Thomas the Apostle

Thomas the Apostle
Eastern icon of Thomas
Apostle, Preacher, Christian martyr
Born	1st century AD Galilee (Roman Empire)
Died	21 December 72 St.Thomas Mount, Chennai, India
Venerated in	Malankara Church Assyrian Church of the East Roman Catholic Church Eastern Orthodox Church Anglican Communion Lutheran Church
Canonized	Pre-Congregation
Major shrine	relics in Ortona, Italy
Feast	3 July - Syro-Malabar, Syriac Catholic, Syriac Orthodox, Latin Catholic,Anglican Communion 21 December - Indian Orthodox, Latin Catholic (traditional calendar), Anglican Communion, Hispanic church 26 Pashons - Coptic Orthodox 6 October and Sunday after Easter Thomas Sunday - Eastern Orthodox, Eastern Catholic
Attributes	The Twin, placing his finger in the side of Christ, spear (means of martyrdom), square (his profession, a builder)
Patronage	India, Saint Thomas Christians, Sri Lanka

Thomas the Apostle (called Didymus which means "the twin") was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ, according to the New Testament. He is informally called doubting Thomas because he doubted Jesus' resurrection when first told (in the Gospel of John account only), followed later by his confession of faith, "My Lord and my God", on seeing Jesus' wounded body.

Traditional legend written centuries later claims he travelled outside the Roman Empire to preach the Gospel, travelling as far as Tamil Nadu and Kerala in present-day India. According to undocumented traditions, the Apostle reached Muziris, (modern-day North Paravur and Kodungalloor in the state of Kerala, India) in AD 52 and baptized several people, founding what today are known as Saint Thomas Christians or Nasranis. After his death, the reputed relics of Saint Thomas the Apostle were enshrined as far as Mesopotamia in the 3rd century, and later moved to various places. In 1258, some of the relics were brought to Abruzzo in Ortona, Italy, where they have been held in the Church of Saint Thomas the Apostle. He is often regarded as the Patron Saint of India, and the name Thoma remains quite popular among Saint Thomas Christians of India.

Today scholars say the legends are "no more than possible" for there is no written claim before centuries later.

Thomas first speaks in the Gospel of John. In John 11:16, when Lazarus had recently died, the apostles do not wish to go back to Judea, where some Jews had attempted to stone Jesus. Thomas says: "Let us also go, that we may die with him" (NIV).