St. Thomas

Location: Chapel

Donor/ lender: Ahmanson

Also known as "Doubting Thomas", Thomas was known for sticking his hand in the wound on Jesus' side. He was also martyred, stoned, pierced by arrows, and left to die until a priest pierced him with his spear.

Thomas doubts Jesus having arisen from the dead until he has felt with his fingers the holes made by the nails.
Tradition has it that he spread the Gospel as far away as India.
Attributes: spear or sword because he was killed by being pierced with spears by four soldiers on the orders of the Indian King Misdai.
The protractor refers to the legend of Thomas as "the heavenly builder". The Indian king, Gundaforus, had summoned Thomas to India so he could build a Roman palace, and intended to pay him richly. When the king was absent for a couple of years, Thomas built not an earthly palace, but "a heavenly palace", distributing the king's money as alms to the poor and converting them to Christianity.
A legend tells of Thomas that he came from Ethiopia and so was unable to be present at the Assumption of the Virgin - he arrived too late. However, from heaven, Mary gives him the belt from her tunic, but on its way to earth, the belt is transformed into a rainbow.

Pictured here:
Shows Thomas putting his finger into the hold left in Jesus by the spear.