Saint Thomas is one of the 12 disciples of Jesus and is also known as doubting Thomas. He is the patron saint of architects and woodworkers/carpenters, which is explained by the apocryphal legend.



This legend of Saint Thomas relates that he was sold by Jesus as a slave to a South-Indian king, who wanted to have a palace built. The king gave massive amounts of gold to Thomas for his castle, but he distributed it to the poor. When the king learned of this he was angry and wanted to execute Thomas. However, the Kings brother, who miraculously had returned from death, intervened and told the king that he had seen an enormous palace in heaven. When he asked to whom this palace belonged, he was told that it belonged to his brother, the King. Upon hearing this Saint Thomas was released.



Saint Thomas is frequently depicted with a square or a compass as these are the tools of the builders, and with a spear (signifying the wound in Jesus side where doubting Thomas laid his hand in, or the spear that caused his death as a martyr).

