St. Matthew's body lies in Salerno

The body of St. Matthew is said to lie in the crypt beneath the Salerno Cathedral in Italy.

According to tradition, Matthew was a Jewish tax collector in Capernaum who left his profession to follow Jesus and became one of the apostles. While the Gospels list him among the apostles, the Catholic Encyclopedia notes that the scriptures provide little information regarding his life after his calling. Ancient sources suggest he evangelized in Asia.

The crypt features a bronze statue of the saint created by Michelangelo Naccherino in 1606. The sculpture depicts Matthew writing his Gospel with a pen and book while an angel hands him an inkwell. Archbishop Alfano I, who served from 1058 to 1085, completed the cathedral.