Penitent Thief
In Biographical Summaries of Notable People
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Penitent Thief
In Biographical Summaries of Notable People
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| Name | Penitent Thief |
| Gender | Male |
| Aliases | the Good Thief, the Repentant Thief, the Penitent Thief, the Thief on the Cross, St. Dismas, Saint Dismas |
| Description | DISMAS is one of the two thieves that were crucified at the same time than Jesus. The name of DISMAS for this person, unnamed in the canonical Gospel itself, appears first in the12th century in the Gospel of Nicodemus. The name of the other thief is Gestas. According to a legend, when DISMAS was a teenager he sheltered and helped the Holy Family to escape to Egypt. Mary told him that he was going to meet them in another and more tragical circumstances and that he and his son Jesus were going to be crucified together in Jerusalem some years later. But DISMAS did not pay attention to this prophecy. Although DISMAS was by birth a Gentile and the eldest son of a rich Jewish merchant and could have a pleasant and confortable life, he was corrupted by his cousin Gestas and became an outlaw. He left his town and his home when he was 15 years old. After some years of crimes and robbery, DISMAS and Gestas were captured. We don't know about the circumstances of his arrest, but DISMAS was then about 45 years old. The accusation which had been proved against them was that of having assassinated a Jewish woman who, with her children, was travelling from Jerusalem to Joppa. On being arrested, he confessed everything. They were imprisoned for a long time before being brought to trial. Finally Pilate gave order that they should be taken to Jerusalem to be judged. Pilate sentenced both to death by crucifixion. His mother Eve, still alive, tried to get the mercy of Pilate and implored in vain for a less painful and humiliating punishment. But DISMAS and Gestas were hand and feet cuffed, and thrown in a horrible prison in Jerusalem. We don't know how long was DISMAS left in prison. They were going to be flagellated and crucified, serving as an example to the dangerous thieves in the surroundings. Just before his execution, DISMAS was cruely flagellated. On the road to Calvary, DISMAS could have been witness of the miracle of the Veronica and that could have marvelled him. On arriving ... |
| Birth |
Galilee |
| Death |
Cause of death: Crucifixion, Capital punishment33
Calvary |
| Religion | Judaism |
| Ethnicity | Semitic people |
| Occupation | Highwayman |
| Residence |
Galilee |
| Residence |
Egypt |
| Residence |
Samaria |
Relatives
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