The Holy Thorn Tree of Glastonbury, Somerset, is visited by thousands every year to pay homage and leave tokens of worship. For the version of St. Joseph of Arimathea from the legend of King Arthur, see Joseph of Arimathea. Saint was born on 38 BC, in Bethlehem, Judea, Canaan, Israel. With his twelve followers he established the first monastery at Glastonbury and built the first wattle church; in one version of the story Christ himself travelled with Joseph from the Holy Land and helped in the building work. Joseph Ben Matthat Arimathea was born in 1938, at birth place, to Saint Joseph ben Matthat of Arimathea and Alexandra II the Arimathea (born MACCABEE). Finally it was believed that Joseph had been buried somewhere at the abbey. According to the Gospels, he donated his tomb for the body of Jesus after the Jesus' Crucifixion. Joseph of Arimathea (abt 005 BCE?, Arimathea, Judea - 27 Jul 82?, Glastonbury, UK).