Saint Thomas, the Apostle:

Feast day : 03 July

Today the Church celebrates the feast of Saint Thomas, one of the 12 Apostles of Jesus. The Scriptures testify to his innocence and simplicity of heart through his honest confessions and doubts. His ardent love for his Divine Master shines forth when he expresses his willingness to die with Jesus when all the other disciples dissuaded Jesus from going to Jerusalem. After the descent of the Holy Spirit, the disciples dispersed to preach the Gospel to all nations. Saint Thomas was assigned to Parthia and preached the Gospel to all the nations of the East including India. He was martyred in the year 72 in Mylapore, India.

St. Thomas in the Scriptures:

The Gospel of John testifies to his character through three events during the life of Jesus where his innocence and simplicity are revealed. When all the disciples tried to dissuade Jesus from going in to Jerusalem to raise Lazarus, he was the only one who, filled with love for his Divine Master said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him” John 11:16. Again when Jesus spoke about His going to the Father to prepare a place for them, St. Thomas who greatly desired to follow the Lord asked Jesus “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” John 14:5 to which Jesus replied “I am the way, and the truth and the life. No man comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6 . This was an important revelation that summed the very purpose of His incarnation. After Jesus Passion, Death and Resurrection, He appeared to the disciples when St. Thomas was not around and so he refused to believe that Jesus had truly risen saying “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.” John 20:25. A week later Jesus appeared to the disciples when Thomas was with them and said to him, “Put your finger here and see my hands, Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.” John 20:27. On seeing his beloved Lord, he repented for his obstinacy and engulfed by the love and mercy of Our Lord Jesus he exclaimed in love and repentance, “My Lord, and my God!” John 20:28, acknowledging Him as the only Lord of his heart and the sole object of his affection.

Preaching the Gospel and Martyrdom:

After the descent of the Holy Spirit, the apostles dispersed to all the nations of the world. Saint Thomas was sent to Parthia and preached to the neighbouring nations in the East. He is believed to have established the faith among the Medes, Persians, Carmanians, Hyrcanians, Bactrians and other neighbouring nations. He later travelled to India by vessel to the Malabar Coast and landed at the former flourishing port of Muziris, modern-day North Paravur and Kodungalloor in the year 52. From there he preached the Gospel throughout the Malabar coast, converting several families to Christianity. The various churches he founded were located mainly on the Periyar River and its tributaries and along the coast, where there were Jewish colonies. In accordance with apostolic custom, Saint Thomas ordained teachers and leaders or elders, who were reported to be the earliest ministry of the Church in Kerala. He also preached in other parts of Southern India till he was martyred in the year 72 at Mylapore, near Madras. His relics are kept at the San Thome Basilica in Chennai, Mylapore India. According to Saint Ephrem, the Syrian, his relics were taken to Edessa, Mesopotamia in the year 232 and remained there till they were translated to Chios in 1258. Later some of the relics were further moved to Italy and now rest in the Cathedral of St. Thomas, the Apostle in Ortona, Italy.