Page 29 - Apostle News Today : Breaking News, Live Updates & Top Stories | Vimarsana

Christians were subjected to exquisite tortures, and what he meant by that was that they were the victims of elaborate execution: consumption by wild beasts and of course crucifixion. >> according to 3rd century writer tertullian, peter gets caught up in nero's persecutions in rome. >> the apostle is sentenced to be crucified, but according to later catholic tradition peter's crucifixion is very different to that of jesus. >> christian tradition is that peter was crucified upside down because he didn't think himself

We don't often find these kinds of similar traditions in any particular region, particularly a region so far away from where thomas started. the fact that everyone tells the same story about thomas for 1,500 years suggests that there might be a historical kernel of truth here. >> according to the oral tradition, thomas sets off from kerala on what will be his final journey. the acts of thomas also says the apostle moves on. >> thomas moves to another kingdom. this one has a king whose name is misdaeus. and he starts doing the same thing in misdaeus' kingdom. he baptizes people, and people star...

>> kerala, southwest india. around seven million christians here trace their faith directly to the apostle famous for his doubt. they believe their ancestors were baptized by one of jesus' 12 disciples, thomas. >> stop doubting and believe. >> my lord, my god. >> thomas vanishes from the new testament after the resurrection, but his story is taken up by a third-century epic narrative, the acts of thomas. >> now, it seems that the acts of thomas preserves at least some historically accurate information. >> but the acts of thomas is not the only account of his mission to india.

>> november 2013, vatican city, rome. pope francis causes a sensation. >> 2013 was a year of faith, and as part of an extra kind of reward for pilgrims who had come, pope francis displayed these nine bones, and he's essentially making the claim that he's holding right there, the bones of the person who founded the church in rome: st. peter. >> the revelation of st. peter's bones makes headlines around the world. >> this is something that has never happened before. the vatican, this morning, publicly displayed what's believed to be bone fragments from st. peter, an apostle of jesus christ and t...

>> it's one of the great ironies of the way we talk about thomas, that we call him doubting thomas, when actually, we should call him faithful thomas because what's happened is, he's gone on his journey, and in the end, he makes the right decision. he comes to faith. >> my lord, my god. >> doubting thomas might be the perfect apostle because he, in a sense, represents all of us. we all have doubts in the spiritual life, and all of us, i think, out of our human nature, want proof.