? - 80 CE

 

Mathias was one of the 72 disciples tasked by Jesus to minister. After Judas’ betrayal and Jesus’ crucifixion, Matthias replaced Judas as twelfth apostle, making him the only apostle not designated by Jesus himself. Like other apostles, his canonization was “pre-congregation,” granted by local leaders rather than a centralized or papal authority.

​

During those days Peter stood up in the midst of the brothers (there was a group of about one hundred and twenty persons in the one place). He said, “My brothers, the scripture had to be fulfilled which the holy Spirit spoke beforehand through the mouth of David, concerning Judas, who was the guide for those who arrested Jesus. He was numbered among us and was allotted a share in this ministry…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 lot fell upon Matthias, and he was counted with the eleven apostles.

- Acts 1:15-26

​

Matthias ministered throughout Judea before taking missions to Cappadocia (in present-day Turkey) before journeying west toward the Caspian Sea and present-day Georgia and Azerbaijan. He likely also ministered in northeast Africa. He may have been crucified and dismembered (hence his frequent depiction with an ax) in the Caspian region or stoned to death in Jerusalem.