St. Thomas was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus. He is best known for questioning Jesus' resurrection when first told of it, then proclaiming, “My Lord and my God” on seeing Jesus in John 20:28. He was perhaps the only Apostle who went outside of the Roman Empire to preach the Gospel.

St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands is globally famous primarily for being one of the world's premier duty-free shopping destinations and a major hub for the Caribbean cruise industry. The capital, Charlotte Amalie, is renowned for its historic Danish architecture and cobblestone streets lined with high-end jewelry, watch, and liquor stores where travelers can shop without paying sales tax. Beyond commerce, the island is iconic for its breathtaking natural beauty, specifically Magens Bay, which is frequently ranked among the top ten most beautiful beaches in the world for its perfect heart-shaped shoreline and calm, turquoise waters. St. Thomas also serves as the main gateway to the rest of the Virgin Islands; its bustling marinas in Red Hook make it the primary jumping-off point for ferries to St. John and the British Virgin Islands. Historically, it is home to Fort Christian, the oldest standing structure in the USVI, and the second-oldest synagogue in the Western Hemisphere, making it a rich tapestry of Caribbean culture, colonial history, and modern luxury tourism.