Name day
Matthew: Name Day and Patron Saint
Matthew keeps the name day on 16 November, or 29 November on the Old Calendar: the feast of St Matthew the Apostle.
- Patron saint
- St Matthew the Apostle
- New Calendar
- 16 November
- Old Calendar
- 29 November
- Next name day
- 16 November 2026 (New Calendar) · 29 November 2026 (Old Calendar)
- In the feast calendar
- The feasts of November
The patron saint: St Matthew the Apostle
Kept on 16 November, or 29 November on the Old Calendar · Commemoration
St Matthew, also called Levi, was a tax collector for Rome in Capernaum, a trade his countrymen despised. When Jesus said to him, “Follow Me,” he left everything at once. He welcomed the Lord to his table with his fellow publicans, repaid fourfold anyone he had cheated, and gave the rest to the poor. As one of the Twelve he saw the Savior’s miracles, His Passion, Resurrection and Ascension, and he received the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. At the request of the believers in Jerusalem he wrote the first Gospel, which shows Jesus as the Messiah foretold by the prophets. He then carried the Gospel to Syria, Persia, Parthia and Ethiopia, where he ended his life as a martyr. Orthodox Christians honor him as a living icon of conversion and pray to him, “entreat the merciful God to grant our souls forgiveness of sins.”
What the faithful pray for
- forgiveness of sins
- true repentance from the whole heart
- a change of life and a wholehearted following of Christ
- his strong intercession and protection
- the salvation of our souls
Protection
- those turning from a sinful life to Christ
- the faithful by his intercession before God
Miracles
- In Ethiopia a wonderworking tree with a spring grew up through the apostle’s prayer, and it softened the hearts of the local people. (source)
- When the ruler Fulvian ordered him burned, the fire melted the pagan idols. After his martyrdom his body was miraculously found in the sea, and Fulvian was baptized and became a bishop. (source)
Matthew in other languages
| Language | The name | Short forms |
|---|---|---|
| English | Matthew, Mathew, Matteo, Mateo, Mattheus, Matej, Mathieu, Matvei, Matthaios, Levi | Matt, Matty, Matti |
| Greek | Ματθαίος, Matthaios, Mattheos | Μαθιός, Mathios |
| Russian | Матфей, Матвей, Matfei, Matvei, Matvey | Мотя, Матюша, Motya |
| Ukrainian | Матвій, Matvii | |
| Bulgarian | Матей, Matey | |
| Serbian | Матеј, Матија, Matej, Matija | |
| Romanian | Matei | |
| Georgian | მათე, Mate | |
| Arabic | متى, Matta, Matti, Matthew | |
| Spanish | Mateo | |
| Italian | Matteo | |
| German | Matthäus | |
| Polish | Mateusz |
Icons of St Matthew the Apostle
Have it consecrated by our priest before it reaches you: Consecration, $49.
A name-day gift for Matthew
Name-Day Gift Set $213$149
A patron saint's folding diptych chosen by first name, a stainless steel crucifix and a prayer rope, in a gift box with a card giving the saint's life and feast day.
St Matthew the Apostle's diptych is chosen and the name is filled in.
Questions
When is Matthew’s name day?
Matthew keeps the name day on 16 November on the New Calendar and on 29 November on the Old Calendar, the feast of St Matthew the Apostle.
Who is the patron saint of Matthew?
St Matthew the Apostle. St Matthew, also called Levi, was a tax collector for Rome in Capernaum, a trade his countrymen despised.
How is Matthew written in other languages?
Greek: Ματθαίος (Matthaios), Russian: Матфей (Matfei), Ukrainian: Матвій (Matvii), Bulgarian: Матей (Matey), Serbian: Матеј (Matej) and Romanian: Matei. Every form of the name keeps the same saint.
What is a good name-day gift for Matthew?
An icon of St Matthew the Apostle, the saint Matthew bears: the St Matthew the Apostle & Guardian Angel Folding Diptych ($69), or the Name-Day Gift Set ($149) with that diptych, a crucifix and a prayer rope in a gift box.
More about name days
- Name Days Explained: What They Are, How Families Keep Them, and Gifts
A name day is the feast of the saint whose name you carry. Here is how to find yours on either calendar, how Greek and Russian families keep it, and what to give.
- Orthodox Patron Saint: How to Find Yours (by Name, Day or Choice)
Your Orthodox patron saint is the saint whose name you were given at baptism. Here is how to find yours by name, by the day of your birth or baptism, or by choice, and how to keep the name day.
- Find another name