Ann_St.Thomas

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St. Thomas

St. Thomas
Feastday: July 3
Patron of Architects

St. Thomas was a Jew, called to be one of the twelve Apostles. He was a dedicated
but impetuous follower of Christ. When Jesus said He was returning to Judea
to visit His sick friend Lazarus, Thomas immediately exhorted the other Apostles
to accompany Him on the trip which involved certain danger and possible death
because of the mounting hostility of the authorities.

At the Last Supper, when Christ told His Apostles that He was going to prepare
a place for them to which they also might come because they knew both the place
and the way, Thomas pleaded that they did not understand and received the
beautiful assurance that Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

But St. Thomas is best known for his role in verifying the Resurrection of his
Master. Thomas' Sunday merited for him the title of "Doubting Thomas." Eight days
later, on Christ's second apparition, Thomas was gently rebuked for his scepticism
and furnished with the evidence he had demanded - seeing in Christ's hands the
point of the nails and putting his fingers in the place of the nails and his hand
into His side. At this, St. Thomas became convinced of the truth of the
Resurrection and exclaimed: "My Lord and My God", thus making a public
Profession of Faith in the Divinity of Jesus.

St. Thomas is also mentioned as being present at another Resurrection appearance
of Jesus - at Lake Tiberias when a miraculous catch of fish occurred. This is all
that we know about St. Thomas from the New Testament.

Tradition says that at the dispersal of the Apostles after Pentecost this saint
was sent to evangelize the Parthians, Medes, and Persians; he ultimately reached
India, carrying the Faith to the Malabar coast, which still boasts a large native
population calling themselves "Christians of St. Thomas." He capped his left by
shedding his blood for his Master, speared to death at a place called Calamine.
His feast day is July 3rd and he is the patron of architects.