Thomas, Saint

Thomas, Saint, one of the Twelve Apostles, called Didymus. According to John, he refused to believe in the resurrection until he saw Jesus' wounds; hence the expression "doubting Thomas." John 11.16; 14.5; 20.24–29; 21.2. By tradition he is said to have gone as missionary to Parthia or India. The Syriac-rite Christians of Malabar, India, whose church was established by the 3d cent., claim St. Thomas as their founder. Among the Pseudepigrapha are a Gospel of Thomas and Acts of Thomas. In addition, a Gospel of Thomas was among the 4th-century Coptic books found at Nag Hammadi. Feast: Dec. 21.

Bibliography

See E. Pagels, Beyond Belief: The Secret Gospel of Thomas (2003).

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Thomas, Saint

(born , probably Galilee—died c. AD 53, Madras, India; Western feast day December 21, feast day in Roman and Syrian Catholic churches July 3, in the Greek church October 6) One of the Twelve Apostles of Christ. He is best known for requiring physical proof of Jesus' Resurrection before he could believe it, hence the phrase “doubting Thomas.” When Jesus reappeared and had Thomas touch his wounds, Thomas became the first person to explicitly acknowledge Jesus' divinity, saying “My Lord and my God.” His subsequent history is uncertain; he is said to have evangelized Parthia (modern Khorasan) and even India.