Thomas Sunday
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Today is the eighth day after Pascha. It is the eighth day of the Resurrection, and it is the commemoration of the appearance of the Risen Lord to the apostles and most especially, Thomas, who doubted the testimony of the apostles and holy women and insisted he would not believe unless “I put my fingers into the wounds” of Jesus’ body. Eight is significant in Christian theology, as it signifies more than completion, more than fullness - it is the Kingdom of God and the life of the world to come. This is the eighth day of Pascha, and Thomas now understands exactly Who Jesus, and that His Kingdom is beyond earthly time!
It is worth noting that the inscriptions of Icons of this event never say “Unbelief” or “Doubting” regarding Thomas. In Greek, the inscription reads Η ψηλάφηση του Θωμά, that is, the “Touching of Thomas”, making no reference to Thomas’ doubt and implying Jesus touching Thomas, both in body and soul, and not the other way around. In Slavic icons, the meaning is even clearer because the inscriptions always read Уверение Фомы, i.e. the “Assurance of Thomas”. Usually, English icons mis-translate the Slavonic and inscribe their icons “The Belief of Thomas”. They miss the point: the Slavonic emphasizes that Jesus assures Thomas of the reality of His resurrection, His glorified body which still is wounded, His living presence. So too, for us moderns who think we know everything – Christ touches us, Christ comes to us. He takes the initiative, and we are healed as a result.
In the icon, Jesus is always shown higher than Thomas and the other apostles, to emphasize His status as Son of God Who "is risen from the dead" in a glorified body. Many times, He holds a rolled scroll, to show that He is the Eternal Word, the Logos, Who became incarnate and lived among us. Both of His wounded hands, His wounded feet, and the wound in His side are shown. Saint Peter is usually in the right foreground, distinguished by his white hair (age and wisdom) and that he is in the front, the spokesman for the group. John the Evangelist is behind him, a reminder that he and Peter went to the empty tomb after the proclamation of Mary Magdalene and the other women. The other apostles are not shown in any particular order. Thomas should be in the left forefront, reaching out to touch the wound in Jesus’ right side. He usually bends down, to show his humility and lower status than Christ, but always has his right index finger extended from his right hand, pointing to the wound (the church of Santa Croce in Rome claims to have this finger).
St. Thomas is the patron of India and founder of Christianity there. He followed the Roman trade routes across the Indian Ocean and established churches along India's coast, from the Indus valley south. The northern ones were overwhelmed in the Muslim invasions, but the southern churches flourished and today form the Syro-Malabar and Syro-Malankara Churches, both Catholic and Oriental Orthodox, where they are called Thomas Christians. His tomb is at Myalapore.