St. Matthias, Apostle: Patron of Alcoholics

Posted on May 14, 2025 by paulcoholic

Today is the feast day of the Apostle, St. Matthias, whose election to replace Judas Iscariot established “apostolic succession” as a doctrine of the Church. St. Matthias is a patron of alcoholics by virtue of certain writings attributed to him while he was preaching in Egypt and Ethiopia.

While preaching the Gospel message, Matthias emphasized the importance of self-control. In order to experience the peace and joy that God intends, Matthias said, people must subordinate their physical desires to their spiritual desires.

The physical body is only temporary and subject to many temptations to sin and illnesses, while the spiritual soul is permanent and able to discipline the body for good purposes. Matthias preached that the Holy Spirit will empower people to exercise self-control over their unhealthy physical desires so they can experience good health in both body and soul.

Source: Hopler, Whitney. “St. Matthias the Apostle, Patron Saint of Alcoholics.” Learn Religions, Mar. 4, 2021, learnreligions.com/st-matthias-the-apostle-124663.

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Here are some novenas to St.Matthias. I know I’m late, as these should be prayed from May 5th-13th. Just keep them in mind for next year. However, you needn’t pray a novena during the liturgical period for it; you can always pray them any time you feel compelled to. Given that he is an Apostle, I doubt he’d mind. If you stiill prefer to keep to a schedule and can’t wait for next May, in the Catholic Church’s pre-1970 Calendar his feast day was February 24th (February 25th in leap years.) The Eastern Orthodox honor him on August 9th.

St Matthias Apostle Novena from Intercede: a Catholic Novena app.

St. Matthias Novena from Pray More Novenas

Here is a video novena that you can use to pray to him

St. Matthias post archive.

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

Feast of St. Matthias, Apostle

Posted on May 14, 2024 by paulcoholic

Today is the feast of St. Matthias, the Apostle who was selectef to replace Judas after the traitor committed suicide.

I discovered about six years ago that he is a patron of alcoholics and reformed alcoholics. I suppose the difference is the former are still in the cups while the latter are in recovery.

This is what I wrote in 2018:

Today is the feast of St. Matthias, a disciple of Jesus who was selected to replace Judas Iscariot.

I read today in my Laudate app on my Kindle Fire that he is a patron of alcoholics. Wow, we have an apostle who is our patron?! I had to look that up!

Although St. Matthias left behind no existing writings, (all works attributed to him are regarded as having been written by heretics who borrowed his name to lend authenticity to their errors,) several of his teachings while he preached in Ethiopia and elsewhere have been quoted by several Church Fathers, especially Clement of Alexandria. They refer to the need to “combat the flesh” which is subject to many temptations and errors. The flesh must be mortified so that we can enjoy the workings of the Holy Spirit.

The one problem that I have with any of this is that the sources all cite works that are possibly either apocryphal or outright heretical. Even Clement of Alexandria is suspect, having been on the Roman calendar until being removed from it 500 years ago due to suspicions.

Anyway, there isn’t anything wrong with mortification, especially if care is done to avoid excesses. The emphasis on the flesh in teachings attributed to St. Matthias appear to be influenced by Gnosticism, which held that flesh and matter were evil. Setting that aside, many online Catholic resources of solid orthodoxy accept his patronage of alcoholics (someone’s gotta look after us 😉 ) and thus I think “It can’t hurt.” 🙂

And so we alcoholics and addicts have an Apostle to call our very own.

This is a quote attributed to him:

It behooves us to combat the flesh, and make use of it, without pampering it by unlawful gratifications. As to the soul, we must develop her power by faith and knowledge.

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

St. Matthias, Apostle and a patron of alcoholics

Posted on May 14, 2018 by paulcoholic

Today is the feast of St. Matthias, a disciple of Jesus who was selected to replace Judas Iscariot.

I read today in my Laudate app on my Kindle Fire that he is a patron of alcoholics. Wow, we have an apostle who is our patron?! I had to look that up!

Although St. Matthias left behind no existing writings, (all works attributed to him are regarded as having been written by heretics who borrowed his name to lend authenticity to their errors,) several of his teachings while he preached in Ethiopia and elsewhere have been quoted by several Church Fathers, especially Clement of Alexandria. They refer to the need to “combat the flesh” which is subject to many temptations and errors. The flesh must be mortified so that we can enjoy the workings of the Holy Spirit.

The one problem that I have with any of this is that the sources all cite works that are possibly either apocryphal or outright heretical. Even Clement of Alexandria is suspect, having been on the Roman calendar until being removed from it 500 years ago due to suspicions.

Anyway, there isn’t anything wrong with mortification, especially if care is done to avoid excesses. The emphasis on the flesh in teachings attributed to St. Matthias appear to be influenced by Gnosticism, which held that flesh and matter were evil. Setting that aside, many online Catholic resources of solid orthodoxy accept his patronage of alcoholics (someone’s gotta look after us 😉 ) and thus I think ‘It can’t hurt.” 🙂

And so we alcoholics and addicts have an Apostle to call our very own.

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)