Bartholomew

Bartholomew, which means "son of Talmai," was an ancient Hebrew name, indicating that this disciple of Christ was of Hebrew descent. Other than that, little for certain is known about him.

Many scholars claim that Bartholomew is also known in the gospels as Nathaniel. According to tradition, he preached in India and gave his converts copies of the Gospel of Matthew which were written in Hebrew. He also is said to have preached in Mesopotamia, Persia, Egypt, Lycaonia, Phrygia, along the Black Sea, and in Armenia, where he met his martyrdom. But the tradition differs with regards to how this happened. Some claim Bartholomew was beheaded, others say that he was skinned alive and crucified, like Peter, with his head down.