Penitent thief
Dismas | |
|---|---|
15th-century Arab Christian Icon of Saint Dismas from the Berlin State Museum, reading "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom". | |
| The Penitent Thief | |
| Born | Galilee, Herodian Kingdom of Judea, Roman Empire |
| Died | c. 30–33 AD Golgotha Hill outside Jerusalem, Judea, Roman Empire |
| Cause of death | Crucifixion |
| Venerated in | Eastern Orthodox Church Roman Catholic Church Oriental Orthodox Church |
| Canonized | c. 30–33 AD, Golgotha Hill outside Jerusalem, Judaea, Roman Empire by Jesus Christ |
| Major shrine | Chapel of Saint Helena, Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem |
| Feast | 25 March (Roman Catholic), 26 March (Poland) Good Friday (Eastern Orthodox) |
| Attributes | |
| Patronage | Prisoners (especially condemned) Funeral directors Repentant thieves Merizo, Guam San Dimas, Mexico Church of Saint Dismas, Dannemora, New York |
The penitent thief, also known as the good thief, wise thief, crateful thief, or thief on the cross, is one of two unnamed thieves in Luke's account of the crucifixion of Jesus in the New Testament. The Gospel of Luke describes him asking Jesus to "remember him" when Jesus comes into his kingdom. The other, as the impenitent thief, challenges Jesus to save himself and both of them to prove that he is the Messiah.
He is officially venerated as a saint in the Eastern Orthodox Church, Roman Catholic Church and Oriental Orthodox church. The Roman Martyrology places his commemoration on 25 March, together with the Feast of the Annunciation, because of the ancient Christian tradition that Christ (and the penitent thief) were crucified and died exactly on the anniversary of Christ's incarnation.