Gestas

Gestas, also spelled Gesmas, is the apocryphal name (first appearing in the Gospel of Nicodemus) given to one of the two thieves who was crucified alongside Jesus. According to legend, Gestas taunted Jesus about not saving himself, while Dismas asked for mercy. Dismas was saved, and Gestas was not.

The apocryphal Arabic Infancy Gospel refers to Gestas and Dismas as Dumachus and Titus, respectively. According to tradition, Dumachus was one of a band of robbers who attacked Saint Joseph and the Holy Family on their Flight into Egypt, as recorded in Jacobus de Voragine's "Golden Legend".

See also

• List of names for the Biblical nameless

• The Short story "An afternoon on Skull Hill" by Tom Wessex, conjectures that Gestas was Pontius Pilate's illegitimate son, and, the real utterer of the words "Forgive them father, for they know not what they do". *