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Because of the mystery surrounding Saint Matthew's martyrdom, his feast day is not consistent in the Western and Eastern Churches. In the West, his feast is celebrated on September 21; in the East, on November 16. The origin of Feast Days: most saints have specially designated feast days and are associated with a specific day of the year and these are referred to as the saint's feast day. The feast days first arose from the very early Christian custom of the annual commemoration of martyrs on the dates of their deaths at the same time celebrating their birth into heaven.

The Gospel of Matthew was written to prove that Jesus Christ is the promised Messiah, the King of all the earth, and to make plain the Kingdom of God. It is the joining link between Old and New Testament, focusing on the fulfillment of prophecy. Matthew was not written to chronicle the events of Jesus' life, but rather to present the undeniable evidence that Jesus Christ is the promised Savior, the Messiah, the King of kings and Lord of lords. It begins by accounting the genealogy of Jesus, then his birth, baptism and public ministry. The miracles recorded in Matthew reveal Jesus' authority and true identity. Key characters in the gospel of Matthew: Jesus, Mary and Joseph, John the Baptist, the 12 disciples, the Jewish religious leaders, Caiaphas, Pilate, Mary Magdalene.