St MATTHIAS, an apostle, was chosen instead of Judas. He preached in Judea and part of Ethiopia, and suffered martyrdom. See the Acts of the Apostles, chap. i. There was a gospel published under Matthias's name, but rejected as spurious; as likewise some traditions, which met with the same fate.
St MATTHIAS'S Day, a festival of the Christian church, observed on the 24th of February. St Matthias was an apostle of Jesus Christ, but not of the number of the twelve chosen by Christ himself. He obtained this high honour upon a vacancy made in the college of the apostles by the treason and death of Judas Iscariot. The choice fell on Matthias by lot; his competitor being Joseph called Barabas, and furnished Iustus. Matthias was qualified for the apostleship, by having been a constant attendant upon our Saviour all the time of his ministry. He was, probably, one of the 70 disciples. After our Lord's resurrection, he preached the gospel first in Judea. Afterwards