Life and Foolishness for Christ
Thomas was charged by his monastery with collecting alms, an obedience that took him to Antioch. There he adopted the way of life known as foolishness for the sake of Christ, accepting mockery and abuse rather than honor.
According to the synaxarion, a church steward named Anastasius grew exasperated with Thomas and struck him. Thomas declared that from that moment he would accept nothing further from Anastasius, nor would Anastasius be able to give him anything further; Anastasius died the following day.
Repose, Relics, and Shrines
Saint Thomas died while traveling back toward his monastery. He was buried in a plot set aside for the burial of strangers, near the church of Saint Euthymius in Daphne, a suburb of Antioch.
When others were later buried in the same grave, the earth over it was repeatedly thrown aside, which was understood as a sign that Thomas wished to remain undisturbed. Patriarch Domnus of Antioch afterward translated his remains into the city, where a small church was built over the relics and many healings were reported there.
The account further relates that through the prayers of Saint Thomas a deadly plague ceased at Antioch. In thanksgiving, the people of the city honored him with an annual commemoration, kept on April 24.
