The Martyrdom of Saint Matthew is a painting by the Italian master Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio. It depicts the murder of Matthew, an apostle and evangelist, at the hands of King Hirticus of Ethiopia. The painting is part of a cycle that decorates the Contarelli Chapel in the Church of San Luigi dei Francesi in Rome. It is lit from the left, as if from a window behind the altar, and shows Matthew’s martyrdom with dramatic chiaroscuro effects. The Roman Martyrology simply states that he was martyred without specifying how.
The Biblical Story of Saint Matthew Read More »
The story of Saint Matthew in the Bible proves he was one of Jesus’ disciples. Matthew/Levi is an important figure in the gospels of Mark and Matthew because whoever he was, he was instrumental in inviting Jesus to dinner and mingling with other tax-collectors and sinners.