The Holy Apostle and Evangelist Matthew

Martyr Ephygenia of Ethiopia, disciple of St Matthew; Fulvian, prince of Ethiopia

November 16, 2025

Troparion of the Resurrection – Tone 6

When Mary stood at Thy grave, looking for Thy sacred body, angelic powers shone above Thy revered tomb; and the soldiers who were to keep guard became as dead men. Thou led Hades captive and wast not tempted thereby. Thou didst meet the Virgin and didst give life to the world, O Thou, Who art risen from the dead, O Lord, glory to Thee.

Troparion of St Matthew the Evangelist – Tone 3

O holy Apostle and Evangelist Matthew, intercede with the merciful God, to grant our souls forgiveness of sins.

Troparion of St Joseph the Betrothed – Tone 2

Proclaim, O Joseph to David, the ancestor of God, the amazing wonder, for by the angel they were revealed unto thee. For thou hast seen a Virgin great with child, and thou gave glory with the shepherds and didst worship with the Magi. Wherefore, plead with Christ God to save our souls.

Kontakion of the Entrance of the Theotokos – Tone 4

The sacred treasury of God’s holy glory, the greatly precious bridal chamber and Virgin, the Savior’s most pure temple, free of stain and undefiled, into the House of the Lord on this day is brought forward and bringeth with herself the grace of the Most Divine Spirit; her do God’s Angels hymn with songs of praise, for she is truly the heavenly tabernacle.

Epistle – Corinthians 4:9-16

Brethren, God has exhibited us Apostles as last of all, like men sentenced to death; because we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels and to men. We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are held in honor, but we in disrepute. To the present hour we hunger and thirst, we are ill-clad and buffeted and homeless, and we labor, working with our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; when slandered, we try to conciliate; we have become, and are now, as the refuse of the world, the off-scouring of all things. I do not write this to make you ashamed, but to admonish you as my beloved children. For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the Gospel. I urge you, then, be imitators of me.

Gospel – St Matthew 9:9-13

At that time, as Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax office; and He said to him, “Follow Me.” And he rose and followed Him. And as He sat at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Jesus and His disciples. And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to His disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” But when Jesus heard it, He said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

Saint Fulvian, Prince of Ethiopia – November 16

   While the Holy Apostle Matthew spread the Gospel of Christ, he made his way to Ethiopia.

   When he was fervently entreating God for the conversion of the Ethiopians the Lord Himself appeared to him in the form of a youth. He gave him a staff, and commanded him to plant it at the doors of the church. The Lord said that a tree would grow from this staff and it would bear fruit, and from its roots would flow a stream of water. When the Ethiopians washed themselves in the water and ate the fruit, they forsook their evil ways and became gentle and good.

   When the Holy Apostle carried the staff towards the church, he was met by the wife and son of the ruler of the land, Fulvian, who were afflicted by unclean spirits, and he healed them in Christ’s Name. This miracle converted a number of pagans to the Lord. But the ruler did not want his subjects to become Christians and cease worshiping the pagan gods. He accused the apostle of sorcery and gave orders to execute him.

   They put Saint Matthew head downward, piled up brushwood and lit it. When the fire flared up, everyone then saw that the fire did not harm Saint Matthew. Then Fulvian gave orders to put more wood on the fire, and with boldness, he commanded to set up twelve idols around the fire. But the flames melted the idols and flared up toward Fulvian. The frightened Ethiopian turned to the Saint with an entreaty for mercy, and by the Martyr’s prayer the flame went out. The body of the Holy Apostle remained unharmed, and he fell asleep in the Lord.

   The ruler Fulvian deeply repented of his deed, but still had doubts. By his command, they put the body of Saint Matthew into an iron coffin and threw it into the sea. In doing this Fulvian said that if Matthew’s God would preserve the Apostle’s body in the water as He preserved him in the fire, then this would be proper reason to worship this One True God.

   That night the Apostle Matthew appeared to Bishop Platon in a dream, and commanded him to go with clergy to the shore of the sea and to find his body there. The righteous Fulvian and his retinue went with the bishop to the shore of the sea. The coffin carried by the waves was taken to the church built by the apostle. Then Fulvian begged the Saint to forgive him, after which Bishop Platon baptized him. As Bishop Platon was about to speak the Prince’s name, a voice came from on high, saying: “Do not call him Fulvian, but Matthew.”

   Soon the new Matthew abdicated his rule and became a presbyter. Upon the death of Bishop Platon, the Apostle Matthew appeared to him and exhorted him to head the Ethiopian Church. After becoming a Bishop, the new Saint Matthew toiled at preaching the Word of God, continuing the apostolic work of his heavenly patron.