according to later catholic tradition, mary, having spent her life after pentecost supporting and serving the nascent church, was living in the house of the apostle john, in jerusalem, when the archangel gabriel revealed to her that her death would occur three days later. the apostles, scattered throughout the world, are said to have been miraculously transported to be at her side when she died. the sole exception was thomas, who was preaching in india. he is said to have arrived in a cloud above her tomb exactly three days after her death, and to have seen her body leaving to heaven. he asked her "where are you going, o holy one?", at which she took off her girdle and gave it to him saying "receive this my friend", after which she disappeared. thomas was taken to his fellow apostles, whom he asked to see her grave, so that he could bid her goodbye. mary had been buried in gethsemane, according to her request. when they arrived at the grave, her body was gone, leaving a sweet fragrance. an apparition is said to have confirmed that christ had taken her body to heaven after three days to be reunited with her soul. orthodox theology teaches that the theotokos has already undergone the bodily resurrection, which all will experience at the second coming, and stands in heaven in that glorified state which the other righteous ones will only enjoy after the last judgment.