Festival of St. Bartholomew

Treasury notes that St. Bartholomew (also known as Nathanael in John's Gospel) was one of the first of the 12 disciples of our Lord, originally from Cana in Galilee. Philip invited him to meet the Lord and his initial skepticism over Jesus (being from Nazareth) gave place to his bold confession: You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel! According to early Church tradition, St. Bartholomew preached the Gospel in Armenia and was finally martyred by being flayed alive.

In today's collect we beg God: "grant that Your Church may love what he believed and preach what He taught."

All praise for him whose candor
Through all his doubt You saw
When Philip at the fig tree
Disclosed You in the law.
Discern beneath our surface,
O Lord, what we can be,
That by Your truth made guileless,
Your glory we may see.