He was called the Twin. On the way to Bethany He offered 
	to die with Jesus. He interrupted the last discourse of 
	Jesus with the question "We know not whither thou goest; 
	how know we the way?". Thomas doubted the resurrection of 
	Christ unless he were to touch the wounds of the Risen 
	Lord, but later confessed his faith in Him: "My Lord and 
	My God" - the first to confess so explicitly the Lord's 
	divinity. 
	
	According to tradition, Thomas evangelized the Parthians. 
	The Syrian Christians of Malabar called themselves 
	"Christians of St. Thomas" and claimed they were 
	evangelized by the Apostle Thomas, who was martyred and 
	buried at Mylapore near Madras. Many deride Thomas for 
	his unbelief in the resurrection of Christ, thus we have 
	the expression that someone is a "doubting Thomas". But 
	it was through his honest expression of doubt that we 
	were given a greater proof and knowledge of the reality 
	of the bodily resurrection. Thomas touched the wounds of 
	Christ and exclaimed: "My Lord and my God!" (John 20) 
	After Pentecost, the lot fell on Saint Thomas to preach 
	the Gospel in India. He was dismayed at having to journey 
	so far from home, but Christ comforted him. He founded a 
	Church there and converted many to the faith, ordaining 
	priests and bishops. When the Mother of God reposed, the 
	Apostles were miraculously borne to Jerusalem for her 
	funeral. Once again, God used Thomas' late arrival to 
	reveal precious truth. He arrived after Mary had been 
	laid in her tomb. He went to reverence her body, but when 
	they opened the tomb, it was empty. Christ had taken His 
	Mother to his heavenly home. Two of Thomas' converts were 
	the sisters Tertiana and Mygdonia, who were both wives of 
	Indian princes. They were reviled by their husbands for 
	their faith, who then divorced them. Tertiana's husband, 
	Prince Misdaeus, was so outraged with Saint Thomas for 
	baptizing his wife and his son, Iuzanes, that he sent 
	five soldiers after Thomas. They ran him through with 
	their lances. 
	
	The Doubting of Saint Thomas
	
	What miraculous wonder, that lack of faith became 
	conviction of faith; for Thomas exclaimed, Unless I see,
	I will not believe. Wherefore, when he searched the side 
	he spoke of the Godhead of the Incarnate, who is Son of 
	God, and knew that he verily did suffer in the flesh, and 
	thus cried proclaiming the Risen God, shouting in a loud 
	voice, My Lord and my God, glory to Thee.
	
	What miraculous wonder, that grass should touch fire and 
	be safe: for Thomas cast his hand into the fire of the 
	side of Jesus Christ God, and was not consumed by touching
	Him. Verily, the obstinate soul turned with fervour to 
	true faith, and he shouted from the depth of his spirit, 
	Thou art my Master and my God who didst rise from the 
	dead. Glory to Thee.
	
	Thomas Sunday is an occasion for Orthodox Christians to 
	visit the graves of their departed loved ones, to bless 
	them and to recognize that the grave is only a temporary 
	resting place for their bodies. They shall rise again 
	bodily. The Holy Apostle Thomas' physical encounter with 
	Christ gave insight into the nature of the Resurrection. 
	A human being now sits bodily on the Throne of the 
	Godhead. Jesus Christ deified flesh and opened the way 
	for us to enter Glory!