The identification of Bartholomew with Nathanael is not 100%, but is sufficiently reasonable to justify the single commemoration in the Calendar. The name of Bartholomew appears only in the lists of apostles in the first three Gospels and Acts (Matthew 10:2-4; Mark 3:16-19; Luke 6:13-16; Acts 1:13), and Nathanael appears only in John’s Gospel (John 1:45-51; 21:2). However, in John chapter 1, Nathanael appears linked with Philip in the same way Bartholomew is linked with Philip in the other Gospels.

If the identification is not accepted, we know nothing of Bartholomew apart from his being an apostle. Jerome in the 4th century knew of a Gospel according to Bartholomew (no longer extant), and according to tradition Bartholomew was a missionary in India, but none of this can be substantiated.

If Nathanael is Bartholomew, then we can add that he came from Cana (John 21:2) and was brought to Jesus by Philip (John 1:45). Despite Nathanael’s doubts that anything good can come out of Nazareth, Jesus hails Nathanael as an Israelite worthy of the name and promises that he will see angels ascending and descending on the Son of man, thus making Nathanael a witness to the fulfilment of the hopes of Israel in Jesus. Nathanael reappears at the end of John’s Gospel in the resurrection episode beside Lake Galilee (John 21).

Two ancient testimonies exist about the mission of Saint Bartholomew in India. These are of Eusebius of Caesarea (early 4th century) and of Saint Jerome (late 4th century). Both of these refer to this tradition while speaking of the reported visit of Pantaenus to India in the 2nd century. The studies of Fr A.C. Perumalil SJ and Moraes hold that the Bombay region on the Konkan coast, a region which may have been known as the ancient city Kalyan, was the field of Saint Bartholomew's missionary activities.

Along with his fellow apostle Jude "Thaddeus", Bartholomew is reputed to have brought Christianity to Armenia in the 1st century. Thus, both saints are considered the patron saints of the Armenian Apostolic Church, and Bartholomew was martyred in Greater Armenia (now in southeastern Turkey).

BORN: 1st century AD, Cana, Judea, Roman Empire.

DIED: 1st century AD, Albanopolis, Armenia.