Unveiling the Mystery: Exploring St. Matthew's Final Resting Place
On the feast day of St. Matthew, little is known about his life, despite his crucial role as the author of one of the four Gospels. Matthew, a tax collector, gave up his materialistic life to follow Jesus. While his subsequent career is unclear, ancient sources suggest he evangelized in Asia for at least 15 years. St. Matthew's body is believed to be in the crypt beneath the cathedral of Salerno, Italy, where a bronze statue of him by Michelangelo Naccherino sits above the altar. Legend has it that St. Matthew's intercession protected the city of Salerno from a pirate attack in 1544. Eastern Catholics and Orthodox churches celebrate St. Matthew on Nov. 16.