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St. Thomas the Apostle

"Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.' "

(John 14:6)
Painting of the Icon of St. Thomas at St. Mary and St. Joseph Coptic Orthodox Church

The Story In Summary

Who is Saint Thomas

Saint Thomas is one of the twelve disciples of Christ, called the Twin (John 11:16). He was born in Galilee. The Lord chose him for the discipleship and he followed Him (Mathew 10:3).

His Characters and Virtues

He accompanied His teacher, listened to His teachings, and witnessed His miracles. He was loyal, sincere, and eager for knowledge. He searched diligently for the truth and was not convinced except after careful research and examination.

He manifested his faithfulness when the Lord wanted to go to raise Lazarus from the dead though the disciples knew that the Jews were determined to kill the Savior. Thomas said to the other disciples,

"Let us also go, that we may die with Him"

(John 11:16)

He was also the one who asked the Lord after the Last Supper saying,

"Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way? Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life.'"

(John 14:5-6).

When the Lord Christ appeared to the disciples after the Resurrection in the Upper Room of Zion, Thomas was absent. On his return, the disciples told him,

" 'We have seen the Lord.' " So he said to them, 'Unless I see in His hand the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.' "

(John 20:25)

After eight days, the Lord appeared again to them and said to Thomas,

" 'Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.' And Thomas answered and said to Him: 'My Lord and My God!' Jesus said to him, 'Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.' "

(John 20:26-29)

The Lord showed Himself to Thomas and six other disciples at the Sea of Tiberias (John 21:1). Thomas also witnessed the Ascension of the Saviour along with the disciples and returned with them to Jerusalem. He stayed with the disciples until the descent of the Holy Spirit upon them on the Day of Pentecost.

Preaching the Gospel in India

After the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost in the Upper room in Zion, the apostles dispersed everywhere to preach the Gospel. St. Thomas went to India.

He worked there as a slave at one of the friends of the king, whose name was Lukios, who brought him to the king who inquired about his profession. Thomas said: "I am a builder, carpenter and a physician." He preached in his master's palace, and Lukios' wife believed and all his household.

The king asked him about his achievements, and he said:

"The palaces that I built were the souls that have become the temples of the King of Glory; the carpentry that I did was the Gospel that removes the thorns of sin; and the medicines I practiced are the Holy Mysteries which heal the poison of the evil one."

St. Thomas the Apostle

The king became angry and tortured him, and bound him among four poles, cut off his skin and rubbed his wounds with salt and lime. The apostle Thomas endured the pains.

Lukios' wife saw him suffering, and she fell from the window and died. Lukios came to him and said: "If you raise my wife from the dead, I will believe in your God." Thomas went to the room where the dead body was, and said: "Arsabona (Arsonia), rise up in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ." She rose instantly and bowed to the Saint. When her husband saw that, he believed and many more with him from the people of the city, and Thomas baptized them.

Saint Thomas and the body of the Holy Virgin Saint Mary

St. Thomas the Apostle was not present at the time of St. Mary's departure. He wanted to go to Jerusalem and a cloud carried him there. On his way, he saw the pure body of St. Mary carried by the angels and ascended to heaven with it. One of the angels told him, "Make haste and kiss the pure body of St. Mary," and he did.

When St. Thomas arrived where the disciples were, they told him about St. Mary's departure and he said to them, "You know how I conducted myself at the resurrection of the Lord Christ. I will not believe unless I see her body." They went with him to the tomb, and uncovered the place of the body but they did not find it, and everyone was perplexed and surprised.

St. Thomas told them how he saw the holy body and the angels that were ascending with it. They heard the Holy Spirit saying to them, "The Lord did not will to leave her body on earth." The Lord had promised his pure apostles to let them see her in the flesh once again. They were waiting for this promise to be fulfilled, until the 16th day of the month of Misra, when the promise was fulfilled and they saw her.

His Martyrdom

St. Thomas went to the city of "Parkenas" and other cities, where he preached in the Name of Jesus Christ. The king heard about him, and he put him in prison. When he found out that he was teaching the prisoners the way of God, he tortured him, and at last he cut his head off, and he received the crown of martyrdom. He was buried in "Melibar", then his body was relocated to El-Raha.

His Feast

The church celebrates the commemoration of the martyrdom of Saint Thomas on June 3rd - the 26th day of the Coptic month of Pashons.

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References

Synaxarium- Coptic Reader App

Copric Church. Net

St. Takla. Org