Feast of St. Thomas the Apostle

Saint Thomas the Apostle, also known as “Doubting Thomas”, was one of the twelve apostles of Jesus.

Not much is known about his early life; although, what he is most known for appears in John 20: 24-29. This passage accounts the story of  when Thomas rejoined the apostles after Jesus had appeared to them. Being skeptical of what they were telling him, he demanded to see and touch Christ’s wounds, which he did during Christ's second appearance, leading to his declaration, "My Lord and My God." This moment solidified his faith.

He is also mentioned in the account of the Last Supper when he questioned Jesus about the way to where He was going, prompting Jesus' declaration that He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

Tradition holds that after Pentecost, Thomas evangelized in Parthia, Media, Persia, and ultimately India, where he was martyred around 72 A.D. His relics are spread across India, Edessa, and Italy, with his skull believed to be in Patmos. In art, he is depicted as a young man holding a scroll or touching Christ's wounds. According to tradition, Thomas was the sole Thomas was the sole apostle to witness the Assumption of Mary into heaven.  

He is known as the patron saint of people in doubt, against doubt, against blindness, architects, artists, blind people, builders, construction workers, masons, stone-cutters, surveyors, theologians, Ceylon, East Indies, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka.

Celebrate the feast by doing the following:

• Make Thomasstriezeln (St. Thomas Fingers), find the recipe here.
• Learn about St. Thomas online here    
•  Attend Mass
• For children, finger paint and holy image or make finger puppets of the apostles