St. Matthias the Apostle: Feast Day, Story and Prayer

St. Matthias is the apostle chosen after the Ascension to take the place of Judas Iscariot among the Twelve, so that the number of the apostles, the foundation of the new Israel, would be complete. He had followed Jesus from His baptism by John to His Ascension, and the apostles chose him by casting lots after praying for God to show His will. Scripture says nothing more about him, but tradition says he preached the Gospel and died a martyr. His feast day is May 14. Below are his story from the Acts of the Apostles, what he teaches us, and prayers to St. Matthias.

A short prayer to St. Matthias, written for this page:

St. Matthias, you followed Jesus faithfully even when no one noticed you,
and you were chosen when God’s time came.
Pray for me, that I may be faithful in hidden things and ready when God calls. Amen.

How Matthias was chosen

In the days between the Ascension and Pentecost, about a hundred and twenty disciples were gathered in Jerusalem with Mary and the apostles. St. Peter stood up and explained that someone must take the place of Judas (Acts 1:21–26, Douay-Rheims):

Wherefore of these men who have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus came in and went out among us,
Beginning from the baptism of John, until the day wherein he was taken up from us, one of these must be made a witness with us of his resurrection.
And they appointed two, Joseph, called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias.
And praying, they said: Thou, Lord, who knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen,
To take the place of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas hath by transgression fallen, that he might go to his own place.
And they gave them lots, and the lot fell upon Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

Casting lots was an ancient way of leaving a decision to God, and the apostles first prayed that the Lord, “who knowest the hearts of all men,” would show His choice. After Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit had come, the Church no longer chose its leaders by lot.

What we know about St. Matthias

Matthias had been a disciple of Jesus from the beginning, so he may have been one of the seventy-two disciples whom Jesus sent out two by two. After Pentecost, ancient traditions say he preached in Judea and then in other lands, some say in Cappadocia or near the Caspian Sea, others in Ethiopia, and that he died a martyr. According to tradition, St. Helena brought relics of St. Matthias to Rome, and part of them to Trier, in Germany, where the Benedictine Abbey of St. Matthias is the only burial place of an apostle north of the Alps.

What is St. Matthias the patron saint of?

Carpenters and tailors, in traditional lists
Those struggling with alcoholism, in popular devotion
The city and diocese of Trier, Germany
Those facing an important decision, since he was chosen after prayer

Prayers to St. Matthias

Written for this page.

For a decision

Lord, as the apostles prayed before choosing St. Matthias, I bring you this decision.
You know my heart and all hearts. Show me your will, and give me peace in following it. Amen.

For faithfulness

St. Matthias, you stayed close to Jesus for years before you were chosen.
Help me to be faithful in small things and patient in waiting. Amen.

For someone struggling with drinking

St. Matthias, pray for [name], who struggles with alcohol.
Give them the courage to ask for help, the strength to stay sober one day at a time,
and the knowledge that God has not given up on them. Amen.

Feast day

The feast of St. Matthias, Apostle, is May 14. Before 1969 it was kept on February 24 (February 25 in leap years), and it still is in the Extraordinary Form.

Frequently asked questions

Who replaced Judas as an apostle?

St. Matthias, chosen by lot after prayer (Acts 1:26).

Why was Matthias chosen by lot?

The apostles wanted God, not themselves, to choose, so they prayed and then cast lots between two qualified disciples, Joseph Barsabas and Matthias.

St. Matthias the Apostle: Chosen to Replace Judas, Feast Day (May 14) and Prayer