Saint Thomas Day

St Thomas History

Saint Thomas Day commemorates the life and works of Saint Thomas the Apostle, one of the twelve disciples of Jesus Christ. The day honors the saint's devotion to spreading the Gospel and his missionary trips to various parts of the world, including India. The day is significant to both the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches and is observed by numerous cultural and religious communities worldwide.

The observance of Saint Thomas Day has its roots in early Christian tradition, where St. Thomas was revered as one of the original apostles. In the United States, the day holds special significance for American Christians, particularly those of Indian descent, as Saint Thomas is regarded as the founder of Christianity in India. Saint Thomas' missionary work in India led to the establishment of the Syrian Christian community, which has over time grown and flourished in the United States and other countries.

In America, Saint Thomas Day is observed through various religious activities such as prayer meetings, church services, and spiritual gatherings. Members of Christian communities come together to remember and honor the saint's commitment to promoting Christianity around the world. Saint Thomas Day is generally celebrated on December 21st in the Western tradition, which includes the Roman Catholic and Protestant churches. The Eastern Orthodox Church, on the other hand, commemorates the day on October 6th.

Top 9 Facts for Saint Thomas Day in 2026

• The celebration of Saint Thomas Day is historically intertwined with the Winter Solstice, giving rise to the traditional folk rhyme St. Thomas Day, St. Thomas Gray, which commemorates the arrival of the longest night and shortest day of the year.
• Rural English history features a charitable custom known as Thomasing or gooding, where the elderly and poor would go door-to-door to collect alms or "doles" of wheat and ale to ensure they could afford a proper Christmas meal.
• In many parts of Central Europe, the day is marked by the Schweinethomas tradition, where a specially fattened "Christmas pig" is slaughtered to prepare the meat and sausages required for the upcoming holiday festivities.
• The apostle is the patron saint of architects and masons because of an account in the apocryphal Acts of Thomas that describes him being sent to India to build a palace for King Gondophares.
• Traditional Christmas mumming plays often feature a character known as Dicky Dout, a beggar who typically wears a costume with a long shirt tail and recites verses while seeking donations during the period beginning on this feast day.
• The theological transition from skepticism to conviction is a central theme of the 15th-century hymn O Sons and Daughters, which is frequently performed during the observance to reflect on the apostle's journey to faith.
• In Finland, the holiday signals the official start of the Christmas season and is celebrated through the opening of the Tuomaan Markkinat, a large historic market held in the capital's Senate Square.
• Students in regions like Germany and Belgium historically practiced the Thomas-fuul or "Thomas Donkey" custom, where the last person to arrive at school or get out of bed on this day was teased with an insulting nickname.
• The apostle is widely venerated as the founder of the Saint Thomas Christians in India, a community that traces its origins back to his legendary arrival on the Malabar Coast in 52 AD.

In the News and Trending in the US for Saint Thomas Day

Top things to do in the US for Saint Thomas Day

• Read writings by St. Thomas. Several early church documents bearing Thomas' name are popular, including the Gospel of Thomas, which is a collection of Jesus' sayings. Other texts include the Acts of Thomas and the Infancy Gospel of Thomas. None of these texts were included in the Bible.
• Thousands of Indians claim to be descendants of the Christians that Thomas helped to convert. Join them on a pilgrimage in Paylador to the traditional spot of Thomas' tomb, Our Lady of Lourdes Cathedral of the Syro-Malabar Archdiocese of Trichur (Kerala, India).
• If you are a single woman try a an ancient custom performed on the Feast of St. Thomas to get an idea who you will marry. Unmarried Austrian women would climb into bed over a stool, throw their shoes with toes pointing downward toward the bedroom door, and then sleep with their head at the foot of the bed. Women who performed this ritual were thought to dream about their future husbands.
• Say a blessing prayer for your property on the feast of St. Thomas. A ancient custom was for farmers and their sons or hands to drive off evil spirits in preparation for Christmas. They were sprinkling holy water across the land, while other family members stayed inside and prayed the rosary.