Saint Matthias, Apostle, is known as the disciple chosen by lot to replace Judas Iscariot among the Twelve Apostles, thereby maintaining the apostolic college after Christ's Ascension.
Saint Matthias was one of the seventy-two disciples who had been with Jesus from the beginning of His public ministry, witnessing His baptism by John until His Ascension. After Judas Iscariot's betrayal and death, Matthias was chosen by lot to fill the vacancy among the Twelve Apostles, fulfilling the prophecy in the Psalms and ensuring the continuity of the apostolic witness. His selection, recorded in the Acts of the Apostles, signifies the importance of apostolic succession in the early Church, and he is traditionally believed to have preached the Gospel and suffered martyrdom, possibly in Judea or Ethiopia.
Saint Matthias, Apostle, holds a unique and profoundly significant place in the annals of Christian history, not least because his calling to the apostolic office was a direct fulfillment of divine prophecy and a testament to the continuity of the Church's foundational leadership. While not one of the original Twelve chosen by Christ during His earthly ministry, Matthias was intimately acquainted with Jesus’ life and teachings from the very beginning. He was among the wider circle of disciples, often counted among the seventy (or seventy-two) sent out by the Lord, who had been a constant companion to the Apostles from the baptism of John until the day of Christ's Ascension into heaven. This firsthand witness to the entirety of Christ’s public ministry, His miracles, His suffering, death, and glorious Resurrection, made him uniquely qualified for the sacred office he would soon assume.
In the quiet days following the Lord's glorious Ascension, a profound sense of anticipation, yet also a palpable void, settled upon the small community of believers gathered in the Upper Room in Jerusalem. One hundred and twenty souls, the nascent Church, looked to Peter, the Rock, for guidance. The eleven apostles, though filled with the promise of the Holy Spirit, keenly felt the absence of one who had fallen from their sacred number—Judas Iscariot. The betrayal and tragic end of Judas left a wound, a gap in the divinely appointed foundation of the Twelve.
It was Peter, ever the bold fisherman turned shepherd, who rose among them, guided by the Spirit even before Pentecost's fiery descent. He spoke with solemnity, referencing the ancient prophecies that foretold both Judas's downfall and the need for another to take his place. "It is necessary that one of the men who accompanied us the whole time the Lord Jesus came and went among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day on which he was taken up from us, become with us a witness to his resurrection." The criteria were clear, stringent: a constant companion, a firsthand witness to the entirety of Christ's public ministry, from the Jordan's waters to the Mount of Olives.
Two men from among the faithful company met these profound requirements: Joseph, called Barsabbas, who was also known as Justus, and Matthias. Both were men of deep faith, known to the community for their unwavering devotion and their years spent walking alongside the Lord. The choice was too momentous for human preference alone. This was not a popularity contest, but a divine appointment to a sacred office.
And so, the apostles, with the entire community, turned their hearts and voices to heaven in earnest prayer. Their petition was simple, yet laden with profound trust: "You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place." It was a prayer acknowledging God's omniscient wisdom and His sovereign hand in the unfolding of His Church.
Then, with reverent solemnity, they cast lots. In that era, casting lots was a recognized method of seeking divine will, a practice rooted in ancient tradition, trusting that God would guide the outcome. The air in the Upper Room was thick with unspoken hope and quiet expectation. As the lot was cast, all eyes were fixed on the outcome, knowing that the very foundation of the apostolic college depended on this moment.
And the lot fell upon Matthias. A hush, then perhaps a wave of quiet affirmation, swept through the gathering. Matthias, who had faithfully followed the Master from the very beginning, now stood chosen by God to complete the sacred number of the Twelve. His character, though not explicitly detailed in this moment, is revealed through his prior unwavering presence and his humble acceptance of such a monumental, divinely ordained calling. He was counted among the eleven apostles, forever cementing his place as a foundational pillar of the Church, chosen by God Himself to bear witness to the Risen Christ.