Saint Matthew, also known as Levi, was one of the Twelve Apostles chosen by Jesus to be his early followers and closest collaborators. Matthew is traditionally identified as the author of the Gospel of Matthew, one of the four canonical Gospels in the New Testament of the Bible.

Before his calling to follow Jesus, Matthew was a tax collector in Capernaum, a profession that was often associated with corruption and extortion in ancient Israel. However, when Jesus called Matthew to follow him, he immediately left his tax collector's booth and became a disciple.

Matthew is often depicted in Christian art as holding a book or a pen, symbolizing his role as the writer of the Gospel that bears his name. The Gospel of Matthew is focused on portraying Jesus as the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies and as the promised Messiah of Israel.

Tradition holds that after the resurrection and ascension of Jesus, Saint Matthew preached the Gospel in Judea before embarking on missionary work to other lands. He is said to have been martyred for his faith, though details of his death vary in different accounts.

Saint Matthew's feast day is celebrated on September 21st in the Catholic Church and on November 16th in the Eastern Orthodox Church. He is venerated as a saint and an apostle, and his Gospel continues to be read and studied by Christians around the world as a source of inspiration and guidance in their faith._