Martyrdom of Bartholomew (Armenian)

Passio Bartholomaei

Standard abbreviation: Mart. Bart. (Arm.)

Other titles: none

Clavis numbers: ECCA 200; CANT 262

Category: Apocryphal Acts

Related literature: Discovery of Bartholomew’s Relics, Martyrdom of Thaddaeus

Compiled by Tony Burke, York University ([email protected]).

Citing this resource (using Chicago Manual of Style): Burke, Tony. “Martyrdom of Bartholomew (Armenian).” e-Clavis: Christian Apocrypha. Accessed DAY MONTH YEAR. https://www.nasscal.com/e-clavis-christian-apocrypha/martyrdom-of-bartholomew-armenian/.

Created May 2021. Current as of April 2023.

1. SUMMARY

The story begins at Pentecost with the apostles receiving gifts from the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:2–3) as well as being commissioned to their missionary areas. Accompanied by Thomas, Bartholomew comes to the town of Edem/Edemon (perhaps modern Adem in Yemen), said to be near India (likely India citerior, near Ethiopia). Bartholomew and Thomas sit near a spring called “daughter of the Nile,” which the locals revere as a god, though it is inhabited by demons, and they offer the spring gifts and sacrifices in hopes of receiving various requests. Thomas is not mentioned in the text from this point on.

Bartholomew takes off his cloak, throws it on the spring and says, “May this water dry up completely.” The demons in the spring cry to Jesus asking for relief against the apostles. Bartholomew rebukes them and they disappear. The crowds are amazed and everyone in the town comes to see the apostle’s miracles. But with the spring dried up they begin to thirst. In anger, they throw stones at Bartholomew but they strike one another and 30 of them die. Bartholomew raises them back to life. They summon others to be healed and Bartholomew preaches to them from the Gospel of Matthew. To satisfy their thirst, Bartholomew goes to the edge of town and prays. There is an earthquake and the ground splits and a spring of water comes out. The crowd are delighted and Bartholomew baptizes them in the new spring and ordains some of those he had restored to life as priests.

Bartholomew moves on the lands of the Medes and the Elamites where he preaches again from Matthew and gains some followers. They accompany him to Bostra in Coele-Syria. There he comes across a funeral for a twelve-year-old boy named Andronikos, the son of a chiliarch. Bartholomew restores the boy to life and the crowd declare him to be a god. Bartholomew cries out that he is a servant of Jesus, sent to preach the gospel. He preaches from Matthew for three days and prevents the crowd from sacrificing to him. He baptizes the boy and his family and renames him Matthew in honor of the evangelist.

In this city there were seven temples with statues of Ares and Ahura Mazda. At the order of Bartholomew, the chiliarch tears the statues down and distributes the treasures of the temples to the poor and needy. The apostle performs more healings and casts demons out of the city. Then he sets up an altar and establishes one of his disciples as priest, working alongside young Matthew.

Next, Bartholomew comes to cities of the kingdom of  Commagene. The king hears of his signs and wonders and imprisons him for five days. He sends his nobles to fetch Bartholomew but, seeing light coming out of the prison, they are seized by terror. They report what they saw to the king and he orders them to set fire to the prison. But Bartholomew prays for the peoples’ deliverance and the sky is filled with thunder and lightning. They fall to the ground in fear and beg Bartholomew to have mercy on them and heal their wounds from the lightning. The apostle says they will receive healing if they believe in the gospel that he proclaims, then he preaches again from Matthew, as well as Isaiah, and the king and the nobles receive baptism. Bartholomew builds an altar and moves on to the next city.

Bartholomew comes to the lands of the Parthians, Medes and Elamites, where he preaches and heals. Then he reaches the lands of the Persians and the Magi.  Bartholomew began to preach to them the Gospel of Matthew, and about the Magi. He approaches their pyre, which they venerate according to their beliefs, and raises his hands, making the sun’s rays diminish and a pillar of fire from heaven appears on the pyre. Though terrified and bewildered, the Persians are undaunted in the worship of their gods—named here as Helios, Sepha, Ares, and Prena. Bartholomew converts only eight people, who he took with him to his next destination: the Armenian district of Goght’n, assigned by lot to Thaddeus. There he preached and established priests from his Magi converts.

In the twenty-ninth year of King Sanatruk, Bartholomew enters Armenia. Thomas had written to Bartholomew not to neglect Armenia, but to preach everywhere that Thaddeus had been. Bartholomew meets another of the Twelve, Jude brother of James, at the plains of Artaz. They planted a cross and then Jude went on his way. Bartholomew moves on to the districts of Hêr and Zarevand, where he preaches and performs more signs and wonders, and then to the city of Urbianos (Nicopolis). Ogohi, the sister of Sanatruk, hears about the apostle’s miraculous healings and becomes one of his disciples. This angers the king and he orders the chiliarch Terentios to kill him Bartholomew, along with Ogohi and all those who were with them. But the chiliarch too becomes a believer and is healed of leprosy by Bartholomew.

When the news of these wonders reach the king, he is enraged and seizes Bartholomew, Ogohi, and Terentios. Bartholomew is tortured by six men, and believing him dead, they throw him out of the city. He lies there for three hours, and then raises himself up and prays for the conversion of the city. He asks God to send them a pastor and a guide. The ground shakes and a light shines from the apostle up to heaven. Bartholomew dies, then Thaddaeus, who predeceased Bartholomew, appears briefly in bodily form. Ogohi and the Terentios are killed by Sanatruk and many others with them. Bartholomew’s body is taken to a place of rest.

Named Historical Figures and Characters: Ahura Mazd, Andronikos, Ares, Bartholomew (apostle), Helios, Holy Spirit, Isaiah (prophet), Jesus Christ, Judas (brother of Jesus), Magi , Matthew (apostle), Ogohi, Prena, Sanatruk (king), Satan, Sepha, Terentios, Thomas (apostle).

Geographical Locations: Armenia, Artaz, Bostra, Commagene, Edem/Edemon, Elam, Goght’n, Hêr, India citerior, Media, Parthia, Persia, Urbianos (Nicopolis), Zarevand.

2. RESOURCES

“Bartholomew the Apostle.” Wikipedia.

3. BIBLIOGRAPHY

3.1 Manuscripts and Editions

3.1.1 Armenian

3.1.1.1 Martyrdom of Bartholomew (BHO 156)

Venice, Biblioteca dei Padri Mechitaristi San Lazzaro degli Armeni, 201 (olim 1014), fols. 66^r–71^r (12th/13th cent.)

Venice, Biblioteca dei Padri Mechitaristi San Lazzaro degli Armeni, 212 (olim 463), fols. 443^r–447^r (13th cent.)

Venice, Biblioteca dei Padri Mechitaristi San Lazzaro degli Armeni, 222 (olim 239), fols. 389^v–396^r (1335)

Venice, Biblioteca dei Padri Mechitaristi San Lazzaro degli Armeni, 228 (olim 653) (1847) ~ copied from M7729

Additional manuscripts listed by Calzolari (pp. 194–98):

Jerusalem, Armenian Patriarchate (Monastery of Saint James), I-d, pp. 729–734 (1419)

Jerusalem, Armenian Patriarchate (Monastery of Saint James), 154-d, no. 430 (1737)

Jerusalem, Armenian Patriarchate (Monastery of Saint James), 282, pp. 215–226 (1331)

New Julfa, Holy Savior Monastery,  229, fols. 543^r–548^r (16th cent.)

Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, Arm. 110, fol. 544^r–548^v (1194)

Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, Arm. 115, fols. 155^r–158^v (13th cent.)

Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, Arm. 120, fol. 208^r–212^r (14th cent.)

Vienna, Mechitarist Library, 2, fols. 234^r–239^v (ante 1506)

Vienna, Mechitarist Library, 2383, fol. 71^v (1828)

Yerevan, Matenadaran, 941, fols. 196^v–199^v (1689)

Yerevan, Matenadaran, 993, fols. 668^r–671^r (1456)

Yerevan, Matenadaran, 1520, fols. 172^r–176^v (1404)

Yerevan, Matenadaran, 1524, fols. 736^r–740^v (1401/1402)

Yerevan, Matenadaran, 1525, fols. 493^r–498^v (13th cent.)

Yerevan, Matenadaran, 2601, fols. 194^r–197^v (13th/14th cent.)

Yerevan, Matenadaran, 3779, fols. 95^r–99^v (1227)

Yerevan, Matenadaran, 3782, fols. 219^v–223^r (12th cent.)

Yerevan, Matenadaran, 3787, fols. 599^v–604^v (14th cent.)

Yerevan, Matenadaran, 3791, fols. 641^r–644^v (ante 1453)

Yerevan, Matenadaran, 3797, fols. 447^v–453^v (14th cent.)

Yerevan, Matenadaran, 4670, fols. 728^v–733^r (1401)

Yerevan, Matenadaran, 4676, fols. 608r–614r (14th cent.)

Yerevan, Matenadaran, 4771, fols. 776^r–779^v (14th cent.)

Yerevan, Matenadaran, 4802 (post 1404)

Yerevan, Matenadaran, 4871, fols. 429^r–453^r (13th/14th cent.)

Yerevan, Matenadaran, 7441, fols. 287^r–291^v (1322)

Yerevan, Matenadaran, 7729, no. 310 (1200–1202)

Aucher, Iohannes Baptista. Sanctorum Acta pleniora (=Mkrtič Awgerean, Liakatar varkʿew vkayabanutʿ twnkʿ srbocʿ). 12 vols. Venice: Presse de Saint-Lazare, 1810–1814 (edition based on V1014, vol. 9, pp. 447–49).

Ališan, Łevond. Sopʿerkʿ Haykakankʿ. 22 vols. Venice: Presse de Saint-Lazare, 1853–1861 (vol. 19, pp. 5–30).

Ališan, Łevond. Varkʿew vkayabanutʿiwnkʿ Srbocʿ hatɘntir kʿtałealkʿ i čaṙɘntracʿ. 2 vols. Venice: Mxitʿarean tparan, 1874 (edition based on V1014, vol. 1, pp. 200–11).

Ališan, Łevond. Hayapatum, parmutʿiwn Hayoc. Venice: Presse de Saint-Lazare, 1901 (extract, pp. 53–54).

Tchérakian, Chérubin. Ankanon girkh arakhelakankh: Thankgaran haykakan hin ew nor deprutheankh. Venice: Òazar, 1904 (edition based on V1014 with variant readings from V633, V239, and V463, pp. 333–57).

3.1.1.2 Abridged Martyrdom of Bartholomew and Jude (BHO 160)

Venice, Biblioteca dei Padri Mechitaristi San Lazzaro degli Armeni, 223 (olim 1447), fols. 376^v–379^r (15th cent.)

Additional manuscripts listed by Calzolari (pp. 199–200):

Jerusalem, Armenian Patriarchate (Monastery of Saint James), J-9, pp. 172–176 (16th cent.)

Jerusalem, Armenian Patriarchate (Monastery of Saint James), J-173, pp. 116, 143 (1512)

Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, Arm. 118, fols. 231^v–234^v (1307)

Vienna, Mechitarist Library, 224, fol. 39^v–41^r (1428)

Yerevan, Matenadaran, 789, no. 5 (16th cent.)

Yerevan, Matenadaran, 992, fols. 155^r–157^v (1651)

Yerevan, Matenadaran, 4677, no. 91 (15th cent.)

Yerevan, Matenadaran, 4716, no. 103 (1581)

Yerevan, Matenadaran, 4774, fols. 23^r–26^v (16th cent.)

Yerevan, Matenadaran, 4822, fols. 53^v–57^r (1491)

Yerevan, Matenadaran, 4925, no. 5 (15th cent.)

Calzolari, Valentina. Les apôtres Thaddée et Barthélemy. Aux origines du christianisme arménien. Apocryphes 13. Turnhout: Brepols, 2011 (list of unpublished manuscripts, pp. 199–200).

Tchérakian, Chérubin. Ankanon girkh arakhelakankh: Thankgaran haykakan hin ew nor deprutheankh. Venice: Òazar, 1904 (edition based on V1447, pp. 358–64).

3.1.1.2 Synaxarion (December 12)

Bayan, George. “Les synaxaire arménien de ter-Israel V: Mois de Kalotz.” Patrologia Orientalis 18.1 (1924): 5–208 (pp. 23–27).

3.2 Modern Translations

3.2.1 Armenian (modern)

Hatityan, Artun. “Սուրբ Բարթողիﬔոս առաքյալի վկայությունը.” Էջﬕածին [Etchmiadzine] 8–9 (1982): 53–60.

3.2.2 English

Malan, Solomon C. The Life and Times of S. Gregory the Illuminator, the Founder and Patron Saint of the Armenian Church. London, Oxford, Cambridge: Rivingtons, 1868 (chs. 16–20 of BHO 156 from Ališan 1874, pp. 99–103).

3.2.3 French

Calzolari, Valentina. Les apôtres Thaddée et Barthélemy. Aux origines du christianisme arménien. Apocryphes 13. Turnhout: Brepols, 2011 (translation of BHO 156 based on the edition by Tchérakian, pp. 123–150).

Leloir, Louis. Écrits apocryphes sur les apôtres. CCSA 3–4. 2 vols. Turnhout: Brepols, 1986–1992 (translation of the texts from Tchérakian, vol. 2:490–514 [BHO 156], 515–24 [BHO 160]).

3.2.4 Italian

Erbetta, Mario. Gli apocrifi del Nuovo Testamento. 3 vols. Italy: Marietti, 1975–1981 (summary in vol. 2, pp. 1623–24).

3.2.5 Latin

Moesinger, Georgio. Vitae et Martyrium sancti Bartholomaei apostoli, ex sinceris fontibus Armeniacis in linguam latinam conversa. Salisburgi: Typographia Zaunrithiana, 1877 (translation of edition of BHO 156 by Awgerean, pp. 1–19).

3.3 General Works

Calzolari, Valentina. The Apocryphal Acts of the Apostles in Armenian. Studies on Early Christian Apocrypha 18. Leuven: Peeters, 2022 (pp. 48–67).

__________. “Notes sur le Martyre de Barthélemy aménien inédit conservé dans le ms. 7753 du Matenadaran.” Pages 301–20 in The Embroidered Bible: Studies in Biblical Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha in Honour of Michael E. Stone. Edited by L. DiTommaso, M. Henze, and W. Adler.  SVTP 26. Leiden and Boston: Brill, 2018.

Esbroeck, Michel van. “The Rise of Saint Barthomolew’s Cult in Armenia from the Seventh to the Thirteenth Centuries.” Pages 161–78 in Medieval Armenian Culture. Edited by Thomas J. Samuelian and Michael E. Stone. University of Pennsylvania Armenian Texts and Studies 6. Chico, CA: Scholars Press, 1984.

Esbroeck, Michel van. “Chronique arménienne.” AnBoll 80 (1962): 423–45, esp. 425–29.

Lipsius, Richard A. Die apokryphen Apostelgeschichten und Apostellegenden. 2 vols. in 3 parts. Braunschweig, 1883–1890 (see vol. 2.2:92–101).

McDowell, Sean. The Fate of the Apostles: Examining the Martyrdom Accounts of the Closest Followers of Jesus. Abindgon: Ashgate, 2008. Repr. London and New York: Routledge, 2015 (pp. 216–18).

Otero, Aurelio de Santos.  “Later Acts of Apostles.” Pages 426–82  in New Testament Apocrypha. Vol. 2:  Writings Relating to the Apostles; Apocalypses and Related Subjects. Edited by Wilhelm Schneemelcher. Translated by R. McLachlan Wilson.  Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox, 1992 (see p. 452–53).