Thomas the Apostle

Thomas the Apostle (Greek: Θωμᾶς, romanized: Thōmâs; Aramaic ܬܐܘܡܐ, romanized: Tʾōmā, meaning "the twin"),^{[lower-alpha 1]} also known as Didymus (Greek: Δίδυμος, romanized: Dídymos, meaning "twin"), was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus according to the New Testament. Thomas is commonly known as "Doubting Thomas" because he initially doubted the resurrection of Jesus Christ when he was told of it (as is related in the Gospel of John); he later confessed his faith ("My lord and my God") on seeing the places where the wounds had healed on the holy body of Jesus after the Crucifixion of Jesus. While it is often assumed he touched the wounds in art and poetry, the scriptures do not say that he touched the wounds.

Quick Facts Saint, Born ...

Saint Thomas the Apostle
The Apostle Thomas, Rubens, c.1613
Apostle, Preacher, Bishop, and Martyr
Born	1st century AD Galilee, Judea, Roman Empire[1]
Died	AD 72 St. Thomas Mount, Chola Kingdom
Venerated in	All Christian denominations that venerate saints, especially Saint Thomas Christians
Canonized	Pre-Congregation
Major shrine	St. Thomas Cathedral Basilica in Mylapore, Chennai, India, St. Thomas Major Archi Episcopal Shrine, Palayoor Kerala, India, Basilica of St. Thomas the Apostle in Ortona, Italy
Feast	3 July: Latin Church, Liberal Catholic Church, Anglican Communion, Malankara Orthodox Church, Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church, Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, Believers Eastern Church, Syriac Catholic Church[2] 21 December: Malankara Orthodox Church, some Anglican Communion, Hispanic church, Traditional Catholics, Lutherans 26 Pashons and Sunday after Easter (Thomas Sunday): Coptic Christianity[3] 6 October and Sunday after Easter Thomas Sunday: Eastern Orthodox
Attributes	The Twin, placing his finger in the side of Christ, nelumbo nucifera, spear (means of his Christian martyrdom), square (his profession, a builder)
Patronage	Architects, for Christians in India (including Saint Thomas Christians and Archdiocese of Madras-Mylapore), Tamil Nadu, Sri Lanka, Pula (Croatia) and São Tomé and Príncipe

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According to traditional accounts of the Saint Thomas Christians of modern-day states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala in India, Saint Thomas travelled outside the Roman Empire to preach the Gospel, travelling as far as Mylapore in South India (modern-day Tamil Nadu)^[1][4][5][6] and reached Muziris (modern-day North Paravur and Kodungalloor in Kerala State) in AD 52.^[7][8][1] In 1258, some of the relics were brought to Ortona, in Abruzzo, Italy, where they have been held in the Church of Saint Thomas the Apostle.^[9] He is regarded as the patron saint of India among its Christian adherents,^[10][11] and the Feast of Saint Thomas on July 3 is celebrated as Indian Christians' Day.^[12][13] The name Thomas remains quite popular among the Saint Thomas Christians of the Indian subcontinent.

Many churches in the Middle East and southern Asia, besides India, also mention Apostle Thomas in their historical traditions as being the first evangelist to establish those churches, the Assyrian Church of the East,^[14] the early church of Sri Lanka.^[15]