StSt ThomasThomas thethe ApostleApostle Feast day 3rd July

St Thomas the Apostle

St Thomas the Apostle St Thomas was one of the twelve apostles (the apostles were the special friends of Jesus to whom he entrusted the mission to go out to proclaim the good news to all the world). St Thomas is the patron saint of architects, and his feast day is celebrated on July 3rd. Thomas is thought to have been a twin: he is sometimes called ‘Didymus’, which means ‘the twin’. He is also known as ‘Doubting Thomas’, because St John’s Gospel tells of how Thomas did not believe that Jesus had risen from the dead, until he saw him with his own eyes. The Bible first tells us about Thomas, in St John’s Gospel (Chapter 11, verse 16), when Lazarus, a friend of Jesus, had just died. Hearing this news, Jesus said he would return to Bethany, in Judaea, to see his friends Mary and Martha, sisters of Lazarus. The apostles were worried that this journey would be dangerous for Jesus, as people in Judaea had been threatening to hurt him. However, Thomas persuaded the others to go with Jesus to Lazarus’ home, even if this meant danger – perhaps death. The next mention of Thomas in the Bible is in St John’s Gospel (Chapter 14, verse 5). At the Last Supper, Jesus told his friends that he was going to prepare a place for them in his Father’s house. Jesus said: ‘Where I am going, you know the way.’ Thomas, unafraid of speaking out, said: ‘Lord, we don’t know where you are going – how can we know the way?’ Jesus assured him: ‘I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.’ The story of ‘Doubting Thomas’ is found in St John’s Gospel (Chapter 20, verses 24 to 19). After Mary had seen the Risen Jesus in the garden, Jesus appeared to his friends, who were shut in a room for fear of the people of Judaea. Thomas was not present when Jesus came, and when the other friends later told Thomas ‘We have seen the Lord’, Thomas refused to believe. He said: ‘Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and thrust my finger into the mark of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I shall never believe.’ Eight days later, when Jesus’ friends were once again shut indoors, and Thomas was with them, Jesus joined them. He said to Thomas: ‘Bring your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand here and thrust it into my side, and don’t be an unbeliever, but be a believer.’ Then Thomas believed! He replied: ‘My Lord and my God.’ Jesus said: ‘Because you have seen me, you have come to faith. Happy are those who did not see and believed.’ The final mention of Thomas in St John’s Gospel (Chapter 21, verse 2) tells us that Thomas was with some of the other apostles at another appearance of the Risen Jesus – this time in Galilee at Lake Tiberias – when Jesus helped his friends make a miraculous catch of fish. After Jesus ascended to heaven, Thomas is thought to have journeyed outside the Roman Empire to preach the Gospel, travelling as far as India. There are still Christians today, in the Kerala region of South India, who are called ‘Christians of St Thomas’. Thomas is often thought of as the patron saint, or apostle, of India, where Christians are often named ‘Thomas’ after him.