St. Thomas was one of Jesus' disciples. In John's Gospel, when Jesus begins his final journey to Jeruselem, it is Thomas who says to the other disciples, "Let us go, that we also may die with him." Later, he asks Jesus, "Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?" This prompts Jesus' memorable response, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life"
The first time Jesus appears to his disciples after the Ressurection, Thomas is absent, and he declares, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe." A week later Jesus appears to him and invites him to touch the marks of his wounds. Thomas cries out, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus replies, "Have you beflieved because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yeet have come to believe."
Although we know nothing definite about St. Thomas after the Gospel accounts, one tradition says he went to India. An ancient Christian community on the Malabar coast claims that they were founded by him, and that he was later killed by a spear and buried at Mylapore, near Madras. A cross of stone is said to mark the place where his body rested nutil it was taken to Edessa (in modern day Turkey) in 394. From there it travelled to the island of Chios and then to Ortona, in the Abruzzi region of Italy, where it is still verated. Another tradition says his body remained at Mylapore until it was discovered by the Portuguese and placed in the Cathedral of San Thome there.
One of the symbols of St. Thomas is the spearhead with
which he was martyred. The other is a builders T-square
because in the apochryphal Acts of Thomas he is said to
have built a palace for an Indian King. Thus, he is the
patron saint of architects.
The tradtional date of St. Thomas' death is December 21, which has long been observed as his feast day. Some modern Roman and Anglican calendars now observe the feast of his "translation" (the transfer of his relics) on July 3. At St. Thomas we have our Patronal Festival on the Sunday closest to that date.
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