Radio Don Bosco - Saint Bartholomew, Apostle

Plus je l'écoute, plus je l'aime

: Presented by Ratovoarivelo Ndrasantsoa Marie Frédeline; Category: Saint of the day; Also available:; Published: 24 August 2022

24th August - Bartholomew, bar-Tolmay in Aramaic, "son of the furrow", is a Jew from Galilee and one of the twelve apostles of Jesus. Ancient Christian tradition identifies him with the disciple Nathanael mentioned in the Gospel according to John.

He evangelised Arabia, Persia and western India in collaboration with the apostle Thomas. He is also described as the apostle of the Aramaeans. According to Eusebius of Caesarea, when Pantene of Alexandria went to India, he found a copy of the Gospel according to Matthew, which Bartholomew had used.

According to Christian tradition, he, together with Thomas and Jude Thaddeus, was at the origin of preaching in Armenia. Bartholomew having received Albanopolis as a region to be evangelized. He was put to death in Albanopolis: skinned alive, crucified and beheaded.

Message from the Bishops at the end of the Pilgrimage

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, You who have come in such large numbers to take part in this national pilgrimage, as well as all of you who are following it from home through the media. We, the bishops of Madagascar, would like to express our deep gratitude to you for having responded to our invitation and for having brought this jubilee initiated by Pope Francis to life spiritually. With you, we take up Mary's song: ‘My soul exalts the Lord’ and we repeat with her: ‘What shall I repay the Lord for all the good he has done me?’....

Love and Salvation

Christmas is a great joy, because it is the love of God that has come to us, proclaims Fr. Bizimana Innocent, Provincial Superior of the Salesians Don Bosco of Madagascar and Mauritius, presenting his Christmas greetings. Salvation is accomplished, so life is not in danger of disappearing. It is this love and this salvation that we wish to fill our life so that we have peace.

Zatti, our brother

The short film "Zatti, our brother" (Argentina, 2020) focuses on one of the most difficult episodes of his life. We are in Viedma, in 1941: at the age of 60, Zatti is forced to leave the hospital he has attended for decades. His faith and strength are tested.