St. Bartholomew is one of the 12 Apostles of Christ (Mark 3:14-19). Some scholars identify him with Nathanael, from Galilee (John 1:45-51). A Byzantine Icon of St. Bartholomew: http://www.sacredicons.com/bartholomew.html A tradition goes this way: St. Demetrius, the Coptic Orthodox Patriarch of Alexandria sent St. Pantaenus to India to spread the faith in India. Ecclesiastical history of Mar Eusebius mentions that St. Pantaenus, while evangelizing India, was told that the Apostle Bartholomew had preached there before him and had given to the Indian faithful the Gospel of St. Matthew written in Hebrew, which was still treasured by the Church. Visit of St. Pantaenus to India is also reported by St. Jerome. Apostle Bartholomew is said to have prayed a hundred times a day and a hundred times a night; that his voice was like a trumpet; angels waited upon him; he was always cheerful and knew all languages. A popular tradition among the Armenians is that the Apostle Jude (Thaddaeus) was the first to evangelize their region throughout the years of 43 to 66 AD and that the Apostle Bartholomew joined him in 60 AD. Read more at: http://www.biblepath.com/bartholomew.html The establishment of Armenia's Holy Apostolic Church traditionally dates back to the time of Jesus' two Apostles, St. Thaddeus and St. Bartholomew who preached in Armenia in the first part of first century A. D. and were martyred by king Sanatrook of Armenia because of their preaching among the people of Armenia in provinces of Syunik and Goghtan. But the Christian faith in Armenia did not die out, but moreover quickly spread amongst peasantry and noble classes alike. One of the first converts were sister of king Sanatrook and other members of the upper class. Read about Martyrdom of Apostle Bartholomew: http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0825.htm