St. Matthew, also known as Levi, was a tax collector prior to his call to become a disciple. When Jesus called him, he followed him immediately but decided to hold a farewell feast before departing Capernaum. It is this feast, at which Jesus dined with tax collectors and sinners that provoked the enmity of the Pharisees. Other than being mentioned in the lists of Apostles, this is the only reference to Matthew in the New Testament.
Following the Ascension, Matthew preached the Gospel to the Jewish community in Judea before going to other countries. Prior to embarking on these journeys, Matthew left behind a copy of his gospel written in the native language, Aramaic. This work was intended to bolster the preaching he had already done and further emphasize the prophetic connections between Jesus of Nazareth and the Messiah.
Little is known of Matthew's journeys after he left Judea. Some writers mention that he traveled to Ethiopia (a region south of the Caspian sea, not the nation in Africa), Persia, Parthia, Macedonia and Syria. Tradition holds that he was martyred, although the location of method of martyrdom are not mentioned.