St Bartholomew by the Rev’d Stuart Ansell

Luke 22:24-30 
A dispute also arose among them as to which one of them was to be regarded as the greatest. But he said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those in authority over them are called benefactors. But not so with you; rather the greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like one who serves. For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one at the table? But I am among you as one who serves. "You are those who have stood by me in my trials; and I confer on you, just as my Father has conferred on me, a kingdom, so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 
Bartholomew is mentioned only in the lists of the twelve apostles (Matthew 10:3; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:14), and in the list of apostles in Acts (1:13). The name "Bartholomew" means "son of Talmai" (or Tholmai) which was an ancient Hebrew name. We do therefore know that Bartholomew was of Hebrew descent; it may have been his genuine proper name or simply added to distinguish him as the son of Talmai. Other than the lists of apostles, Bartholomew isn't mentioned again in the New Testament. 
Nothing further is known for certain of Bartholomew, but many scholars identify him with Nathaniel (John 1:45-51; 21:2). This is because Bartholomew is never mentioned in John's Gospel while Nathaniel is never mentioned in the synoptics. And Bartholomew's name is coupled with Philip's in the lists of Matthew, Mark and Luke, and Nathaniel is shown by St. John to be an old friend of Philip, who brought him to Jesus. Nathaniel/Bartholomew is thought to hail from Galilee, where Jesus found many of his disciples. 
After their experience of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost, the disciples drew lots to decided where each of them was to preach the gospel. Bartholomew and Philip, still together, were allocated Syria and Asia Minor. In their preaching, they are thought to have separated across the region, and then to have met up together again. They suffered the usual bad treatment and hostility, and eventually met up with John, going with him to Phrygia. 
Needless to say, they performed many miracles, especially miracles of healing, and at Hierapolis were so feared and hated that they are both said to have been crucified upside down. Their execution precipitated an earthquake which so terrified the people that they rushed to take them down from their crosses. Philip died from this treatment, but Bartholomew was executed slightly later than Philip, so was on the cross for a shorter time, and miraculously survived. 
After this unsettling experience, Bartholomew moved swiftly on to India, where he's said to have converted the gospel of Matthew into the local language, and to have converted many people. He's also said to have written a gospel of his own, but no trace of this remains. There are, however, some very early Christian writings from that area. 
Bartholomew then visited Great Armenia (the country between the River Kura and the upper stretches of the Rivers Tigris and Euphrates), where he not only performed many miracles but also healed the daughter of the emperor Polimios from the demons afflicting her. The emperor gratefully sent gifts to Bartholomew, but Bartholomew refused to accept them, saying that all he wanted was the salvation of souls. Lots of people, including the emperor and his daughter, were so impressed by this magnanimity (and the miraculous healing) that they were then baptised. But the local pagan priests were not amused, and through the intrigues and malevolence of the pagan priests, Bartholomew was seized by the emperor's brother Astiag, in the city of Al'ban (now the city of Baku), and again crucified upside down. Although tradition claims that even from the cross he didn't stop preaching. Finally, on orders from Astiag, they flayed the skin from Bartholomew and cut off his head. Believers placed his remains in a pewter coffin and buried him. Hence the somewhat gruesome emblem for St. Bartholomew of three flaying knives on a red background. 
By the tenth century, part of Bartholomew's relics had been transferred to St Bartholomew-on-the-Tiber Church in Rome by various miraculous means, where they remain to this day. But rather surprisingly, other parts of Bartholomew are said to reside in Canterbury Cathedral. 
Nathaniel/Bartholomew was known to be a gentle as a dove. Despite his horrendous and gruesome treatment at the hands of ignorant and hostile crowds, he never renounced his mission and is remembered with honour and affection, especially by the people of Armenia, for whom he is their patron saint.