Monk Madness did NOT disappoint 😤🐪 The father of all monks showed exactly why he holds that title as Anthony the Great proved too much for Paul of Thebes, taking the win 57.16% to 42.84% 🏜️👑
But now we head over to the Apostles & Allies side and this one is exactly what it sounds like…A group of DOZERS vs a DOUBTER 😅🔥
The Apostle to India, Thomas the Apostle, squares off against Ephesus’ most well-rested crew, the Seven Sleepers of Ephesus 😴⚔️
One brought the Gospel across continents, the others took a miraculous nap that rings out through the Abrahamic Faiths
They say styles make the matchups and this one is WILD 🤯 Can Thomas outlast this Magnificent Seven? Or will the Sleepers dream their way into the Saintly Sixteen? Only one advances… YOU decide 🗳️🔥
Seven Sleepers of Ephesus
We know in the blessed year of Our Lord 2026 that words matter, and I’m here to pitch that maybe “sleepers” sells these young men a bit short. In fact, Wikipedia uses the phrase “they chose to give their worldly goods to the poor and retire to a mountain cave to pray, where they fell asleep.” Sounds lovely, honestly.
That casts a very different picture than the rest of their story. The Seven Sleepers were isolated and forced to choose between renouncing their faith and bowing to Roman idols. They begged off the torture of the Romans, sold their worldly goods, and found their way to a cave for a nap. The Emperor Decius, who was persecuting those secretly practicing Christianity around AD 250, found them and yet gave them a second chance, as emperors are known to do. But our Sleepy Seven still resisted the insistence to bow to idols and to give up their faith. So, the Emperor became angry, as emperors are known to do, and had the cave sealed with the Sleepy Seven inside, essentially burying them alive.
As the story goes, Emperor Decius died shortly after. Within a few decades, Christianity was no longer a faith to be kept in private but quickly became a religion of the state. Somewhere just outside of Ephesus, years later (either 195 or 373 years, or something like that), a landowner decided he needed to crack open a dusty old cave on his property to get it ready for some cattle, and he was shocked to find not just space for his cows, but also seven sleeping beauties. They awoke, and while no account I read validates this, I imagine them stretching and rubbing their eyes, their voices creaking a bit as the one they sent out into town to buy bread skipped past this landowner. After they awoke, they had made a plan after their “one night of sleep” to continue on, running away from Emperor Decius, but the bread-getter was shocked to find crosses on buildings and that his money was outdated. He returned to the cave to tell his friends that they had not been asleep for one night, but for years, and that Christ continues to reign as king!
The story of these sleepy saints travels through centuries of our faith through the Catholic and Orthodox traditions. There is also a similar version of the story found in the Quran, known as the Companions of the Cave. The feast of the Seven Sleepers of Ephesus is celebrated on July 27th, and they are remembered for both their steadfastness and their willingness to powernap through centuries of change as if it were just one night.
— Becca Kello
Collect for Seven Sleepers of Ephesus
Almighty God, you have surrounded us with a great cloud of witnesses: Grant that we, encouraged by the good example of your servants the Seven Sleepers of Ephesus, may persevere in running the race that is set before us, until at last we may with him attain to your eternal joy; through Jesus Christ, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Thomas the Apostle
How would you like your name to be forever remembered as part of an epithet, based on one sentence you uttered at a particularly challenging time in your life? That’s what happened to Thomas the apostle, often referred to as “doubting Thomas.” But consider this: while we know almost nothing about where Thomas came from or what he did before he joined Jesus’ ministry, and though his name isn't attached to any Gospel, he’s still one of the 12 you’re most likely to be able to name off the top of your head.
Maybe that’s just because “doubting Thomas” is so catchy (it’s certainly stuck better than his other nickname, “The Twin”). But when we stop to consider not only Thomas’s famous moment of “doubt,” but almost everything he says and does in the New Testament, we start to notice that Thomas is an extremely relatable apostle. You might even think of him as an “audience surrogate,” standing in for us in a handful of gospel lessons.
When Jesus is willing to put himself in mortal danger in order to return to Judea and raise Lazarus from the dead, Thomas encourages the apostles to accompany Christ, but wisely acknowledges that they’ll all be risking their lives (John 11:16). At the Last Supper (John 14:5), it’s not hard to relate to Thomas when he requests more clarity from Jesus about where he’s going and how they can follow him there (“Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?”).
And in John 20, there’s that famous moment of doubt: Thomas wasn’t there when the other apostles got to see the risen Christ, and when they tell him “we have seen the Lord!” Thomas is not ready to take their word for it. He won’t buy that whoever they’ve seen is really their Messiah, “unless I see the nail marks in his hands and his side.” A week later, he is given just that opportunity, and that’s all he needs to believe. Without Thomas’s skepticism, we would not have received those treasured words from Christ, “blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
Thomas’s relatability carries on even past the ascension, past the gospels, past the New Testament. When the apostles scattered across the map to spread Christ’s message, Thomas was sent all the way to India. His initial reaction? “Nope.” It was so far away! He wasn’t healthy enough! He would never be able to be a convincing messenger to such a different culture! Eventually, of course, Thomas saw the light (though not before seeing Jesus in a vision, which still didn’t convince him, and then being sold into slavery?!) and founded the first Christian communities in India. While Thomas was martyred in Chennai, in 72 AD, the church he built in the region has persisted through the millennia. There remains a religious community in that part of the world that traces their origins to his mission there — in English, they are called the “Saint Thomas Christians.”
— Marissa Flaxbart
Collect for Thomas the Apostle
Everliving God, who strengthened your apostle Thomas with firm and certain faith in your Son's resurrection: Grant us so perfectly and without doubt to believe in Jesus Christ, our Lord and our God, that our faith may never be found wanting in your sight; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
96 comments on “Seven Sleepers of Ephesus vs. Thomas the Apostle”
Thomas for me! I was married at St. Thomas church in Denver
We’ve all experienced the miraculous power of a good nap, but faithful Thomas deserves some praise. Always called a doubter, but he’s the one who is willing to ask the hard questions, live out a life of evangelism, and was faithful to Jesus when everyone else was afraid. Thomas gets my vote
I was baptized on the feast day of St. Thomas!
"Beyond belief" (by Elaine Pagels) made me feel so sorry for Thomas. He just tried to do the right thing and got into so much trouble for it 🙁 I also met a very nice person who grew up at the foot of the mount of St Thomas in India.
I just finished reading it not to long ago and I reread the section on Thomas and it meant even more. She is fantastic at bringing scripture and belief to a lay reader's level.
All I'm saying is, they don't call the other guy "Denying Peter"....!
I've always been a fan of Thomas. I think of him as the patron saint of scientists and skeptics.
And his encounter with the Risen Lord reminds me powerfully that Jesus meets us where we are, and gives us what we need.
St Thomas, pray for us!
What's missing here is Thomas proclamation "My Lord and my God" which is the first clear statement in the Gospel of John that Jesus is God incarnate (at least in the strict Greek translation).
I take great comfort from Thomas. who is there who has never had a doubt?
As interesting as the story of the Seven Sleepers is, I'm just not as sure of its veracity as I am about St. Thomas
Hmm...would you say that you........doubt it?
I like the story of the Seven Sleepers, but I always find myself a bit skeptical of the early miraculous preservation narratives. So, "Relatable" Thomas gets my vote.
There’s a lot I appreciate about St. Thomas. I have a friend from India who is part of the Mar Thoma Christian tradition. But today my vote goes to the Seven Sleepers of Ephesus. Napping my way into holiness seems a lovely aspirational goal! Having voted for those magically awakened, I’ll now go watch Brigadoon.
Of the twelve, Thomas has long been my favorite for many of the reasons Marissa wrote about in this biography. I've told friends I consider Thomas the patron saint of scientists: he just wanted more empirical evidence. And he probably had a bit of FOMO at work in him. 🙂
What is FOMO?
Fear of missing out
What wonderful story tellers Becca and Marissa are. Especially Becca, though I have to go with St. Thomas to whom I relate as a doubter, questioner, and journey-er in the faith. Thank you both!! And I didn't know the story of the Seven Sleepers.
So "Doubtful" dwarfs the Seven--who are at least easy to name:Sleepy, Snoozy, Drowsy,Snorey, Napster, Winks, and Nod the Somnabulent.
Doubting over sleeping any day. I suspect most of us think that if we doubt we don’t have faith, but our faith grows because we grapple with doubt.
THOMAS IS THE WINNER FOR ME
I WANT THOMAs
Yo, you do!!!
I consider it a little unfair to stick the word "doubting" on Thomas, who had missed the meeting with the risen Lord. When Thomas encountered the risen Jesus, he immediately exclaimed, "My Lord and my God!" Doubts are part of being human. Pope John XXIII appeared to have great faith, he wrote that he had never imagined convening the Second Vatican Council, but the Holy Spirit told him to do it. Yet, when his secretary accompanied Pope John on the train to the funeral of his beloved sister, he wrote that he heard John murmur to himself, "What if it isn't true? What if it's only a fairy tale?" This story comforts me in my strong yet imperfect faith. Anyway, I feel loyalty to my parish, St.Thomas Episcopal Church in Oakmont, PA. Besides, speaking of doubts, the story of those seven sleepers sounds a lot like a fairy tale to me.
I wasn’t aware of the mission of St. Thomas until I participated in EfM. The 3rd year included a book which described the history of Christianity for the last 2000 years. It was in reading that book that I learned about Thomas’ missionary working India. This fact was made even more real when I read The Covenant of Water which included a community of the St Thomas Christian’s in India.
I thought immediately of The Covenant of Water, which I read recently, in relation to Thomas' mission to India.
I, too, thought of The Covenant of Water when reading the account of Thomas's ministry to India.
No contest today! While the story of the Seven Sleepers is inspiring, it also belongs, in my not-so-humble opinion, in the same category as Ursula andher 11,000 virgin martyrs or any of the other spurious saints.
Thomas, on the other hand, as Marissa Flaxbart points out is far more relatable, and, to me, real. I have always felt that Thomas gets the short end o the stick when he goes down in history as "Doubting Thomas", because that one post-Resurrection moment bliterates his trust and belief in Jesus displayed in other parts of the Gospel of John. (Besides who among us has not had moments of uncertainty, small crises of faith?)
So, it's Thomas the Twin for me today.
Oops, arthritis in the hands makes for typos. Sorry about that.
I had never even heard of those Seven Sleepers until this morning. Thank you, Lent Madness. I know the faithful seven will be dwarfed by St. Thomas in the voting department. So I chose to vote for the underdogs. St. Thomas, who I respect greatly, will, without a doubt, proceed to the Saintly Sixteen, at least....
Seven sleepers require too many golden halos!
Ha Ha! Maybe they could share it, one day a week each.
this one's easy
There's a lot og good to be said for those Seven Sleepers, but I've always been a fan of Thomas, and maybe even a bit of a kindred spirit. As a youngster, Thomas has a role in my development of realizing "there are no dumb questions" and to not be afraid to ask the hard questions, because Thomas always asked the hard questions. The questions nobody rlse wanted to ask, fow whatever reason. As a result, I never once hesitated during my 35+-year career as a journalist to ask the hard questions. Thank you; Thomas the Doubter!
I'm voting for the sleepers because I want to see what is said about them in the next match up!
Some of the candidates are known only through myth and legend. While I know that many a saga may have a basis of truth, actual humans who go though these times of trial seem more worthy of my vote.
Voting for Thomas! My husband was ordained to the priesthood on the feast of St. Thomas. Plus his license plate is NODOUBT. No doubt in where I am casting my vote today
My favorite part of the Gospels.......we all have been a "Thomas" when it comes to our Faith.
Ohh I can relate to the Sleepers. I would like to take a nap and wake up, like them, to find all this was over and Christianity had won! But Thomas is *me*
I forget how many years I've been doing Lent Madness -- I know I missed the first few years. But during my time I've noticed that the saint who is behind in the voting generally has the most comments. I'm not sure why that is. Maybe the people who are voting for the winner don't think any comment is necessary. But today almost everybody has something to say about Thomas. Where are the fans of the Seven Sleepers? Maybe asleep?
Much as I enjoyed the write up for the Seven Sleepers (and would love to sleep so soundly myself, even if only overnight!) I have a soft spot for Thomas, who is unfairly associated with doubt, whereas Peter 'the Rock' got away with denial, that my vote goes to Thomas.
There is a Gospel of Thomas, it was found near Nag Hammadi, Egypt.
MY teacher just said there is no gospel of "DOUBTING THOMAS"
Sure
Having some doubts is part of coming to a healthy faith in my experience, as is a Sunday afternoon nap. Never heard of the seven sleepers but I’ve heard a lot of sermons about Thomas.
He gets my vote today.