Join in

Send page to a friend

3rd of July - St Thomas's Day

3rd of July is the 184th day of the year

St Thomas's Day:
Thomas was the apostle who doubted the resurrection, thus earning the epithet doubting. There is no readily apparent reason why the feast day assigned (re-assigned, his original feast day was December 21st) to St Thomas is July 3rd. He is said to have carried the new faith to India and to Parthia – Northern Iran today – landing on the Malabar Coast. His mission was it seems successful, as a Christian tradition persists there with the faithful calling themselves Christians of St Thomas. His carpentry and architectural skills it is said saw him employed by the Parthian king Guduphara, that and other elements of his life meaning Thomas is patron saint of architects, carpenters, builders, stone masons and of those in doubt. His symbol is the T-square or the spear – the latter as he was martyred by being speared to death. In medieval England his old feast day was one of many used by the poor to beg door-to-door for food, this act on December 21st known as Thomassing.

Choose another day:

Brit Quote:
The only reason I made a commercial for American Express was to pay for my American Express bill - Peter Ustinov
More Quotes

On this day:
Anti Vietnam Protest at American Embassy - 1966, Death of a Rolling Stone - 1969, Branson Crosses Atlantic in Hot-Air Balloon - 1987, Parliament Returns Stone of Scone - 1996
More dates from British history

click here to view all the British counties

County Pages