Feast of Saint Thomas
Everliving God, who didst strengthen thine apostle Thomas with sure and certain faith in thy Son's resurrection: Grant us so perfectly and without doubt to believe in Jesus Christ, our Lord and our God, that our faith may never be found wanting in thy sight; through him who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen1
Readings for the Feast of St. Thomas, December 21
History and Tradition
Thomas [Greek, form toma, twin] , also called Didymos [Greek name meaning a twin] Judas Thomas, was one of the 12 apostles (Matt 10:3). His sign is carpenter's square with a spear. In India he is reported to have built a church with his own hands. Thomas died when he was shot with arrows, stoned and left to die. A priest then ran a spear through him.2
The following utterances by Thomas are recorded in the scriptures [RSV] :
* Let us also go, that we may die with him
[Jn. 11:16, uttered in devotion to Jesus upon His declaration that
He would return to Judea where His enemies had previously threatened to stone
Him.]
* Lord, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the
way?
[Jn 14:5, at the Last Supper, he uttered this in response to our Lord's
question, "And do you know where I am going?"
In response Jesus said, " I am the way, the truth, and
the life. "
* Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, and place my finger
in the mark of the nails, and place my hand in his side, I will not
believe.
[Jn 20:25, uttered when other disciples said they had seen the Lord. Augustine
wrote of this account, "He doubted that we might not doubt."]
* My Lord and my God!
[Jn 20:28, uttered when our Lord came amongst the disciples and said to Thomas,
" Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out
you hand, and place it in my side; do not be faithless, but believing."
In response our Lord said, " Have you believed
because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet
believe. "]
Thomas is listed in John 21:1-8 with six other disciples on the Sea of Galilee when Jesus told them to cast a net, and in Acts 1:13, with other apostles in the upper room in Jerusalem after the Ascension.
He was, by tradition, an evangelist to the Parthians and Indians. Syrian Christians of Malabar India cherish the tradition that Thomas brought them the Gospel (they call themselves the Mar Thomas Church). There is a place near Madras called St. Thomas's Mount.3 For a fuller tradition see the Catholic Encyclopedia
There have been recently found several ancient writing that some have ascribe to Thomas, most notably the Gospel of Thomas [Prologue: These are the secret sayings that the living Jesus spoke and Judas Thomas the Twin recorded. ]
Saint Thomas Episcopal Church of Beattyville, Kentucky was named "Saint Thomas" to attest to the esteem in which Bishop Thomas U. Dudley was held by the people of Lee County. Bishop Dudley laid the cornerstone on June 21, 1894 during his last official visit to Beattyville.4
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1 Lesser Feasts and Fasts 1991
2 Shields and Emblems of the Saints [http://www.fastlane.net/~wegast/symbols/saints/saints.htm]
3 The New Westminster Dictionary to the Bible
4 St. Thomas Episcopal Church, Beattyville, Kentucky: First One Hundred Twenty Years by Mary Helen McGuire [1991]