My name is Bartholomew, though sometimes I m called Nathaniel. When he first saw me, Jesus said, Behold a true Israelite, in whom there is no guile. I ve tried to live up to what Jesus said about me ever since! In those early days, it was very hard to be a Christian. It still is! After Jesus was raised from the dead, I went to India to preach the Gospel. I was arrested by the authorities, and like my friends John and Laurence, I was martyred. I was flayed alive with a knife like this one.

Neri di Bicci speaks: Bartholomew is the patron saint of the man for whom I am painting this picture, so I wanted to make him stand out a little bit. I've given him a blue robe with gold designs on it, which contrasts nicely with the red tunic he is wearing underneath. His knife is done in rare silver leaf, very unusual. I hope my friend Bartholomeo Lucha Martini will like it.


PRAYER
Saint Bartholomew, you preached the Gospel of Jesus
in good times and in bad.
Help us to preach the Gospel, too,
by putting it into action in our lives.
Saint Bartholomew, pray for us!