Aramaic "son of Talmai" meaning "having many furrows" or  "rich in land"

St Bartholomew was one of the Twelve Apostles, mentioned sixth in the three Gospel lists, and seventh in the list of Acts.
He was introduced to Christ through St. Philip, another of the twelve apostles as per , where the name Nathaniel first appears. He is also mentioned as “Nathaniel of Cana in Galilee” in. The name Nathaniel is the one used for him in St. John’s Gospel. The attachement of the names Nathaniel and Bartholomew to the same person is because the other three synoptic Gospels mention the name Bartholomew right after Philip but don’t mention the name Nathaniel. The relationship between St. Philip and Nathaniel is noted as per John 1:43-51.

Along with his fellow apostle Jude, Bartholomew is reputed to have brought Christianity to Armenia in the 1st century. Thus both saints are considered the patron saints of the Armenian Apostolic Church.
He is said to have been martyred in Albanopolis in Armenia. According to one account, he was beheaded, but a more popular tradition holds that he was flayed alive and crucified, head downward. He is said to have converted Polymius, the king of Armenia, to Christianity. Astyages, Polymius' brother, consequently ordered Bartholemew's execution.
The 13th century Saint Bartholomew Monastery was a prominent Armenian monastery constructed at the site of the martyrdom of Apostle Bartholomew in the Vaspurakan Province of Greater Armenia (now in southeastern Turkey)