St Bartholomew was one of the twelve Apostles. His name is believed to derive from the Aramaic bar-Tôlmay meaning son of Tolmay (Ptolemy) or son of the furrows (ploughman).

His feastday is celebrated on 24 August in the Western Church and on 11 June in the Eastern Churches. The Armenian Apostolic Church honours him as its patron saint, along with St Thaddeus.

He is mentioned in the three Synoptic gospels and was listed as one of the witnesses to the Ascension (Acts 1:4, 12, 13).