Today, April 27, 2025, marks the celebration of Thomas Sunday, which takes place seven days after Easter according to the Church calendar. Additionally, the feast day of Saint Symeon, Bishop of Jerusalem, is observed. The names celebrated today include Thomas, Tom, and Thomasina.
Thomas Sunday commemorates the Apostle Thomas, who was absent when Christ first appeared to His disciples after the Resurrection. Upon hearing about Christ’s visit, Thomas insisted on seeing and touching the wounds from the Crucifixion in His hands and side. When Christ revisited the disciples eight days later, He called upon Thomas to touch the marks of His wounds. At that moment, Thomas recognized Him as his Lord and God.
The recognition by Thomas through the wounds of the Cross symbolizes both love and power. The saints refer to Thomas’s acknowledgment as salvific because it leads to salvation for all who humbly seek Christ’s mercy. The Apostle Thomas’s initial absence during Christ’s appearance to the disciples appears to have been divine providence to make the miracle of the Resurrection credible and dissolve any doubts.
After Pentecost, Apostle Thomas preached the Gospel to the Parthians, Persians, Medes, and Indians before achieving a martyr’s death. Additionally, today is World Design Day.