
Miniature
Lives of the Saints for Every Day in the Year, by Father Henry
Sebastian Bowden
Pope
Benedict XVI: General Audience, 4
October 2006
Saints
of the Canon, by Monsignor John
T McMahon
Saints
of the Day, by Katherine Rabenstein
Short
Lives of the Saints, by Eleanor Cecilia Donnelly
The
Ministry of Jesus Christ, by Father Richard
F Clarke, SJ
books
Our
Sunday Visitor’s Encyclopedia of Saints
other
sites in english
Christian
Biographies, by James Kiefer
Nasrani
Syrian Christian Network
Patron
Saints and Their Feast Days, by the Australian Catholic
Truth Society
images
video
sitios
en español
Martirologio
Romano, 2001 edición
sites
en français
Abbé
Christian-Philippe Chanut
fonti
in italiano
Cathopedia:
Saint Bartholomew the Apostle
Cathopedia:
Feast of Saint Bartholomew
Martirologio
Romano, 2005 edition
MLA
Citation
“Saint Bartholomew the
Apostle“. CatholicSaints.Info. 5 May 2021. Web. 24 August 2021.
<http://catholicsaints.info/saint-bartholomew-the-apostle/>
SOURCE : http://catholicsaints.info/saint-bartholomew-the-apostle/
Pietro Perugino (1448–1523), Saint Bartholomew the Apostle, Polyptych of Sant'Agostino, circa
1512, 88.2 x 70.8, Birmingham Museum of Art
St. Bartholomew
One of the Twelve
Apostles, mentioned sixth in the three Gospel lists
(Matthew
10:3; Mark
3:18; Luke
6:14), and seventh in the list of Acts
(1:13).
The name (Bartholomaios)
means "son of Talmai" (or Tholmai) which was an ancient Hebrew
name, borne, e.g. by the King of Gessur whose daughter was a wife of David (2
Samuel 3:3). It shows, at least, that Bartholomew was
of Hebrew descent; it may have been his genuine
proper name or simply added to distinguish him as the son of Talmai.
Outside the instances referred to, no other mention of the name occurs
in the New
Testament.
Nothing further is known
of him for certain.
Many scholars, however, identify him with Nathaniel (John
1:45-51; 21:2).
The reasons for this are that Bartholomew is not the proper name of the Apostle;
that the name never occurs in the Fourth
Gospel, while Nathaniel is
not mentioned in the synoptics;
that Bartholomew's name is coupled with Philip's in
the lists of Matthew and Luke,
and found next to it in Mark,
which agrees well with the fact shown by St.
John that Philip was
an old friend of Nathaniel's and
brought him to Jesus;
that the call of Nathaniel,
mentioned with the call of several Apostles,
seems to mark him for the apostolate, especially since the rather full and
beautiful narrative leads one to expect some important development; that Nathaniel was
of Galilee where Jesus found
most, if not all, of the Twelve;
finally, that on the occasion of the appearance of the risen Savior on
the shore of the Sea
of Tiberias, Nathaniel is
found present, together with several Apostles who
are named and two unnamed Disciples who
were, almost certainly, likewise Apostles (the
word "apostle" not occurring in the Fourth
Gospel and "disciple" of Jesus ordinarily
meaning Apostle)
and so, presumably, was one of the Twelve. This chain of circumstantial
evidence is ingenious and pretty strong; the weak link is that, after
all, Nathaniel may
have been another personage in whom, for some reason, the author of the Fourth
Gospel may have been particularly interested, as he was in Nicodemus,
who is likewise not named in the synoptics.
No mention of St.
Bartholomew occurs in ecclesiastical literature before Eusebius,
who mentions that Pantaenus,
the master of Origen,
while evangelizing India,
was told that the Apostle had
preached there before him and had given to his converts the Gospel
of St. Matthew written in Hebrew, which was still treasured by
the Church.
"India" was a name covering a very wide area, including even Arabia
Felix. Other traditions represent St. Bartholomew as preaching in
Mesopotamia, Persia, Egypt, Armenia,
Lycaonia, Phrygia, and on the shores of the Black Sea; one legend, it is
interesting to note, identifies him with Nathaniel.
The manner of his death,
said to have occurred at Albanopolis in Armenia,
is equally uncertain; according to some, he was beheaded, according to others,
flayed alive and crucified, head downward, by order of Astyages, for
having converted his
brother, Polymius, King of Armenia.
On account of this latter legend, he is often represented in art (e.g.
in Michelangelo's Last
Judgment) as flayed and holding in his hand his own skin. His relics are
thought by some to be preserved in the church of St. Bartholomew-in-the-Island,
at Rome.
His feast is
celebrated on 24 August. An apocryphal gospel of
Bartholomew existed in the early ages.
Sources
LE CAMUS, Vie de
Notre Seigneur (tr. New York, 1906), I; IDEM in VIG., Dict. de
la Bible, where references are given for the sources of the traditions,
FOUARD, Life of Christ (New York, 1891).
Fenlon, John Francis. "St. Bartholomew." The Catholic
Encyclopedia. Vol. 2. New York: Robert Appleton
Company, 1907. 24 Aug. 2015 <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02313c.htm>.
Transcription. This
article was transcribed for New Advent by the Cloistered Dominican Nuns,
Monastery of the Infant Jesus, Lufkin, Texas. Dedicated to Jesus the
Redeemer.
Ecclesiastical
approbation. Nihil Obstat. 1907. Remy Lafort, S.T.D.,
Censor. Imprimatur. +John M. Farley, Archbishop of New York.
Copyright © 2020 by Kevin
Knight. Dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
SOURCE : http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02313c.htm
Master of the Saint
Bartholomew Altarpiece (fl. 1470–1510), Saint Bartholomew
Altarpiece (Agnes of Rome, Bartholomew the Apostle, Saint
Cecilia), circa 1503, Bavarian State Painting
Collections
BENEDICT XVI
GENERAL AUDIENCE
Saint Peter's Square
Wednesday, 4 October 2006
Bartholomew
Dear Brothers and
Sisters,
In the series on the
Apostles called by Jesus during his earthly life, today it is the Apostle
Bartholomew who attracts our attention. In the ancient lists of the Twelve he
always comes before Matthew, whereas the name of the Apostle who precedes him
varies; it may be Philip (cf. Mt 10: 3; Mk 3: 18; Lk 6: 14) or
Thomas (cf. Acts 1: 13).
His name is clearly a
patronymic, since it is formulated with an explicit reference to his father's
name. Indeed, it is probably a name with an Aramaic stamp, bar
Talmay, which means precisely: "son of Talmay".
We have no special
information about Bartholomew; indeed, his name always and only appears in the
lists of the Twelve mentioned above and is therefore never central to any
narrative.
However, it has
traditionally been identified with Nathanael: a name that means "God
has given".
This Nathanael came from
Cana (cf. Jn 21: 2) and he may therefore have witnessed the great
"sign" that Jesus worked in that place (cf. Jn 2: 1-11). It is
likely that the identification of the two figures stems from the fact that
Nathanael is placed in the scene of his calling, recounted in John's Gospel,
next to Philip, in other words, the place that Bartholomew occupies in the
lists of the Apostles mentioned in the other Gospels.
Philip told this
Nathanael that he had found "him of whom Moses in the law and also the
prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph" (Jn 1: 45). As
we know, Nathanael's retort was rather strongly prejudiced: "Can
anything good come out of Nazareth?" (Jn 1: 46). In its own way, this
form of protestation is important for us. Indeed,
it makes us see that according to Judaic expectations the Messiah could not
come from such an obscure village as, precisely, Nazareth (see also Jn
7: 42).
But at the same time
Nathanael's protest highlights God's freedom, which baffles our expectations by
causing him to be found in the very place where we least expect him. Moreover,
we actually know that Jesus was not exclusively "from Nazareth" but
was born in Bethlehem (cf. Mt 2: 1; Lk 2: 4) and came ultimately from
Heaven, from the Father who is in Heaven.
Nathanael's reaction
suggests another thought to us: in our relationship with Jesus we must not be
satisfied with words alone. In his answer, Philip offers
Nathanael a meaningful invitation: "Come and see!" (Jn
1: 46). Our knowledge of Jesus needs above all a first-hand experience:
someone else's testimony is of course important, for normally the whole of
our Christian life begins with the proclamation handed down
to us by one or more witnesses.
However, we ourselves
must then be personally involved in a close and deep relationship with Jesus;
in a similar way, when the Samaritans had heard the testimony of their fellow
citizen whom Jesus had met at Jacob's well, they wanted to talk to him
directly, and after this conversation they told the woman: "It is no
longer because of your words that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves,
and we know that this is indeed the Saviour of the world" (Jn 4: 42).
Returning to the scene of
Nathanael's vocation, the Evangelist tells us that when Jesus sees Nathanael
approaching, he exclaims: "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there
is no guile!" (Jn 1: 47). This is praise reminiscent of the text of a
Psalm: "Blessed is the man... in whose spirit there is no deceit"
(32[31]: 2), but provokes the curiosity of Nathanael who answers in
amazement: "How do you know me?" (Jn 1: 48).
Jesus' reply cannot
immediately be understood. He says: "Before Philip called you, when you
were under the fig tree, I saw you" (Jn 1: 48).
We do not know what had happened under this fig tree. It is obvious
that it had to do with a decisive moment in Nathanael's life.
His heart is moved by
Jesus' words, he feels understood and he understands: "This man knows
everything about me, he knows and is familiar with the road of life; I can
truly trust this man". And so he answers with a clear and beautiful
confession of faith: "Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of
Israel!" (Jn 1: 49). In this confession is conveyed a first important
step in the journey of attachment to Jesus.
Nathanael's words shed
light on a twofold, complementary aspect of Jesus' identity: he is recognized
both in his special relationship with God the Father, of whom he is the
Only-begotten Son, and in his relationship with the People of Israel, of whom
he is the declared King, precisely the description of the awaited Messiah. We
must never lose sight of either of these two elements because if we only proclaim
Jesus' heavenly dimension, we risk making him an ethereal and evanescent being;
and if, on the contrary, we recognize only his concrete place in history, we
end by neglecting the divine dimension that properly qualifies him.
We have no precise
information about Bartholomew-Nathanael's subsequent apostolic activity.
According to information handed down by Eusebius, the fourth-century historian,
a certain Pantaenus is supposed to have discovered traces of Bartholomew's
presence even in India (cf. Hist. eccl. V, 10, 3).
In later tradition, as
from the Middle Ages, the account of his death by flaying became very popular.
Only think of the famous scene of the Last Judgment in the
Sistine Chapel in which Michelangelo painted St Bartholomew, who is holding his
own skin in his left hand, on which the artist left his self-portrait.
St Bartholomew's relics
are venerated here in Rome in the Church dedicated to him on the Tiber Island,
where they are said to have been brought by the German Emperor Otto III in the
year 983.
To conclude, we can say
that despite the scarcity of information about him, St Bartholomew stands
before us to tell us that attachment to Jesus can also be lived and witnessed
to without performing sensational deeds. Jesus himself, to whom each one of us
is called to dedicate his or her own life and death, is and remains
extraordinary.
To special groups
I welcome the
English-speaking pilgrims present today and I greet especially the Board of
Directors of Serra International, the deacon candidates from the North American
College and the group of new students from the Beda College. I pray that you
will respond generously to the call to discipleship that you have received. May
God bless you all.
Lastly, I greet
the young people, the sick and the newly-weds. May the
shining example of St Francis of Assisi, whose feast we are celebrating today,
encourage you, dear young people, to plan your future in total fidelity to
the Gospel. May it help you, dear sick people, to face suffering with
courage, finding light and comfort in the Crucified Christ. May it lead you,
dear newly-weds, to an ever more generous love.
© Copyright 2006 -
Libreria Editrice Vaticana
SOURCE : http://www.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/audiences/2006/documents/hf_ben-xvi_aud_20061004.html
Sebastiano del Piombo (1485–1547),
Saint Bartholomew and Saint
Sebastian, circa 1509, 293 x 137, Gallerie dell'Accademia, Shutters of
organ. Deposit of the church of San Bartolomeo. Last restoration
1984 - 1985
Sebastiano del Piombo (1485–1547),
saint Barthélemy et Saint Sébastien, circa 1509, 293 x 137, Gallerie dell'Accademia, Portière
d'orgue. Dépôt de l'Église San Bartolomeo. Date de la dernière
restauration 1984 - 1985.
Sebastiano del Piombo (1485–1547),
San
Bartolomeo e san
Sebastiano, circa 1509, 293 x 137, Gallerie dell'Accademia, Porta
d'organo. Deposito della chiesa di San Bartolomeo.
Ultimo restauro 1984 - 1985
Bartholomew, Apostle (RM)
1st century; feast day in
Epternach and Cambrai is August 25 and in Persia, June 13. The only things that
we know with certainty about Saint Bartholomew can be found in the Scriptures.
He is one of the 12 apostles. His name, a patronymic, means "son of
Tolomai" and scholars believe he is the same person as Nathanael mentioned
in John, who says he is from Cana and that Jesus called him an "Israelite
. . . incapable of deceit." The surprised Bartholomew asked, "How do
you know me?" And Jesus answered, "Before Philip called you, I saw
you sitting under a fig tree."
Bartholomew's earlier
skepticism disappeared. He said to Jesus, "Teacher, you are the Son of
God. You are the King of Israel." To this Jesus responded: "Because I
said to you that I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? You shall see
greater things than these." And he did. But Jesus continued, "Truly,
truly, I tell you, you will see the heavens opened, and the angels of God
ascending and descending upon the Son of Man." Bartholomew lived to see
the Resurrection.
The Roman Martyrology
says that Bartholomew preached in India and Greater Armenia, where he was
flayed alive and beheaded by King Astyages at Derbend on the Caspian Sea.
Tradition has the place as Abanopolis on the west coast of the Caspian Sea and
that he also preached in Mesopotamia, Persia, and Egypt. Pantenus of Alexandria
(2nd century) is said by Eusebius to have found in "India" a Gospel
of Saint Matthew attributed to Bartholomew and written in Hebrew. The Gospel of
Bartholomew is apocryphal and was condemned in the decree of Pseudo-Gelasius.
His relics were said to
have been interred on the island of Lipara and eventually translated to
Benevento, Italy, then Rome, where the church of Saint Bartholomew on Isola San
Bartolomeo in the Tiber claims them. One of his arms was said to have been
given to Canterbury in the 11th century by King Canute's wife, Queen Emma (Benedictines,
Bentley, Delaney, Farmer).
In art, Saint Bartholomew
is portrayed as a bearded, sometimes middle-aged, sometimes venerable man, with
a book and a butcher's knife used for his flaying. At times he holds his own
flayed skin (Roeder).
Bartholomew is the patron
of bookbinders, butchers, corn-chandlers, dyers, glovers, furriers,
leather-workers, plasterers, shoemakers, tailors, tanners, vine-growers, and
Florentine salt and cheese merchants. He is invoked against nervous disorders
and twitchings (Roeder).
SOURCE : http://www.saintpatrickdc.org/ss/0824.shtml
El Greco (1541–1614),
San Bartolomé Apóstol, circa 1610, 80 x
100, El Greco Museum, Toledo, Spain.
The Ministry
of Jesus Christ – Nathanael
Article
Philip brings Nathanael
to Jesus, Who greets him as “an Israelite, indeed, in whom there is no guile.”
Our Lord tells him that He saw him when Philip found him under the fig-tree;
and Nathanael recognizes in Jesus, the Son of God, the King of Israel.
Philip is not satisfied
with one convert. He seeks another man of good-will, to whom he communicates
the joyful tidings that he has found the Messias. Philip was a worthy disciple
of his Master. He could not refrain from speaking of Him, and inviting others
to enroll themselves under His banner. It is a great mark of love to Jesus, if
we are zealous in proclaiming His love to others.
Nathanael is incredulous
at first; he will not believe that a great Prophet can come from a place of
such indifferent repute as Nazareth, but at Philip’s suggestion he consents to
come and see. Hence learn:
1) Not to be too
credulous, but to test and try any reported wonders.
2) Not to be prejudiced
against others by reason of their origin.
3) To be willing to
inquire into the claims of any who may possibly have a Divine mission to act
with Divine authority.
Nathanael does not remain
long incredulous in the presence of the Son of God. All men of good-will when
brought face to face with Truth and with the Catholic Church are irresistibly
drawn to it, and need but little evidence to convince them of its Divine
character. This recognition of the supernatural is a gift that men possess in
proportion to their obedience to the voice of conscience.
MLA
Citation
Father Richard Frederick
Clarke, SJ. “Nathanael”. The Ministry of Jesus
Christ: Short Meditations on the Public Life of Our Lord, 1892. CatholicSaints.Info.
16 April 2019. Web. 24 August 2020.
<https://catholicsaints.info/the-ministry-of-jesus-christ-nathanael/>
SOURCE : https://catholicsaints.info/the-ministry-of-jesus-christ-nathanael/
Martyrdom
of the Holy and Glorious Apostle Bartholomew
Historians declare that
India is divided into three parts; and the first is said to end at Ethiopia,
and the second at Media, and the third completes the country; and the one
portion of it ends in the dark, and the other in the ocean. To this India,
then, the holy Bartholomew the apostle of Christ went, and took up his quarters
in the temple of Astaruth, and lived there as one of the pilgrims and the poor.
In this temple, then, there was an idol called Astaruth, which was supposed to
heal the infirm, but rather the more injured all. And the people were in entire
ignorance of the true God; and from want of knowledge, but rather from the
difficulty of going to any other, they all fled for refuge to the false god.
And he brought upon them troubles, infirmities, damage, violence, and much
affliction; and when any one sacrificed to him, the demon, retiring, appeared
to give a cure to the person in trouble; and the foolish people, seeing this,
believed in him. But the demons retired, not because they wished to cure men,
but that they might the more assail them, and rather have them altogether in
their power; and thinking that they were cured bodily, those that sacrificed to
them were the more diseased in soul.
And it came to pass, that
while the holy apostle of Christ, Bartholomew, stayed there, Astaruth gave no
response, and was not able for curing. And when the temple was full of sick
persons, who sacrificed to him daily, Astaruth could give no response; and sick
persons who had come from far countries were lying there. When, therefore, in
that temple not even one of the idols was able to give a response, and was of
benefit neither to those that sacrificed to them nor to those who were in the
agonies of death on their account, they were compelled to go to another city,
where there was a temple of idols, where their great and most eminent god was
called Becher. And having there sacrificed, they demanded, asking why their god
Astaruth had not responded to them. And the demon Becher answered and said to
them: From the day and hour that the true God, who dwelleth in the heavens,
sent his apostle Bartholomew into the regions here, your god Astaruth is held
fast by chains of fire, and can no longer either speak or breathe. They said to
him: And who is this Bartholomew? He answered: He is the friend of the Almighty
God, and has just come into these parts, that he may take away all the worship
of the idols in the name of his God. And the servants of the Greeks said to
him: Tell us what he is like, that we may be able to find him.
And the demon answered
and said: He has black hair, a shaggy head, a fair skin, large eyes, beautiful
nostrils, his ears hidden by the hair of his head, with a yellow beard, a few
grey hairs, of middle height, and neither tall nor stunted, but middling,
clothed with a white undercloak bordered with purple, and upon his shoulders a
very white cloak; and his clothes have been worn twenty-six years, but neither
are they dirty, nor have they waxed old. Seven times a day he bends the knee to
the Lord, and seven times a night does he pray to God. His voice is like the
sound of a strong trumpet; there go along with him angels of God, who allow him
neither to be weary, nor to hunger, nor to thirst; his face, and his soul, and
his heart are always glad and rejoicing; he foresees everything, he knows and
speaks every tongue of every nation. And behold now, as soon as you ask me, and
I answer you about him, behold, he knows; for the angels of the Lord tell him;
and if you wish to seek him, if he is willing he will appear to you; but if he
shall not be willing, you will not be able to find him. I entreat you,
therefore, if you shall find him, entreat him not to come here, lest his angels
do to me as they have done to my brother Astaruth.
And when the demon had
said this, he held his peace. And they returned, and set to work to look into
every face of the pilgrims and poor men, and for two days they could find him
nowhere. And it came to pass, that one who was a demoniac set to work to cry
out: Apostle of the Lord, Bartholomew, thy prayers are burning me up. Then said
the apostle to him: Hold thy peace, and come out of him. And that very hour,
the man who had suffered from the demon for many years was set free.
And Polymius, the king of
that country, happened to be standing opposite the apostle; and he had a
daughter a demoniac, that is to say, a lunatic. And he heard about the demoniac
that had been healed, and sent messengers to the apostle, saying: My daughter
is grievously torn; I implore thee, therefore, as thou hast delivered him who
suffered for many years, so also to order my daughter to be set free. And the
apostle rose up, and went with them. And he sees the king’s daughter bound with
chains, for she used to tear in pieces all her limbs; and if any one came near
her, she used to bite, and no one dared to come near her. The servants say to
him: And who is it that dares to touch her? The apostle answered them: Loose
her, and let her go. They say to him again: We have her in our power when she
is bound with all our force, and dost thou bid us loose her? The apostle says
to them: Behold, I keep her enemy bound, and are you even now afraid of her? Go
and loose her; and when she has partaken of food, let her rest, and early
to-morrow bring her to me. And they went and did as the apostle had commanded
them; and thereafter the demon was not able to come near her.
Then the king loaded
camels with gold and silver, precious stones, pearls, and clothing, and sought
to see the apostle; and having made many efforts, and not found him, he brought
everything back to his palace.
And it happened, when the
night had passed, and the following day was dawning, the sun having risen, the
apostle appeared alone with the king in his bed-chamber, and said to him: Why
didst thou seek me yesterday the whole day with gold and silver, and precious
stones, pearls, and raiment? For these gifts those persons long for who seek
earthly things; but I seek nothing earthly, nothing carnal. Wherefore I wish to
teach thee that the Son of God deigned to be born as a man out of a virgin’s
womb. He was conceived in the womb of the virgin; He took to Himself her who
was always a virgin, having within herself Him who made the heaven and the
earth, the sea, and all that therein is. He, born of a virgin, like mankind,
took to Himself a beginning in time, He who has a beginning neither of times
nor days; but He Himself made every beginning, and everything created, whether
in things visible or invisible. And as this virgin did not know man, so she,
preserving her virginity, vowed a vow to the Lord God. And she was the first
who did so. For, from the time that man existed from the beginning of the
world, no woman made a vow of this mode of life; but she, as she was the first
among women who loved this in her heart, said, I offer to Thee, O Lord, my
virginity. And, as I have said to thee, none of mankind dared to speak this
word; but she being called for the salvation of many, observed this—that she
might remain a virgin through the love of God, pure and undefiled. And
suddenly, when she was shut up in her chamber, the archangel Gabriel appeared,
gleaming like the sun; and when she was terrified at the sight, the angel said
to her, Fear not, Mary; for thou hast found favour in the sight of the Lord,
and thou shalt conceive. And she cast off fear, and stood up, and said, How
shall this be to me, since I know not man? The angel answered her, The Holy
Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow
thee; wherefore also that holy thing which is born of thee shall be called Son
of God. Thus, therefore, when the angel had departed from her, she escaped the
temptation of the devil, who deceived the first man when at rest. For, having
tasted of the tree of disobedience, when the woman said to him, Eat, he ate;
and thus the first man was cast out of paradise, and banished to this life.
From him have been born the whole human race. Then the Son of God having been
born of the virgin, and having become perfect man, and having been baptized,
and after His baptism having fasted forty days, the tempter came and said to
Him: If thou art the Son of God, tell these stones to become loaves. And He
answered: Not on bread alone shall man live, but by every word of God. Thus
therefore the devil, who through eating had conquered the first man, was
conquered through the fasting of the second man; and as he through want of
self-restraint had conquered the first man, the son of the virgin earth, so we
shall conquer through the fasting of the second Adam, the Son of the Virgin
Mary.
The king says to him: And
how is it that thou saidst just now that she was the first virgin of whom was
born God and man? And the apostle answered: I give thanks to the Lord that thou
hearest me gladly. The first man, then, was called Adam; he was formed out of
the earth. And the earth, his mother out of which he was, was virgin, because
it had neither been polluted by the blood of man nor opened for the burial of
any one. The earth, then, was like the virgin, in order that he who conquered
the son of the virgin earth might be conquered by the Son of the Virgin Mary.
And, behold, he did conquer; for his wicked craft, through the eating of the
tree by which man, being deceived, came forth from paradise, kept paradise
shut. Thereafter this Son of the virgin conquered all the craft of the devil.
And his craft was such, that when he saw the Son of the virgin fasting forty
days, he knew in truth that He was the true God. The true God and man, therefore,
hath not given Himself out to be known, except to those who are pure in heart,
and who serve Him by good works. The devil himself, therefore, when he saw that
after the forty days He was again hungry, was deceived into thinking that He
was not God, and said to Him, Why hast thou been hungry? tell these stones to
become loaves, and eat. And the Lord answered him, Listen, devil; although thou
mayst lord it over man, because he has not kept the commandment of God. I have
fulfilled the righteousness of God in having fasted, and shall destroy thy
power, so that thou shalt no longer lord it over man. And when he saw himself
conquered, he again takes Jesus to an exceeding high mountain, and shows Him
all the kingdoms of the world, and says, All these will I give thee, if thou
wilt fall down and worship me. The Lord says to him, Get thee behind me, Satan;
for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou
serve. And there was a third temptation for the Lord; for he takes Him up to
the pinnacle of the temple, and says, If thou art the Son of God, cast thyself
down. The Lord says to him, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. And the
devil disappeared. And he indeed that once conquered Adam, the son of the
virgin earth, was thrice conquered by Christ, the Son of the Virgin Mary.
And when the Lord had
conquered the tyrant, He sent His apostles into all the world, that He might
redeem His people from the deception of the devil; and one of these I am, an
apostle of Christ. On this account we seek not after gold and silver, but
rather despise them, because we labour to be rich in that place where the
kingdom of Him alone endureth for ever, where neither trouble, nor grief, nor
groaning, nor death, has place; where there is eternal blessedness, and
ineffable joy, and everlasting exultation, and perpetual repose. Wherefore also
the demon sitting in your temple, who makes responses to you, is kept in chains
through the angel of the Lord who has sent me. Because if thou shalt be
baptized, and wishest thyself to be enlightened, I will make thee behold Him,
and learn from how great evils thou hast been redeemed. At the same time hear
also by what means he injures all those who are lying sick in the temple. The
devil himself by his own art causes the men to be sick, and again to be healed,
in order that they may the more believe in the idols, and in order that he may
have place the more in their souls, in order that they may say to the stock and
the stone, Thou art our God. But that demon who dwells in the idol is held in
subjection, conquered by me, and is able to give no response to those who
sacrifice and pray there. And if thou wishest to prove that it is so, I order
him to return into the idol, and I will make him confess with his own mouth that
he is bound, and able to give no response.
The king says to him:
To-morrow, at the first hour of the day, the priests are ready to sacrifice in
the temple, and I shall come there, and shall be able to see this wonderful
work.
And it came to pass on
the following day, as they were sacrificing, the devil began to cry out:
Refrain, ye wretched ones, from sacrificing to me, lest ye suffer worse for my
sake; because I am bound in fiery chains, and kept in subjection by an angel of
the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, whom the Jews crucified: for, being
afraid of him, they condemned him to death. And he put to death Death himself,
our king, and he bound our prince in chains of fire; and on the third day,
having conquered death and the devil, rose in glory, and gave the sign of the
cross to his apostles, and sent them out into the four quarters of the world;
and one of them is here just now, who has bound me, and keeps me in subjection.
I implore you, therefore, supplicate him on my account, that he may set me free
to go into other habitations.
Then the apostle
answered: Confess, unclean demon, who is it that has injured all those that are
lying here from heavy diseases? The demon answered: The devil, our ruler, he
who is bound, he sends us against men, that, having first injured their bodies,
we may thus also make an assault upon their souls when they sacrifice to us.
For then we have complete power over them, when they believe in us and
sacrifice to us. And when, on account of the mischief done to them, we retire,
we appear curing them, and are worshipped by them as gods; but in truth we are
demons, and the servants of him who was crucified, the Son of the virgin, have
bound us. For from that day on which the Apostle Bartholomew came I am
punished, kept bound in chains of fire. And for this reason I speak, because he
has commanded me. At the same time, I dare not utter more when the apostle is
present, neither I nor our rulers.
The apostle says to him:
Why dost thou not save all that have come to thee? The demon says to him: When
we injure their bodies, unless we first injure their souls, we do not let their
bodies go. The apostle says to him: And how do you injure their souls? The
demon answered him: When they believe that we are gods, and sacrifice to us,
God withdraws from those who sacrifice, and we do not take away the sufferings
of their bodies, but retire into their souls.
Then the apostle says to
the people: Behold, the god whom you thought to cure you, does the more
mischief to your souls and bodies. Hear even now your Maker who dwells in the
heavens, and do not believe in lifeless stones and stocks. And if you wish that
I should pray for you, and that all these may receive health, take down this
idol, and break it to pieces; and when you have done this, I will sanctify this
temple in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; and having baptized all of you who
are in it in the baptism of the Lord, and sanctified you, I will save all.
Then the king gave
orders, and all the people brought ropes and crowbars, and were not at all able
to take down the idol. Then the apostle says to them: Unfasten the ropes. And
when they had unfastened them, he said to the demon dwelling in it: In the name
of our Lord Jesus Christ, come out of this idol, and go into a desert place, where
neither winged creature utters a cry, nor voice of man has ever been heard. And
straightway he arose at the word of the apostle, and lifted it up from its
foundations; and in that same hour all the idols that were in that place were
broken to pieces.
Then all cried out with
one voice, saying: He alone is God Almighty whom Bartholomew the apostle
proclaims. Then the holy Bartholomew, having spread forth his hands to heaven,
said: God of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob, who for the salvation of men
hast sent forth Thine only begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, in order that
He might redeem by His own blood all of us enslaved by sin, and declare us to
be Thy sons, that we may know Thee, the true God, that Thou existest always to
eternity God without end: one God, the Father, acknowledged in Son and Holy
Spirit; one God, the Son, glorified in Father and Holy Spirit; one God, the
Holy Spirit, worshipped in Father and Son; and acknowledged to be truly one,
the Father unbegotten, the Son begotten, the Holy Spirit proceeding; and in
Thee the Father, and in the Holy Spirit, Thine only begotten Son our Lord Jesus
Christ is, in whose name Thou hast given us power to heal the sick, to cure
paralytics, to expel demons, and raise the dead: for He said to us, Verily I
say unto you, that whatever ye shall ask in my name ye shall receive. I
entreat, then, that in His name all this multitude may be saved, that all may
know that Thou alone art God in heaven, and in the earth, and in the sea, who
seekest the salvation of men through that same Jesus Christ our Lord, with whom
Thou livest and reignest in unity of the Holy Spirit for ever and ever.
And when all responded to
the Amen, suddenly there appeared an angel of the Lord, shining brighter than
the sun, winged, and other four angels holding up the four corners of the
temple; and with his finger the one sealed the temple and the people, and said:
Thus saith the Lord who hath sent me, As you have all been purified from all
your infirmity, so also this temple shall be purified from all uncleanness, and
from the demons dwelling in it, whom the apostle of God has ordered to go into
a desert place; for so hath God commanded me, that I may manifest Him to you.
And when ye behold Him, fear nothing; but when I make the sign of the cross, so
also do ye with your finger seal your faces, and these evil things will flee
from you. Then he showed them the demon who dwelt in the temple, like an
Ethiopian, black as soot; his face sharp like a dog’s, thin-cheeked, with hair
down to his feet, eyes like fire, sparks coming out of his mouth; and out of
his nostrils came forth smoke like sulphur, with wings spined like a porcupine;
and his hands were bound with fiery chains, and he was firmly kept in. And the
angel of the Lord said to him: As also the apostle hath commanded, I let thee
go; go where voice of man is not heard, and be there until the great day of
judgment. And when he let him go, he flew away, groaning and weeping, and
disappeared. And the angel of the Lord went up into heaven in the sight of all.
Then the king, and also
the queen, with their two sons, and with all his people, and with all the
multitude of the city, and every city round about, and country, and whatever
land his kingdom ruled over, were saved, and believed, and were baptized in the
name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. And the king laid aside
his diadem, and followed Bartholomew the apostle of Christ.
And after these things
the unbelievers of the Greeks, having come together to Astreges the king, who
was the elder brother of the king who had been baptized, say to him: O king,
thy brother Polymius has become disciple to a certain magician, who has taken
down our temples, and broken our gods to pieces. And while they were thus
speaking and weeping, behold, again there came also some others from the cities
round about, both priests and people; and they set about weeping and making
accusations before the king. Then King Astreges in a rage sent a thousand armed
men along with those priests, in order that, wherever they should find the
apostle, they might bring him to him bound. And when they had done so, and
found him, and brought him, he says to him: Art thou he who has perverted my
brother from the gods? To whom the apostle answered: I have not perverted him,
but have converted him to God. The king says to him: Art thou he who caused our
gods to be broken in pieces? The apostle says to him: I gave power to the
demons who were in them, and they broke in pieces the dumb and senseless idols,
that all men might believe in God Almighty, who dwelleth in the heavens. The
king says to him: As thou hast made my brother deny his gods, and believe in
thy God, so I also will make you reject thy God and believe in my gods. The
apostle says to him: If I have bound and kept in subjection the god which thy
brother worshipped, and at my order the idols were broken in pieces, if thou
also art able to do the same to my God, thou canst persuade me also to
sacrifice to thy gods; but if thou canst do nothing to my God, I will break all
thy gods in pieces; but do thou believe in my God.
And when he had thus
spoken, the king was informed that this god Baldad and all the other idols had
fallen down, and were broken in pieces. Then the king rent the purple in which
he was clothed, and ordered the holy apostle Bartholomew to be beaten with
rods; and after having been thus scourged, to be beheaded.
And innumerable
multitudes came from all the cities, to the number of twelve thousand, who had
believed in him along with the king; and they took up the remains of the
apostle with singing of praise and with all glory, and they laid them in the
royal tomb, and glorified God. And the king Astreges having heard of this,
ordered him to be thrown into the sea; and his remains were carried into the
island of Liparis.
And it came to pass on
the thirtieth day after the apostle was carried away, that the king Astreges
was overpowered by a demon and miserably strangled; and all the priests were
strangled by demons, and perished on account of their rising against the
apostle, and thus died by an evil fate.
And there was great fear
and trembling, and all came to the Lord, and were baptized by the presbyters
who had been ordained by the holy apostle Bartholomew. And according to the
commandment of the apostle, all the clergy of the people made King Polymius
bishop; and in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ he received the grace of
healing, and began to do signs. And he remained in the bishopric twenty years;
and having prospered in all things, and governed the church well, and guided it
in right opinions, he fell asleep in peace, and went to the Lord: to whom be
glory and strength for ever and ever. Amen.
– from Ante-Nicene Fathers, v8
SOURCE : https://catholicsaints.info/martyrdom-of-the-holy-and-glorious-apostle-bartholomew/
Anthony van Dyck (1599–1641), Saint Bartholomew the Apostle, circa 1610, 62.5 x 46.5, Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden
Weninger’s
Lives of the Saints – Saint Bartholomew, Apostle
Article
The Gospel gives us no
other account of Saint Bartholomew than that he was joined by our Saviour to
those men whom He called as Apostles, and chose to convert mankind. Hence, with
the others, he followed the Divine Teacher, and learned from Him the doctrine
which he afterwards preached to the nations. The life of this saint, after the
ascension of Christ, is described by authentic writers as follows. When the Holy
Apostles, after the Holy Ghost had descended upon them, dispersed to preach the
gospel to the whole world, Saint Bartholomew was sent into East India and the
neighboring countries. He repaired thither, not without great hardship, and
wandering through cities and villages, he everywhere converted great numbers of
the heathen. Having provided all these places with priests, he journeyed to
Greater Armenia. Arriving at the capital of this state, he repaired first to
the grand temple of the idol Asteroth, where he found a great many blind, deaf,
lame, and otherwise disabled persons, who were praying to this god to restore
their health. Some were helped, others not. The devil, as he afterwards
confessed, at the command of Saint Bartholomew, had first, by witchcraft or
other means, made these persons blind, deaf, or lame, and when they sought help
in his temple, he destroyed the spell cast upon them, or used natural means to
restore their health, while they believed that their god had helped them. Satan
used also to speak by the image of this idol, and reply to those who questioned
him. From the moment, however, when the Holy Apostle entered the temple, the
devil had become silent, and answered not a word. To the Armenians, this
silence was incomprehensible; hence they asked the idol of another temple the
reason of it. Satan, by the mouth of the image, said that Bartholomew, an
Apostle of the true God, was the cause of it, and that the same would happen to
him as soon as this Apostle should come into his temple. The idolatrous priest
desired to know who this Apostle was, and by what means they could recognize
him. Satan described him most minutely, adding that he prayed a hundred times
during the day and as many times during the night. They immediately sought for
Saint Bartholomew, and found him just after he had delivered a man possessed of
the devil; for Satan cried with a loud voice, that he was tormented by the
prayers of Saint Bartholomew, and forced to give way. After the idolaters had
thus become acquainted with the Saint, they began to deliberate what they
should do with him. Meanwhile, Polymius, the king, whose daughter was also
possessed by the Evil One, and who had heard of the deliverance of the one
mentioned above, sent to the Apostle, humbly requesting him to come and free
his daughter in a like manner. Bartholomew said a short prayer, after which he
commanded Satan, in the name of Jesus Christ, to leave the body of the
possessed, which was instantly done. The joy of the king and the whole court,
and the astonishment of the people of the city, were indescribably great. The
king, to show his gratitude to the Saint, offered him a large sum of money and
many other presents. Saint Bartholomew accepted nothing, saying: “I am not here
to seek gold and silver, but to convert the people, and lead souls to the
knowledge of the true faith and to heaven.” After this he began to speak to the
king and courtiers of the only true God, and explained to them how the
only-begotten Son of God, by His sufferings and death, had redeemed the world.
He told them fearlessly, that the gods which they all worshipped were false
gods, nay, nothing but spirits of hell, and to prove this he proposed to force
the devil himself, who until now had spoken to them through the idol, publicly
to confess the same. The king, went on the following day, with all his
courtiers, to the temple. Saint Bartholomew came also, and asked the idol
Asteroth, in the name of Jesus Christ, to say who he was. The devil began to
lament and to howl, but at last, forced by the divine power, confessed that he
was one of the spirits of hell, who had, until then, wickedly deceived the king
and the people. He said further, that there was only one true God, who was He
whom Saint Bartholomew, His Apostle, preached and adored. All present looked at
each other and knew not what to think or what to say. The holy Apostle then
commanded the devil to leave the idols, and destroy them all, without
exception, throughout the whole city. The devil obeyed, and the idols of the
city fell from their altars and were dashed to pieces. This sufficed to
convince the king that Saint Bartholomew was a proclaimer of the truth, and
after being instructed in the Christian faith, he and his wife and children
were baptized. The example of the king was followed by the whole court, and by
most of the inhabitants of the capital; and not long after the twelve principal
cities of the state became converted to Christianity. To preserve so large a
number of faithful in the church, Saint Bartholomew ordained many priests, and
appointed them to take charge of the new converts.
This glorious victory of
the gospel left only the idolatrous priests stubborn in their error, and as,
after the downfall of their idols, they were despised and derided, they thought
of means to revenge themselves on the holy Apostle. And when many plans had
failed, they turned their eyes upon Astyages, a brother of King Polymius, who
reigned over the other part of Armenia, and accused Saint Bartholomew before
him as an enemy and disturber of the land, who had even succeeded in seducing
the king and the whole court, and who was intent upon entirely exterminating
the ancient worship of the gods. Astyages, in whose weak mind idolatry had
taken deep root, resolved to avenge the wrong which had been done to the gods.
He called the holy Apostle to his court under the pretext of hearing his
instructions. No sooner, however, had the holy man made his appearance, than
the tyrant threatened him with the most cruel torments and the most terrible
death, if he did not immediately sacrifice to the gods. Saint Bartholomew
endeavored to convince him of the nothingness of his gods, but the tyrant would
not listen, and commanded the executioners to seize the Saint, and tear the
skin from his whole body, and thus slowly put him to death. The order was
executed, and the holy Apostle was flayed alive. During this inhuman torture
the Saint ceased not to praise God and to proclaim the true faith. God
preserved his life miraculously until the skin was torn from his whole body,
and as he still continued to declare the true God, the tyrant had him beheaded.
The Almighty, however, visibly punished the king and the idolatrous priests,
who had instigated this fearful cruelty. They all became possessed of the Evil
One, and after having been tormented by him for thirty days, they were
strangled. The holy body of the Martyr was placed by the Christians in a leaden
coffin, and was buried with all due honors. In the course of time the pagans
cast the leaden coffin with the relics of Saint Bartholomew into the sea; but
the waves miraculously supported it and carried it to the island of Lipari, the
Christian inhabitants of which received the sacred deposit with joy, and placed
it in a church erected for the purpose. Thence this sacred treasure was brought
to Benevento, and finally, in the reign of Otho II, it was transported to Rome,
where it is kept at this day in great honor.
Practical Considerations
• Bartholomew, the holy
Apostle, threw himself on his knees a hundred times during the day, and as
often at night, to pray to the Almighty. An Apostle found leisure for this,
though overburdened with work and assured of divine aid in all his
undertakings. You have not so much work, neither are you assured of divine aid,
and yet you seldom take refuge in prayer to the Almighty. What is the reason of
this? You are perhaps, one of those negligent persons, who do not even think of
their morning and evening prayers, but like dumb brutes rise and lie down
again. Of course, it never copies into your mind to pray during the day. Do you
call that, I will not say, a Christian, but even a rational life? Will you go
on in this manner? I do not require cf you to bend your knees a hundred times
during the day and night, but I advise you to pray more frequently and more
devoutly than you have done heretofore. Before all things, do not omit to turn
your thoughts to heaven, morning and evening, if only for one short prayer. If
ever you omit to do this, let it be on those days when you need no benefits from
the Almighty. But when will such a day dawn? Surely, never as long as you live;
for there is no day in which neither your soul nor your body may be exposed to
such dangers as to require the assistance of the Most High. Hence it is no more
than your duty to pray in the morning most fervently for this divine
assistance. And as no day passes on which the Almighty bestows no grace on you
either in soul or body, it is therefore no less your duty at the close of the
day to offer Him your grateful thanks. During the night, you are as little
secure from the persecutions of the evil one, and of wicked men, as during the
day; hence, you need God’s protection at night as well as in the day. But how
can you expect this aid, if you do not even ask for it? “We rise in the
morning,” says Saint Chrysostom, “and know not what may happen to us through
the day; we live surrounded by danger: why then, do we not call on God for
help?” Let it at least be done morning and night, and also during the clay,
while you are at your work. Hear the words of Saint Lawrence Justinian:
“Nothing is so powerful to overcome the rage of our enemies as continual
prayer. But as other affairs do not permit us to pray continually, we ought to
pray during our work. He who is occupied with good works, prays to God with a
loud voice, though his tongue is silent. We ought, nevertheless, to endeavor,
before we begin our day’s labor, to send a prayer on high. For, as a soldier
without his weapons dares not enter the field of battle, so a Christian should begin
nothing without arming himself with prayer. When going out and returning home,
prayer should accompany him. He should not lie down to rest before having
recommended himself, soul and body, to the Almighty.”
• Saint Bartholomew
rather suffered himself to be flayed than offend God by sacrificing to an idol.
The martyrdom was inhuman, the pain inexpressibly great. But all this had an
end; all was soon over. Had he acted differently, had he offended God, he would
have escaped this dreadful torture, but he would now be suffering much greater
pains, and such as never end; as the tyrant and those idolatrous priests
suffer, who were the cause of his martyrdom. They were tormented during thirty
days on earth, and after that, they have suffered in hell until now, and will
suffer for all eternity. Hence, tell me, if you had to suffer, either with the
holy Apostle, or with the idolatrous priests and the tyrant, with whom would
you rather share the pains? I believe that you would certainly prefer to be
flayed with Saint Bartholomew; for, his sufferings, although so terrible,
ended, and, in comparison with the pains of hell, were but very trifling. I ask
you further: why then have you so frequently offended God when you had not to
fear torments? Why have you voluntarily placed yourself in danger of being cast
forever into the torments of hell? Ah! you cannot have considered the pains,
the torments which attend the sinner in hell! Think seriously of it in future,
and you will not sin, and will therefore escape hell. To think frequently of
hell, is a powerful means to escape it; and to forget it, casts many into the
whirlpool of sin, and thence into hell. Saint Chrysostom writes of the rich man
as follows: “If this man had thought of the fire of hell, he would never have sinned:
but never calling it to mind, he sinned, and thus was cast into the flames.”
Hence I advise you to think often of hell.
MLA
Citation
Father Francis Xavier
Weninger, DD, SJ. “Saint Bartholomew, Apostle”. Lives
of the Saints, 1876. CatholicSaints.Info.
28 April 2018. Web. 24 August 2020.
<https://catholicsaints.info/weningers-lives-of-the-saints-saint-bartholomew-apostle/>
SOURCE : https://catholicsaints.info/weningers-lives-of-the-saints-saint-bartholomew-apostle/
St. Bartholomew, Apostle
THE NAME here given to
this apostle is not his proper, but patronymical name: and imports, the son of
Tholomew or Tolmai, like Barjona and Bartimeus. Rupertus, Jansenius, and
several other learned interpreters of the holy scripture, take this apostle to
have been the same person with Nathaniel, a native of Cana, in Galilee, a
doctor in the Jewish law, and one of the seventy-two disciples of Christ, to
whom he was conducted by St. Philip, and whose innocence and simplicity of
heart deserved to be celebrated with the highest eulogium by the divine mouth
of our Redeemer. 1 Bartholomew
Gavant, the learned commentator on the Rubrics of the Roman Missal and
Breviary, has endeavoured, by an express dissertation, to prove this
conjecture. F. Stilting, the Bollandist, has undertaken to confirm this opinion
more at large; 2 for
whereas St. John never mentions Bartholomew among the apostles, so the other
three evangelists take no notice of the name of Nathaniel; and they constantly
put together Philip and Bartholomew, as St. John says Philip and Nathaniel came
together to Christ. Also Nathaniel is reckoned with other apostles when Christ
appeared to them at the sea of Galilee after his resurrection; 3 and
if he had not already belonged to that sacred college, why was he not
propounded a candidate for the apostleship to fill the vacant place of Judas?
St. Bartholomew was
chosen by Christ one of his twelve apostles, when he formed that sacred college. 4 He
was with them witness of our Lord’s glorious resurrection, and his other
principal actions on earth, and was instructed in his divine school, and from
his sacred mouth. He is mentioned among the other disciples who were met
together joining in devout prayer after Christ’s ascension, and he received the
Holy Ghost with the rest. Having been prepared by the example and instructions
of our Redeemer, and by humble and fervent prayer, he was replenished, in the
descent of the Holy Ghost, with an heroic spirit of humility, mortification,
contempt of the world, compunction, prayer, holy zeal, and burning charity.
Thus armed and filled with the eminent spirit of all virtues, twelve apostles
converted many great nations to Christ, and carried the sound of his name into
the remotest corners of the earth. How comes it that now-a-days the apostolical
labours of so many ministers of the divine word produce so little fruit? One
great reason of this difference is, their neglect to obtain of God a large
share in the spirit of the apostles. Their success and the influence of their
words upon the hearts of men depend not upon human prudence, eloquence, and
abilities; the principal instrument of God’s grace in multiplying the fruit of
his word in the hearts of men, is the spirit with which it is announced by
those whom he honours with the ministry. Their sincere disinterestedness,
humility, and overflowing zeal and charity give, as it were, a living voice to
that divine faith and virtue which they preach; and those who take upon them
this charge are doubly bound to prepare themselves for it by strenuously
labouring to obtain of Christ this perfect spirit in the sanctification of
their own souls, not to profane their holy ministry, and destroy the work of
God which is committed to their charge.
St. Bartholomew being
eminently qualified by the divine grace to discharge the functions of an
apostle, carried the gospel through the most barbarous countries of the East,
penetrating into the remoter Indies, as Eusebius 5 and
other ancient writers testify. By the name of Indies, the ancients sometimes
mean only Arabia and Persia; but here they speak of proper India; for they make
mention of the Brachmans of that country, famous over the whole world for their
pretended skill in philosophy, and in the superstitious mysteries of their
idolatry. Eusebius relates that St. Pantænus, about the beginning of the third
century, going into the Indies to confute their Brachmans, found there some who
still retained the knowledge of Christ, and showed him a copy of St. Matthew’s
gospel in Hebrew, which they assured him that St. Bartholomew had brought into
those parts when he planted the faith among them. This apostle returned again
into the north-west parts of Asia; and met St. Philip at Hierapolis, in
Phrygia. Hence he travelled into Lycaonia, where St. Chrysostom affirms that he
instructed the people in the Christian faith; but we know not even the names of
many of the countries to which he preached. We are struck with astonishment
when we call to mind how many prisons the apostles sanctified, how many dangers
they braved, how many vast regions they travelled over, and how many nations
they conquered to Christ; but if we admire their courage, zeal, and labours, we
have still greater reason to wonder and be confounded at our supine sloth and
insensibility, who do nothing for the enlargement of God’s kingdom in others,
or even for the sanctification of our own souls. It is not owing to the want of
means or of strength through the divine grace, but to the want of courage and
sincere resolution that we do so little; that we find no opportunities for
exercising charity towards our neighbour, no time for prayer and recollection
of spirit, no strength for the practice of fasting and penance. If we examine
into the truth, we shall find that we blind ourselves by vain pretences, and
that sloth, tepidity, and indifferency have many hinderances, which fervour,
resolution, industry, and contrivance find ways readily to remove. The apostles
who did and suffered so much for God, still sincerely called themselves
unprofitable servants, made no account of their labours, and were altogether
taken up with the thoughts of what they owed to God, and how infinitely they
yet fell short of this. True love exerts itself beyond what seems possible, yet
counts all it does as nothing.
St. Bartholomew’s last
removal was into Great Armenia, where, preaching in a place obstinately
addicted to the worship of idols, he was crowned with a glorious martyrdom, as
St. Gregory of Tours mentions. 6 The
modern Greek historians say, that he was condemned by the governor of
Albanopolis to be crucified. Others affirm, that he was flayed alive, which
might well enough consist with his crucifixion; this double punishment being in
use, as we learn from Plutarch and Arrian, not only in Egypt, but also among
the Persians, the next neighbours to these Armenians, who might very easily
borrow from them this piece of barbarous cruelty. Theodorus Lector says, that
the Emperor Anastasius having built the city of Duras, in Mesopotamia, in 508,
caused the relics of St. Bartholomew to be removed thither. St. Gregory of
Tours assures us that, before the end of the sixth age they were carried to the
isle of Lipari, near Sicily. Anastasius, the Librarian, informs us 7 that,
in 809 they were translated from Lipari to Benevento; from whence they were
conveyed to Rome in 983, as Baronius relates. Ever since that time they lie
deposited in a porphyry monument under the high altar, in the famous church of
St. Bartholomew, in the isle of the Tiber, in Rome. An arm of this apostle’s
body was sent a present by the bishop of Benevento to St. Edward the Confessor,
and by him bestowed on the cathedral church of Canterbury. Among the many
excellent statues which adorn the cathedral at Milan, none is more justly
admired than one of St. Bartholomew flayed alive, representing the muscles,
veins, and other parts, with an inimitable softness and justness, the work of
Chr. Cibo. The feast of St. Bartholomew in ancient Martyrologies is marked on
the 24th of August in the West, but among the Greeks on the 11th of June.
The characteristical
virtue of the apostles was zeal for the divine glory; the first property of the
love of God. A soldier is always ready to defend the honour of his prince, and
a son that of his father; and can a Christian say he loves God, who is
indifferent to his honour? Or can charity towards his neighbour be lodged in
his breast, if he can see him in danger of perishing, and not endeavour, at
least by tears and prayers, to avert his misfortune? Every faithful servant of
God makes the first petition which our Lord teaches us in his divine prayer,
the object of his perpetual ardent desires and tears, that the God of his
heart, and of all creatures, may be known, perfectly loved, and faithfully
served by all; and he never ceases earnestly to invite, with the royal prophet,
all creatures with their whole strength, and with all their powers, to magnify
the Lord with him; but then it is the first part of his care and prayer that he
may himself perfectly attain to this happiness of devoting to God all the
affections of his soul, and all the actions of his life; and it is to him a
subject of perpetual tears and compunction that he should have ever offended so
good a God, and so kind a Redeemer.
Note 2. Augusti, t.
4, p. 7. [back]
Note 5. L. 5, c.
10. [back]
Note 6. L. 1, c.
34. [back]
Note 7. Auctar.
Bibl. Patr. [back]
Rev. Alban
Butler (1711–73). Volume VIII: August. The Lives of the
Saints. 1866.
SOURCE : http://www.bartleby.com/210/8/241.html
Giovanni Tiepolo, Le Martyre de Saint
Barthélémy, 1722, Venise
Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, Martirio di san
Bartolomeo, 1722, Venezia, Chiesa di San Stae
Friday, August 24, 2018
St. Bartholomew, August
24
By: Peter
Desjardins
Today is the Feast of St.
Bartholomew, which I hadn't realized until I arrived (late, as usual) to Mass
this morning. Bartholomewmas is the occasion of my favorite sermon by
Bl. John Henry Cardinal Newman.
First delivered when he
was still an Anglican, it's titled “Guilelessness”, and draws from today's
Gospel reading. The text is only available in print, but let me share with you
a particularly striking excerpt:
"Now, from what
occurred in this interview, we gain some insight into St. Bartholomew’s
character. Our Lord said of him “Behold an Israelite in whom there is no
guile!” and it appears moreover, as if, before Philip called him to come to
Christ, he was engaged in meditation or prayer, in the privacy a fig tree’s
shade afforded him. And this, it seems, was the life of one who was destined to
act the busy part of an Apostle; quietness without, guilelessness within. This
was the tranquil preparation for great dangers and sufferings! We see who make
the most heroic Christians, and are the most honored by Christ!
"An even, unvaried
life is the lot of most men, in spite of occasional troubles or other
accidents; and we are apt to despise it, and to get tired of it, and to long to
see the world – or, at all events, we think such a life affords no great
opportunity for religious obedience. To rise up, and go through the same
duties, and then to rest again, day after day – to pass week after week,
beginning with God’s service on Sunday, and then to our worldly tasks, so to
continue till year follows year, and we gradually get old – an unvaried life
like this is apt to seem unprofitable to us when we dwell upon the thought of
it. May indeed there are, we do not think at all, but live in their round of
employments, without care about God and religion, driven on by the natural
course of things in a dull irrational way like the beasts that perish.
"But when a man
begins to feel he has a soul, and a work to do, and a reward to be gained,
greater or less, according as he improves the talents committed to him, then he
is naturally tempted to be anxious from his very wish to be saved, and he says,
“What must I do to please God?” And sometimes he is led to think that
he ought to be useful on a large scale, and goes out of his line of life, that
he may be doing something worth doing, as he considers it. Here we have the
history of St. Bartholomew and the other Apostles to recall us to ourselves,
and to assure us that we need not give up our usual manner of life, in order to
serve God; that the most humble and quietest station is acceptable to Him, if
improved duly – nay, affords means for maturing the highest Christian
character, even that of an Apostle. Bartholomew read the Scriptures and prayed
to God; and thus was trained at length to give up his life for Christ, when He
demanded it."
The Martyrdom of St.
Bartholomew. The saint was flayed alive, hung upside-down, then beheaded.
I’m reminded of a passage
from Fr. Vincent McNabb OP’s Nazareth or Social Chaos, where he notices
that Christ took care not to disrupt the “even, unvaried life” of the Nazarenes
– the “humble and quiet station” of his townsfolk:
The Word made flesh was
not minded to disturb the Divine order which made land-work the primary duty
and need of beings demanding daily bread to keep them in being. It was only
from work of secondary need such as fishing or of still less need such as
tax-collecting that Jesus chose His disciples. Land-work was an institution so
indispensable and divine that from it he took no workers, but only the wisdom
of parables.
(…)
Nazareth was always a
highland hamlet, whose every stone was hallowed by thirty years of God’s
redemptive love. Gradually our eyes begin to see this hamlet as one of the
necessities – one of those conditional necessities, to use a phrase of the Dumb
Ox of Aquin – of the enterprise of Redeption. For Nazareth was the Unit of
human society. It was a family of families gathered together in aid and
defense of life. Within its circuit dwelt the little self-sufficing group of
land-workers and hand-workers.
The primary craft of
land-work and the secondary yet necessary crafts of hand-work were there
working together in the primary Co-operative Group. All the sanctities and
social necessities of property, chastity, and authority were there in their
natural soil and setting. If, then, the Son of God made Nazareth his earthly
home and took it as his earthly title, it was because He, the Redeemer and the
Beginning, who came to make all things new, realized that in a Nazareth alone
could be the beginning of redemption.
For this reason you – my
beloved pupil – and I, your unworthy teacher, have come to feel Nazareth
calling us; indeed, crying out with a loud Calvary shout to us. The theme of
that unceasing Nazareth cry is: “Come back, not to Ur or Memphis or Jerusalem,
but to Nazareth, lest you prepare for another Golgotha.
This great Englishman
couldn’t have forgotten his nation’s anthem, which asks:
And did those feet in
ancient time
Walk upon Englands mountains green:
And was the holy Lamb of God,
On Englands pleasant pastures seen!
And did the Countenance Divine,
Shine forth upon our clouded hills?
And was Jerusalem builded here,
Among these dark Satanic Mills?
Certainly not! The New
Jerusalem isn’t England, a bit player in the Protestant revolution and the
principal actor in the capitalist revolution. The New Jerusalem is Heaven
itself, to which our priests traditionally orient themselves when they call Our
Lord down to the altar. We can’t build a mighty Jerusalem on this
earth, but we ought to strive to build a humble Nazareth. For
Nazareth is the nearest port to Jerusalem; and, when the modest and steady toil
of this life is over, we board a simple wooden barque, at last crossing over to
Christ’s everlasting Kingdom.
You and I – we hear the
call of Nazareth, even over the lapping waves of that whale-road to Zion. Our
careers are complicated, and our lives are chaotic, yet God is simplicity
Itself. We envy those who take their livelihood from the soil and the sea,
which is the natural and humane order of the economy – the economy Our Lord was
not minded to disturb. We do so because we understand that the Nazareans’
wealth was, in fact, greater than that of their Roman oppressors. This speaks
to the nature of wealth, which the Vicomte de Bonald laid out so ably in his
rejoinder to Adam Smith’s The Wealth of Nations:
Wealth, taken in a
general and philosophical sense, is the means of existence and conservation;
and opes, in the Latin tongue, signifies both wealth and strength.
For the individual – a physical being – these means are material wealth, the
produce of soil and of industry, or the sign that represents all these goods
and services to procure them.
For society – a moral
being – the means of existence and duration are moral riches, and the forces of
conservation are, for the domestic society, morals, and for the public society,
laws. Yes, society is a moral body: Religion is its health, the monarchy its
strength, and the virtues its possessions. War, disease, and famine cannot
destroy it, yet a book suffices to cause a revolution.
Morals and laws are,
therefore, the true and even the only wealth of societies, families, and
nations. That is to say, they are the true and only means of their existence
and conservation. They are even the only wealth that is suitable to discuss.
The Romans accumulated
greater riches through industry and conquest, which inevitably led to
their ruin. The Jews of Nazareth accumulated greater wealth through
obedience to God’s law, and were content that such obedience should produce
only a “highland hamlet”. It stands to this day. Their profit was greater
because they weighed their prosperity in moral rather than material terms.
Morals, yes – but which
morals? Those of St. Bartholomew – the virtues attendant on guilelessness –
whose sum Bl. Cardinal Newman finds in Psalm 14:
Lord, who shall dwell in
thy tabernacle? or who shall rest in thy holy hill?
He that walketh without
blemish, and worketh justice:
He that speaketh truth in
his heart, who hath not used deceit in his tongue: Nor hath done evil to his
neighbour: nor taken up a reproach against his neighbours.
In his sight the
malignant is brought to nothing: but he glorifieth them that fear the Lord. He
that sweareth to his neighbour, and deceiveth not;
He that hath not put out
his money to usury, nor taken bribes against the innocent: He that doth these
things shall not be moved for ever.
We see that the virtues
conducive to salvation are also those conducive to a sound (if modest) economy.
And how could it be otherwise? God is the Creator of the Universe and the
author of natural law, moral and social as well as physical. To take an example
from the psalm, the usurer can no more expect to profit from his sin than
Newton could expect his apple to fall up. He might accumulate a bit of wealth
for a little while, just as Newton could toss his apple into the air. But the
apple will fall back to the earth; and the edifice of usurious capitalism, like
the Roman Empire, will collapse under its own weight.
And what does it matter
if we have only those material things necessary for “the means of our
existence”? Our Lord lived his entire life in such poverty. Indeed, St. Louis
Marie de Montfort recommends that, as we meditate – meditation being necessary
for the cultivation of guilelessness, as we see in the life of St.
Bartholomew – on the third joyful mystery, we ask Our Lady for “detachment
from worldly things, contempt of riches and a love of poverty.”
Let England be the New
Jerusalem, but let us work in our own lives to build the New Nazareth. Hold
riches in contempt; restore our nation to her true and only wealth. And, when
you cross those calm waters to the New Jerusalem, may you hear Christ exclaim:
“Behold an American in whom there is no guile!”
St. Bartholomew, ora
pro nobis.
SOURCE : https://remnantnewspaper.com/web/index.php/fetzen-fliegen/item/4044-st-bartholomew-august-24
San
Bartolomeo Apostolo
Primo secolo dell’èra
cristiana
Apostolo martire nato nel
I secolo a Cana, Galilea; morì verso la metà del I secolo probabilmente in
Siria. La passione dell'apostolo Bartolomeo contiene molte incertezze: la
storia della vita, delle opere e del martirio del santo è inframmezzata da numerosi
eventi leggendari.Il vero nome dell'apostolo è Natanaele. Il nome Bartolomeo
deriva probabilmente dall'aramaico «bar», figlio e «talmai», agricoltore.
Bartolomeo giunse a Cristo tramite l'apostolo Filippo. Dopo la resurrezione di
Cristo, Bartolomeo fu predicatore itinerante (in Armenia, India e Mesopotamia).
Divenne famoso per la sua facoltà di guarire i malati e gli ossessi. Bartolomeo
fu condannato alla morte Persiana: fu scorticato vivo e poi crocefisso dai
pagani. La calotta cranica del martire Bartolomeo si trova dal 1238 nel duomo
di San Bartolomeo, a Francoforte. Una delle usanze più note legate alla festa
di San Bartolomeo é il pellegrinaggio di Alm: la domenica prima o dopo San
Bartolomeo, gli abitanti della località austriaca di Alm si recano in
pellegrinaggio a St. Bartholoma, sul Konigssee, nel Berchtesgaden. I primi
pellegrinaggi risalgono al XV secolo e sono legati allo scioglimento di un voto
perché cessasse un'epidemia di peste. (Avvenire)
Patronato: Diocesi
Campobasso-Boiano
Etimologia: Bartolomeo =
figlio del valoroso, dall'aramaico
Emblema: Coltello
Martirologio Romano:
Festa di san Bartolomeo Apostolo, comunemente identificato con Natanaele. Nato
a Cana di Galilea, fu condotto da Filippo a Cristo Gesù presso il Giordano e il
Signore lo chiamò poi a seguirlo, aggregandolo ai Dodici. Dopo l’Ascensione del
Signore si tramanda che abbia predicato il Vangelo del Signore in India, dove
sarebbe stato coronato dal martirio.
Il suo nome evoca immediatamente la "notte di san Bartolomeo", cioè quella tra il 23 e il 24 agosto del 1572, quando migliaia di cristiani ugonotti vennero massacrati in Francia dai cattolici: è una tra le pagine più tragiche e buie nella storia dei rapporti tra le Chiese. Ma san Bartolomeo, la cui festa si celebra appunto oggi, 24 agosto, è una figura ben lontana da ogni forma di sopraffazione di violenza. E' infatti un discepolo di Cristo, anzi: un apostolo, uno dei dodici, cioè uno di coloro che hanno seguito la vita pubblica di Gesù fin dal principio, poco dopo il battesimo nel Giordano e l'inizio della predicazione.
Il nome Bartolomeo è in realtà un patronimico. In aramaico suona Bar-Talmai, ovvero figlio di Talmai, del valoroso. Secondo la maggior parte degli studiosi il nome proprio di questo apostolo sarebbe Natanaele (in ebraico "dono di Dio"): così viene indicato nel Vangelo di Giovanni. Di lui non sappiamo molto: i testi canonici ci offrono poche, rade pennellate, sufficienti per tracciare un ritratto essenziale. Sappiamo che, come Simone e Andrea, era un pescatore e possiamo supporre che, prima di incontrare Gesù, abbia fatto parte della cerchia del Battista. Era originario di Cana di Galilea: questo dettaglio autorizza a ipotizzare che abbia assistito di persona al primo miracolo di Gesù, la trasformazione dell'acqua in vino avvenuta, com'è noto, a Cana, durante un banchetto nuziale.
A prima vista quella di Natanaele-Bartolomeo sembrerebbe una figura "secondaria", quasi sempre eclissata da personalità più forti. Ma nel Vagnelo di Giovanni troviamo un episodio che invece lo vede protagonista e che offre numerosi spunti di riflessione: è la chiamata dell'apostolo. Natanaele si trova seduto all'ombra di un fico quando viene raggiunto dall'amico Filippo che con tono entusiastico gli dice «Abbiamo trovato colui del quale hanno scritto Mosè nella Legge e i Profeti, Gesù, figlio di Giuseppe di Nazareth». Bartolomeo è però scettico, diffidente, tanto che risponde con sprezzante incredulità: «Da Nazareth può mai venire qualcosa di buono?».
E' un uomo concreto e ragiona secondo i canoni dalla tradizione: conosce benissimo quell'insignificante agglomerato di casupole che si trova a pochi chilometri da casa sua e gli pare incredibile che un posto simile, mai menzionato nell'Antico Testamento, possa aver dato i natali al Messia, il liberatore di Israele che tutti attendono. Natanaele ha lo sguardo pessimista e un po' frettoloso di chi si ferma all'apparenza. Ma si ricrederà presto. Infatti, incontrandolo, Gesù dice di lui: «Ecco davvero un Israelita in cui non c’è falsità»: è una straordinaria attestazione di fiducia che non ha uguali in tutti i Vangeli. L'uomo, infatti, ne resta spiazzato: «Donde mi conosci?» domanda. E Gesù: «Prima che Filippo ti chiamasse ti vidi mentre eri sotto il fico». Questa frase tocca nel profondo il cuore di Bartolomeo: coglie forse una domanda inespressa, un pensiero nascosto, testimoniando come Gesù sappia leggere nelle pieghe più segrete dell'interiorità. Fatto sta che l'ex-scettico si trasforma nel volgere di un istante in un fervente seguace di Cristo: «Rabbi, tu sei il Figlio di Dio. Tu sei il re d'Israele!» afferma convinto. Ma ora è il maestro a smorzare i toni: «Perché ti ho detto che ti ho visto sotto il fico, tu credi? Vedrai cose ben più grandi di queste». Una risposta che talvolta viene citata come esempio dell'ironia presente nel Vangelo di Giovanni.
Terminato questo dialogo Bartolomeo torna nell'ombra, per riemergere solo di
tanto in tanto: lo ritroviamo a Gerusalemme, dopo la Pentecoste, tra coloro
che, come riferiscono gli Atti degli Apostoli, sono «assidui e concordi nella
preghiera». Tutto il resto è tradizione: alcune fonti parlano di una sua
predicazione in India e poi in Armenia, dove avrebbe convertito anche il re,
attirandosi però le ire dei sacerdoti pagani attivi nella zona. Per questo,
sempre secondo la tradizione, avrebbe subito un atroce martirio, condannato a
essere scuoiato vivo e poi decapitato. Ecco perché molta dell'iconografia
relativa a san Bartolomeo ce lo mostra con in mano la sua stessa pelle, della
quale è stato "svestito" dagli aguzzini. Una delle raffigurazioni più
celebri si trova a Roma, nella cappella Sistina: nella maschera di volto,
sfigurata dalla sofferenza, che appare su questa pelle pare che Michelangelo
abbia voluto tracciare il suo autoritratto.
Autore: Lorenzo
Montanaro
Marco d'Agrate, Statua di San Bartolomeo apostolo, 1562, Duomo di Milano
S. Bartolomeo è uno dei dodici apostoli, cioè uno di quegli uomini che furono compagni di Simon Pietro per tutto il tempo che il Signore Gesù visse sulla terra, a partire dal battesimo di Giovanni Battista fino al giorno in cui fu assunto al cielo (Atti, 1, 21s.). Il suo nome compare in questa forma, subito dopo quello del suo amico Filippo, nelle tre liste che degli Apostoli riportarono i Sinottici (Mt. 10, 3; Mc. 3, 18; Lc. 6, 14). S. Giovanni l'evangelista ricorda invece con altri discepoli del Signore Natanaele di Cana di Galilea (Giov. 21,2). Gli studiosi attribuiscono oggi comunemente i due nomi ad una stessa persona. Il primo sarebbe patronimico e significa figlio di Tolmai; il secondo sarebbe nome proprio e significa dono di Dio.
Anche Bartolomeo esercitava il mestiere del pescatore. Difatti, quando S. Pietro, dopo la risurrezione, si accinse ad andare a pescare, Natanaele si associò agli altri cinque apostoli presenti, i quali esclamarono: "Veniamo anche noi con te". Quella notte non presero niente. Sul far del giorno, Gesù si presentò sulla riva, ma i discepoli non sapevano che era Gesù. Egli disse loro: "Figliuoli, avete un po' di companatico?". Gli risposero "No". E lui ad essi: "Gettate la rete a destra della barca e troverete". La gettarono e non riuscirono più a tirarla per la gran quantità di pesce (Giov. 21, 2-6).
Probabilmente Bartolomeo faceva parte della cerchia del Battista. Gesù lo chiamò alla sua scuola, tramite Filippo, amico di lui, come aveva chiamato poco prima Simone, tramite Andrea, fratello di lui. Dopo la scelta dei primi discepoli Gesù volle andare in Galilea. Incontrò Filippo di Betsaida e gli disse: "Seguimi". L'invito fu subito accolto. Filippo a sua volta incontrò Natanaele e gli comunicò la lieta notizia: "Abbiamo trovato colui del quale hanno scritto Mosé nella legge ed i profeti, Gesù, figlio di Giuseppe, di Nazareth". Natanaele era forse un assiduo lettore della Bibbia. La doveva meditare sovente sotto il fico che ogni giudaico aveva cura di far sorgere accanto alla propria casa. Sembra però che fosse di temperamento incline al pessimismo. Lo si arguisce dalla sprezzante risposta che diede all'amico: "Da Nazareth può venire qualcosa di buono?". Cana, la sua terra natia, distava appena otto chilometri dalla borgata che il Figlio di Dio aveva scelto come sua dimora terrena.
Natanaele sapeva che era formata da un'accolta di stamberghe semitrogloditiche e che non era neppure nominata in tutto l'Antico Testamento. Filippo, senza raffreddarsi per la scoraggiante risposta, si limitò a dirgli: "Vieni e vedi". Appena Gesù scorse il diffidente figlio di Abramo non poté fare a meno di esclamare: "Ecco davvero un Israelita in cui non c'è falsità!" (Giov. 1,47).
A nessuno degli apostoli fu resa una testimonianza tanto onorifica e solenne. Natanaele stesso più che lusingato ne rimase stupito, motivo per cui gli chiese: "Donde mi conosci?". Il Signore approfittò della sua meraviglia per dargli una prova, ancor più evidente della prima, della sua onniscienza. "Prima che Filippo ti chiamasse, gli disse, ti vidi mentre eri sotto il fico". Non sappiamo che cosa vi stesse facendo. E' facile che nel suo animo fosse accaduto qualcosa di grave e di determinante per la sua esistenza. Non è improbabile che pensasse al vero Messia, alla redenzione d'Israele, avendo udito strane voci che correvano in paese a proposito di Gesù tornato da Betania con i suoi primi apostoli. Il pio israelita, incapace di finzione, ne rimase sgomento e invaso ad un tratto da fervore esclamò: "Rabbi, tu sei il Figlio di Dio. Tu sei il re d'Israele!". Aveva avuto dunque ragione l'amico Filippo di riconoscere in Gesù il Messia promesso dai profeti! Il Signore smorzò in parte quel suo eccessivo entusiasmo dicendogli: "Perché ti ho detto che ti ho visto sotto il fico, tu credi? Vedrai cose ben più grandi di queste". Volgendosi poi a quanti lo seguivano aggiunse: "Vedrete il cielo aperto, e gli angeli di Dio ascendere e discendere sul Figlio dell'Uomo" (Ivi 1,48-51) per mettersi al suo servizio, riconoscerlo loro Signore e avere cura della sua santissima umanità.
Tre giorni dopo il colloquio con Natanaele "ci fu uno sposalizio a Cana di Galilea. La madre di Gesù era là. Alle nozze fu invitato anche Gesù con i suoi discepoli" (Ivi, 2, ls.), forse da Natanaele stesso. Non è improbabile che lo sposo o la sposa fossero suoi parenti o amici. Anche lui assistette così all'inizio delle "cose ben più grandi" predette dal Signore, alla conversione cioè dell'acqua in vino con cui il Messia "manifestò la sua gloria, e i suoi discepoli credettero in lui" (Ivi, 2, 11).
Dopo il ricordo della sua vocazione, questo apostolo si eclissa nel Vangelo per tutta la vita di Gesù. Anche dopo la Pentecoste si hanno vaghe tradizioni riguardo al suo apostolato. Eusebio riferisce che Panteno, il fondatore della scuola catechetica di Alessandria d'Egitto, nel suo viaggio in India (probabilmente era l'Etiopia o l'Arabia meridionale) verso la fine del secolo II, aveva incontrato comunità cristiane costituite dall'apostolo S. Bartolomeo, presso le quali aveva diffuso il Vangelo di S. Matteo in lingua ebraica. In seguito si sarebbe trasferito nell'Armenia maggiore, sostenendo non poche fatiche e superando non lievi difficoltà.
Secondo il Breviario romano in questa regione l'apostolo convertì alla fede cristiana il re Polimio e la sua sposa, nonché dodici città. Queste conversioni eccitarono l'invidia dei sacerdoti delle locali divinità, i quali riuscirono ad aizzare contro di lui in tal modo Astiage, fratello del re Polimio, che costui impartì l'ordine di scorticare vivo Bartolomeo e poi di decapitarlo. Gli artisti lo raffigurano abitualmente con sulle braccia il manto della propria pelle.
Una tradizione armena afferma che il corpo dell'apostolo fu sepolto ad
Albanopoli, città in cui subì il martirio. Nel 507 l'imperatore Anastasio I lo
fece trasferire a Daras, nella Mesopotamia, dove costruì in suo onore una
splendida chiesa. Nel 580 una parte di quei resti mortali fu probabilmente
trasferita a Lipari, al nord della Sicilia. Durante l'invasione dei saraceni le
reliquie del santo furono trafugate nell'838 a Benevento finché nel 1000, per
l'intervento dell'imperatore Ottone III, giunsero a Roma e furono composte
nella basilica di S. Bartolomeo, nell'isola Tibertina. Nel 1238 il cranio
dell'apostolo fu portato a Francoforte sul Meno dove è ancora venerato nel
duomo a lui dedicato. S. Bartolomeo è considerato il protettore dei macellai,
dei conciatori e dei rilegatori.
Autore: Guido Pettinati
Non è di quelli che accorrono appena chiamati, anche se poi sarà capace di donarsi totalmente a una causa; ha le sue idee, le sue diffidenze e i suoi pregiudizi. I vangeli sinottici lo chiamano Bartolomeo, e in quello di Giovanni è indicato come Natanaele. Due nomi comunemente intesi il primo come patronimico (BarTalmai, figlio di Talmai, del valoroso) e il secondo come nome personale, col significato di “dono di Dio”.
Da Giovanni conosciamo la storia della sua adesione a Gesù, che non è immediata come altre. Di Gesù gli parla con entusiasmo Filippo, suo compaesano di Betsaida: "Abbiamo trovato colui del quale hanno scritto Mosè nella Legge e i Profeti, Gesù, figlio di Giuseppe di Nazareth". Basta questo nome – Nazareth – a rovinare tutto. La risposta di Bartolomeo arriva inzuppata in un radicale pessimismo: "Da Nazareth può mai venire qualcosa di buono?". L’uomo della Betsaida imprenditoriale, col suo “mare di Galilea” e le aziende della pesca, davvero non spera nulla da quel paese di montanari rissosi.
Ma Filippo replica ai suoi pregiudizi col breve invito a conoscere prima di sentenziare: "Vieni e vedi". Ed ecco che si vedono: Gesù e Natanaele-Bartolomeo, che si sente dire: "Ecco davvero un Israelita in cui non c’è falsità". Spiazzato da questa fiducia, lui sa soltanto chiedere a Gesù come fa a conoscerlo. E la risposta ("Prima che Filippo ti chiamasse, io ti ho visto quando eri sotto il fico") produce una sua inattesa e debordante manifestazione di fede: "Rabbi, tu sei il Figlio di Dio, tu sei il re d’Israele!". Quest’uomo diffidente è in realtà pronto all’adesione più entusiastica, tanto che Gesù comincia un po’ a orientarlo: "Perché ti ho detto che ti ho visto sotto il fico credi? Vedrai cose maggiori di questa".
Troviamo poi Bartolomeo scelto da Gesù con altri undici discepoli per farne i suoi inviati, gli Apostoli. Poi gli Atti lo elencano a Gerusalemme con gli altri, "assidui e concordi nella preghiera". E anche per Bartolomeo (come per Andrea, Tommaso, Matteo, Simone lo Zelota, Giuda Taddeo, Filippo e Mattia) dopo questa citazione cala il silenzio dei testi canonici.
Ne parlano le leggende, storicamente inattendibili. Alcune lo dicono missionario in India e in Armenia, dove avrebbe convertito anche il re, subendo però un martirio tremendo: scuoiato vivo e decapitato. Queste leggende erano anche un modo di spiegare l’espandersi del cristianesimo in luoghi remoti, per opera di sconosciuti. A tante Chiese, poi, proclamarsi fondate da apostoli dava un’indubbia autorità. La leggenda di san Bartolomeo è ricordata anche nel Giudizio Universale della Sistina: il santo mostra la pelle di cui lo hanno “svestito” gli aguzzini, e nei lineamenti del viso, deformati dalla sofferenza, Michelangelo ha voluto darci il proprio autoritratto.
Autore: Domenico Agasso
SOURCE : http://www.santiebeati.it/dettaglio/21400
Pierre Le Gros the Younger, Statue
de Saint Barthélemy,
Rome, basilique Saint-Jean-de-Latran (Archbasilica of St. John Lateran)
BENEDETTO XVI
UDIENZA GENERALE
Piazza San Pietro
Mercoledì, 4 ottobre 2006
Bartolomeo
Cari fratelli e sorelle,
nella serie degli
Apostoli chiamati da Gesù durante la sua vita terrena, oggi è l'apostolo
Bartolomeo ad attrarre la nostra attenzione. Negli antichi elenchi dei Dodici
egli viene sempre collocato prima di Matteo, mentre varia il nome di quello che
lo precede e che può essere Filippo (cfr Mt 10, 3; Mc 3,
18; Lc 6, 14) oppure Tommaso (cfr At 1, 13). Il suo nome è
chiaramente un patronimico, perché formulato con esplicito riferimento al nome
del padre. Infatti, si tratta di un nome di probabile impronta
aramaica, bar Talmay, che significa appunto "figlio di Talmay".
Di Bartolomeo non abbiamo
notizie di rilievo; infatti, il suo nome ricorre sempre e soltanto all'interno
delle liste dei Dodici citate sopra e, quindi, non si trova mai al centro di
nessuna narrazione. Tradizionalmente, però, egli viene identificato con Natanaele:
un nome che significa "Dio ha dato". Questo Natanaele proveniva da
Cana (cfr Gv 21, 2) ed è quindi possibile che sia stato testimone del
grande "segno" compiuto da Gesù in quel luogo (cfr Gv 2,
1-11). L'identificazione dei due personaggi è probabilmente motivata dal fatto
che questo Natanaele, nella scena di vocazione raccontata dal Vangelo di
Giovanni, è posto accanto a Filippo, cioè nel posto che ha Bartolomeo nelle
liste degli Apostoli riportate dagli altri Vangeli. A questo Natanaele, Filippo
aveva comunicato di aver trovato "colui del quale hanno scritto Mosè nella
Legge e i Profeti: Gesù, figlio di Giuseppe, da Nazaret" (Gv 1, 45).
Come sappiamo, Natanaele gli oppose un pregiudizio piuttosto pesante: "Da
Nazaret può mai venire qualcosa di buono?" (Gv 1, 46a). Questa sorta
di contestazione è, a suo modo, importante per noi. Essa, infatti, ci fa vedere
che, secondo le attese giudaiche, il Messia non poteva provenire da un
villaggio tanto oscuro come era appunto Nazaret (vedi anche Gv 7,
42). Al tempo stesso, però, pone in evidenza la libertà di Dio, che sorprende
le nostre attese facendosi trovare proprio là dove non ce lo aspetteremmo.
D'altra parte, sappiamo che Gesù in realtà non era esclusivamente "da
Nazaret", ma che era nato a Betlemme (cfr Mt 2,
1; Lc 2, 4) e che ultimamente veniva dal cielo, dal Padre che è nei
cieli.
Un'altra riflessione ci
suggerisce la vicenda di Natanaele: nel nostro rapporto con Gesù non dobbiamo
accontentarci delle sole parole. Filippo, nella sua replica, fa a Natanaele un
invito significativo: "Vieni e vedi!" (Gv 1, 46b). La nostra
conoscenza di Gesù ha bisogno soprattutto di un'esperienza viva: la
testimonianza altrui è certamente importante, poiché di norma tutta la nostra
vita cristiana comincia con l'annuncio che giunge fino a noi ad opera di uno o
più testimoni. Ma poi dobbiamo essere noi stessi a venir coinvolti
personalmente in una relazione intima e profonda con Gesù; in modo analogo i
Samaritani, dopo aver sentito la testimonianza della loro concittadina che Gesù
aveva incontrato presso il pozzo di Giacobbe, vollero parlare direttamente con
Lui e, dopo questo colloquio, dissero alla donna: "Non è più per la tua
parola che noi crediamo, ma perché noi stessi
abbiamo udito e sappiamo che questi è
veramente il salvatore del mondo" (Gv 4, 42).
Tornando alla scena di
vocazione, l'evangelista ci riferisce che, quando Gesù vede Natanaele
avvicinarsi esclama: "Ecco davvero un Israelita, in cui non c'è
falsità" (Gv 1, 47). Si tratta di un elogio che richiama il testo di
un Salmo: "Beato l'uomo ... nel cui spirito non c'è inganno"
(Sal 32, 2), ma che suscita la curiosità di Natanaele, il quale replica
con stupore: "Come mi conosci?" (Gv 1, 48a). La risposta di Gesù
non è immediatamente comprensibile. Egli dice: "Prima che Filippo ti
chiamasse, io ti ho visto quando eri sotto il fico" (Gv 1, 48b). Non
sappiamo che cosa fosse successo sotto questo fico. È evidente che si tratta di
un momento decisivo nella vita di Natanaele. Da queste parole di Gesù egli si
sente toccato nel cuore, si sente compreso e capisce: quest'uomo sa tutto di
me, Lui sa e conosce la strada della vita, a quest'uomo posso realmente
affidarmi. E così risponde con una confessione di fede limpida e bella,
dicendo: "Rabbì, tu sei il Figlio di Dio, tu sei il re d'Israele"
(Gv 1, 49). In essa è consegnato un primo, importante passo
nell'itinerario di adesione a Gesù. Le parole di Natanaele pongono in luce un
doppio complementare aspetto dell'identità di Gesù: Egli è riconosciuto sia nel
suo rapporto speciale con Dio Padre, di cui è Figlio unigenito, sia in quello
con il popolo d'Israele, di cui è dichiarato re, qualifica propria del Messia
atteso. Non dobbiamo mai perdere di vista né l'una né l'altra di queste due
componenti, poiché se proclamiamo di Gesù soltanto la dimensione celeste,
rischiamo di farne un essere etereo ed evanescente, e se al contrario
riconosciamo soltanto la sua concreta collocazione nella storia, finiamo per
trascurare la dimensione divina che propriamente lo qualifica.
Sulla successiva attività
apostolica di Bartolomeo-Natanaele non abbiamo notizie precise. Secondo
un'informazione riferita dallo storico Eusebio del secolo IV, un certo Panteno
avrebbe trovato addirittura in India i segni di una presenza di Bartolomeo
(cfr Hist. eccl. V, 10, 3). Nella tradizione posteriore, a partire
dal Medioevo, si impose il racconto della sua morte per scuoiamento, che
divenne poi molto popolare. Si pensi alla notissima scena del Giudizio
Universale nella Cappella Sistina, in cui Michelangelo dipinse san Bartolomeo
che regge con la mano sinistra la propria pelle, sulla quale l'artista lasciò
il suo autoritratto. Sue reliquie sono venerate qui a Roma nella Chiesa a lui
dedicata sull'Isola Tiberina, dove sarebbero state portate dall'imperatore
tedesco Ottone III nell'anno 983. Concludendo, possiamo dire che la figura di
san Bartolomeo, pur nella scarsità delle informazioni che lo riguardano, resta
comunque davanti a noi per dirci che l'adesione a Gesù può essere vissuta e
testimoniata anche senza il compimento di opere sensazionali. Straordinario è e
resta Gesù stesso, a cui ciascuno di noi è chiamato a consacrare la propria
vita e la propria morte.
Saluti:
Je salue cordialement les
pèlerins francophones présents ce matin. Puisse la figure de l’Apôtre
Barthélemy vous inviter, dans le quotidien de vos vies, à témoigner du Christ,
lui qui vous appelle à lui consacrer toute votre existence !
I welcome the
English-speaking pilgrims here today, and I greet especially the Board of
Directors of Serra International, the deacon candidates from the North American
College, and the group of new students from the Beda College. I pray that
you will respond generously to the call to discipleship that you have
received. May God bless you all.
Ganz herzlich begrüße ich
die Pilger und Besucher aus den deutschsprachigen Ländern, die an dieser
Audienz teilnehmen, sowie alle, die über Radio und Fernsehen mit uns verbunden
sind. Einen besonderen Gruß richte ich an die offizielle Delegation der
Gemeinde Aschau wo ich in die Schule gegangen bin, und an die Pilgergruppe der
ermländischen Katholiken in Begleitung ihres Visitators. Ebenso gerne heiße ich
die Gruppe "Brücke-Krücke" aus Bonn willkommen, die seit 25 Jahren
behinderte und nichtbehinderte Jugendliche zum gemeinsamen Engagement zusammenführt.
Viel Freude bereitet mir auch der Besuch des Landesjagdverbandes Bayern und
seiner zahlreichen Jagdhornbläser: Danke für die schöne Musik. Eure
Naturverbundenheit möge sich im Dienst an der wunderbaren Schöpfung Gottes
bewähren. - Ich grüße alle weiteren Gruppen und Einzelpilger und lade euch ein,
stets die persönliche Begegnung mit dem Herrn zu suchen. Der Herr schenke euch
seine Gnade und seinen Segen!
Saludo cordialmente a los
visitantes de lengua española, en especial al grupo de la Junta de Castilla y
León y a los diversos grupos parroquiales de España; saludo también a los
peregrinos de México y de otros Países Latinoamericanos. Os animo, siguiendo al
apóstol Bartolomé, a consagraros por entero a Cristo, especialmente en la
sencillez de vuestra vida cotidiana. ¡Que Dios os bendiga!
Dirijo uma saudação
particular de boas-vindas aos peregrinos do Brasil e de Portugal, nomeadamente
aos grupos lisboetas de Carnide e dos Anjos, com votos de que esta romagem
fortaleça a vossa adesão a Jesus Cristo e o desejo de O fazer amar na própria
casa e na sociedade. O Pai do Céu derrame os seus dons sobre vós e vossas
famílias, que de coração abençoo.
Saluto in lingua polacca:
Pozdrawiam serdecznie
obecnych tu Polaków. Witam szczególnie pielgrzymów z Diecezji siedleckiej.
Przybywacie tu ze swoim Pasterzem, by raz jeszcze dziękować Bogu za dar
beatyfikacji męczenników podlaskich, dokonanej dziesięć lat temu przez Jana
Pawła II. Męczennicy ci dają nam szczególny przykład wielkiej miłości do
Kościoła i Papieża. Niech będą dla wszystkich wzorem dojrzałej wiary. Niech
będzie pochwalony Jezus Chrystus.
Traduzione italiana del
saluto in lingua polacca:
Saluto cordialmente tutti
i Polacchi qui presenti. In modo particolare saluto i pellegrini dalla diocesi
di Siedlce. Siete venuti qui con il vostro Vescovo per ringraziare nuovamente
Dio in occasione del decimo anniversario della beatificazione dei martiri di
Podlasie, tenuta da Giovanni Paolo II. Questi martiri ci danno il particolare
esempio del loro grande amore per la Chiesa e per il Papa. Siano per tutti un
esempio di fede consapevole e matura. Sia lodato Gesù Cristo!
Saluto in lingua
ungherese:
Szeretettel köszöntöm a
magyar híveket, különösen az esztergomi Ferences Gimnázium tanulóit. Assziszi
Szent Ferenc liturgikus emléknapján, az ő közbenjárását kérve, szívesen adom
apostoli áldásomat. Dicsértessék a Jézus Krisztus!
Traduzione italiana del
saluto in lingua ungherese:
Saluto con affetto i
fedeli ungheresi qui presenti, specialmente gli studenti del Liceo Francescano
di Esztergom. Chiedendo l’intercessione di san Francesco di Assisi, di cui
ricordiamo oggi la memoria liturgica, volentieri imparto a voi tutti la
Benedizione Apostolica. Sia lodato Gesù Cristo!
Saluto in lingua
slovacca:
Srdečne pozdravujem
slovenských pútnikov z Bratislavy ako aj študentov Grécko-katolíckeho gymnázia
svätého Jána Krstiteľa z Trebišova. Bratia a sestry, v tomto mariánskom mesiaci
vás pozývam do školy Panny z Nazareta. Od nej sa učte milovať Boha a blížnych.
S láskou žehnám vás i vašich drahých. Pochválený buď Ježiš Kristus!
Traduzione italiana del
saluto in lingua slovacca:
Saluto cordialmente i
pellegrini provenienti da Bratislava come pure gli studenti del Ginnasio
greco-cattolico San Giovanni Battista di Trebišov. Fratelli e sorelle, in
questo mese mariano vi invito a mettervi alla scuola della Vergine di Nazaret
per imparare da Lei ad amare Dio e il prossimo. Con affetto benedico voi ed i
vostri cari. Sia lodato Gesù Cristo!
Saluto in lingua croata:
Srdačno pozdravljam sve
hrvatske hodočasnike, posebno vjernike Hrvatskih Katoličkih Misija iz Essena i
Ludenscheida te pjevački zbor iz Ogulina. Želio bih, dragi prijatelji, da
molitva Gospine krunice bude značajan trenutak vašega svakodnevnoga osobnoga i
obiteljskoga susreta s Bogom. Hvaljen Isus i Marija!
Traduzione italiana del
saluto in lingua croata:
Saluto cordialmente i
pellegrini croati, particolarmente i fedeli delle Missioni Cattoliche Croate di
Essen e Ludenscheid e il coro di Ogulin. Auspico, cari amici, che la preghiera
della coroncina di Madonna sia il momento significativo del vostro incontro
quotidiano personale e familiare con Dio. Siano lodati Gesù e Maria!
***
Sono lieto di accogliere
quest'oggi i sacerdoti, provenienti da varie nazioni, ed iscritti presso i
Pontifici Collegi San Pietro Apostolo, San Paolo
Apostolo e Maria Mater Ecclesiae in Roma per il completamento
dei loro studi: a tutti voi auguro un proficuo anno accademico.
Rivolgo ora il mio
cordiale benvenuto ai fedeli di lingua italiana, in particolare ai partecipanti
al pellegrinaggio promosso dalla Congregazione dei Preti della Dottrina
Cristiana, in occasione del quarto centenario della morte del loro fondatore il
beato Cesare de Bus, come pure a quanti prendono parte al pellegrinaggio
organizzato dall'Ordine della Madre di Dio per ricordare la figura di san
Giovanni Leonardi.
Saluto poi i
rappresentanti dell'Istituto Sacra Famiglia di Cesano Boscone e li
invito a proseguire, sulle orme di Mons. Domenico Pogliani, il loro importante
servizio ai fratelli più bisognosi. Saluto inoltre i partecipanti al convegno
delle Associazioni Radio Maria e li incoraggio a continuare nell'impegno di
diffondere, via etere, l'inesauribile messaggio della salvezza di Cristo. Il
mio pensiero va altresì ai fedeli della Parrocchia di San Lorenzo in
Mortara ed auguro a loro che questo pellegrinaggio alle tombe degli Apostoli
rechi abbondanti frutti spirituali e pastorali all'intera Comunità
parrocchiale.
Saluto infine
i giovani, i malati e gli sposi novelli. Il luminoso
esempio di san Francesco d'Assisi, di cui celebriamo oggi la festa, solleciti
voi, cari giovani, a progettare il vostro futuro in piena fedeltà al
Vangelo. Aiuti voi, cari ammalati, ad affrontare la sofferenza con
coraggio, trovando in Cristo crocifisso luce e conforto. Conduca voi,
cari sposi novelli, a un amore sempre più generoso.
© Copyright 2006 -
Libreria Editrice Vaticana
SOURCE : http://www.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/it/audiences/2006/documents/hf_ben-xvi_aud_20061004.html
Voir aussi : http://vallee-aisne60.cef.fr/Saint-Barthelemy.html
