Saint Thomas was one of the Twelve Apostles and appears most prominently in the Gospel of John. He is associated with the episode commonly known as the Doubting of Thomas, in which he refuses to believe in the Resurrection until he encounters the risen Christ. His subsequent declaration, “My Lord and my God,” became one of the clearest affirmations of Christ’s divinity in the New Testament.

According to early Christian tradition, Thomas travelled east as a missionary, preaching in regions beyond the Roman world. He is traditionally associated with India, where he is said to have been martyred, a belief that underlies the long-standing Christian communities of the Malabar Coast. His reputation as both sceptic and confessor shaped his later cult and theological significance.

Saint Thomas in Art

Saint Thomas appears in Christian art most frequently in scenes of the Resurrection, where his doubt and subsequent recognition of the risen Christ form a powerful visual and theological motif. The Incredulity of Saint Thomas ⓘ, showing Thomas placing his finger in Christ’s wound, became a particularly influential subject in medieval and Renaissance art, emphasising the physical reality of the Resurrection.

In apostolic cycles, Thomas is depicted among the Twelve, often holding a book or scroll. In later art, he may also be associated with missionary imagery or with the spear traditionally linked to his martyrdom. His iconography reflects the dual aspects of his character: doubt transformed into faith and witness carried to the furthest reaches of the Christian world.