Dismas

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Saint Dismas is the traditional name given to the "good thief" who was crucified at the side of Jesus Christ. Christ promised Dismas passage to paradise based on his faith.

In Catholic tradition Dismas is believed to have had a previous meeting with our Lord on the Holy Family's flight to Egypt. It is said that Dismas was very sick and the Blessed Virgin bathed him in the same water as the Holy Child and Dismas was healed. This story may be a foreshadowing of how Jesus would heal Dismas' soul before his death so that he could enjoy eternal life.

Dismas is the patron saint for those condemned to death. His feast day is March 25, though it gains him no particular recognition as the important feast of the Annunciation falls upon the same day.

A relic held at the Church of Santa Croce in Rome is by tradition a portion of the cross on which Dismas was crucified.

Dismas is one of the Penitent Saints.

References

St. Dismas, http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=114