E06931: Aldhelm's poem On Saint Matthias the Apostle records the dedication of a shrine (dilubrum) to *Matthias (the Apostle, S01784), presumably in Britain. Written in Latin in southern Britain, c. 670/710.

Aldhelm, Carmina Ecclesiastica, 5

IN SANCTI MATHIAE APOSTOLI
Hoc sacer observat dilubrum Mathias almum,
Unus qui fertur de septuaginta fuisse
Discipulis Domini, sacrum qui dogma docebant;
Quem Deus electum signavit sorte superna,
Dum Iudas Scarioth strofa deceptus iniqua
Culmen apostolici celsum perdebat honoris
Atque fibras olidas tetro cum viscere fudit,
Cum crepuit medius laqueo suspensus ab alto,
Qui Dominum lucis redimentem sanguine saecla
Vendidit, ut cupidus fulvum nomisma capessat.
Mathias idcirco spreto latrone nefando
In Domino fretus numerum supplevit eundem:
Iunctus apostolicis gratatur iure triumphis.

'V. ON SAINT MATTHIAS THE APOSTLE
St Matthias watches over this holy shrine. He is said to have been one of the Lord's seventy disciples who taught His holy doctrine. God marked him out as elect by divine lot [Acts 1:24-6] when Judas Iscariot, deceived by evil malice, lost the lofty glory of his apostolic calling and poured out his stinking guts together with his blackened bowels when he burst open as he hung from the lofty noose [Mt. 27:5]: he had sold the Lord of Light Who redeems all ages with His blood, so that he could greedily acquire a burnished coin [Mt. 26:14-16]. Accordingly Matthias, trusting in the Lord and having spurned the evil thief, made up the same number (of twelve apostles): he duly rejoices in being associated with apostolic victories.'

Text: Ehwald 1919, 32. Translation: Lapidge and Rosier 1985, 57-8.