St Thomas
St Thomas the Apostle
Patron of Arndale Cathedral
Who Was St Thomas?
St Thomas the Apostle—often known as Doubting Thomas—was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus. Though remembered for questioning Christ’s resurrection (“Unless I see the nail marks... I will not believe”), Thomas ultimately became one of the most profound confessors of faith in scripture, exclaiming: “My Lord and my God” (John 20.28).
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According to Christian tradition, after Pentecost, Thomas journeyed east, travelling further than any other apostle. He preached the Gospel as far as India, where he is believed to have founded one of the world’s oldest Christian communities—the Mar Thoma Church. He was martyred near modern-day Chennai around 72 AD.
What St Thomas Represents
St Thomas is a figure of deep resonance for many Christians across the world:
- A symbol of honest doubt and faith-seeking understanding
- Patron saint of architects, pilgrims, and India’s Christians
- A reminder that questioning and faith are not opposites, but companions on the spiritual journey
- A model of how one can move from uncertainty to bold, living witness
St Thomas and Arndale Cathedral
The full name of our church is The Cathedral and Abbey Church of St Thomas the Apostle, Arndale. This patronage is no accident.
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From its earliest foundations in 701 AD, the church has carried the name and spirit of St Thomas. His story shapes how we see our mission:
→ to be a place of honest searching
→ to welcome those who doubt, question, and wonder
→ to encourage deep, thoughtful faith and encounter with Christ
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The community of Arndale Cathedral draws inspiration from Thomas’s journey: not one of easy belief, but of transformation, pilgrimage, and courageous truth-telling.
The Shrine of St Thomas
Beneath the cathedral lies a sacred space: the Shrine of St Thomas. This chapel, housed in a vaulted crypt annex, contains relics brought from India—fragments of the Apostle’s earthly remains.
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The altar, carved from mangrove wood, glows with red—the colour of martyrdom and passion. A woven red tapestry crowns the space. Here, pilgrims and worshippers gather in silence, in candlelight, in longing.
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It is a place for those carrying grief, questions, fear, or hope—to sit as Thomas once did, waiting to encounter the risen Christ.