The name Thomas means "twin" in Aramaic. We do not know if St. Thomasone of the first to leave everything to follow Jesus, had a brother. He is venerated as a saint by Catholics, Orthodox and Copts, and his remains are in Ortona (Italy). The relics of the saint, who evangelized Syria, Mesopotamia and India, are found there.
St. Thomas the Apostle has been linked since the 1st century to the episode of his disbelief. Jesus rose from the dead, appeared immediately to the apostles, and said to them, "Peace be with you". But Thomas was not there. Eight days later, St. John recounts, the Lord appeared to them again, behind closed doors, and said to Thomas: "Put your finger here and see my hands; stretch out your hand and put it into my side; and do not be unbelieving, but believing".
"Thomas answered, "My Lord and my God!". "Because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who believe without having seen," Jesus said (Jn 20:24-29).
"My Lord and my God!"
The Roman Martyrology says: "Feast of St. Thomas, apostle, who, when the other disciples announced to him that Jesus had risen, did not believe it, but when Jesus showed him his side pierced by the lance and told him to put his hand in it, he exclaimed: "My Lord and my God". And with this faith that he experienced is the tradition that brought the word of the Gospel to the peoples of India".
In fact, according to this tradition, St. Thomas evangelized Syria, Babylon, Mesopotamia, where he stayed for seven years. Then India, and from Muziris, where there was a Jewish community that soon became Christian, he traveled as far as China, for love of the Gospel. On his return to India, he died martyr pierced by a spear on July 3, 72.
