St.Thomas the Apostle of India

Thomas was one of the twelve disciples of Lord Jesus Christ.Thomas in Hebrew means "The Twin". So he was also known as "Didymus" which meant 'The Twin' in Greek.

The Malankara Orthodox Syriac Church is one of the oldest Churhes in Christendom and the most ancient in India was established by St.Thomas,one of the Apostles of our Lord God Jesus Christ,in 52.A.D. Christanity came to India much before it went to Rome or Western Europe.The syrian christians of Kerala constitute the most ancient Christian community of India.Their form of christanity is apostolic and derived directly from Apostle St.Thomas.

Some Biblical evidence
John 11:16 Then Thomas (called Didymus) said to the rest of the disciples, "Let us also go, that we may die with him."
Thomas was the first disciple who confessed, Jesus as "My God and My Lord"  -  Romans. 10:10.
Thomas may be considered as the first Christian.
John 20:24 Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came.
John 20:25 So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord!" But he said to them, "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it."
John 20:26 A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!"
John 20:27,28 Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe." Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!"
John 20:29 Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."
Even though the references to Thomas are few, they are sufficient to give us insight into this gret rationalist scientist. One committed he was willing to die for the cause.
So when Jesus was planning to return to Jerusalem where people waiting to kill him, Thomas volunteered and encouraged his fellow brothren to dare to accompany Jesus even to death.
John 11:16 Then Thomas (called Didymus) said to the rest of the disciples, "Let us also go, that we may die with him."
When Jesus began to speak of a heavenly abode, Thomas wanted a clearer explanation of where, when and how?
John 14:2 In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.
John 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.
John 14:4 You know the way to the place where I am going."
John 14:5 Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?"
John 14:6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Tradition of Kerala
The tradition of Kerala Syrian Christians is that in 52.A.D..St.Thomas the Apostle landed in the port of Muziris in the island of Maliankara,near cranganore in the state of kerala,in South India.From a small nucleus,the fruit of the missionary work of st.Thomas,the Church has grown in to a magnificent and impressive edifice and rightly claims a position of respect and equality in Orthodox christendom as well as among the Commenwealth of Churches.

Acts of Thomas
Acts of Thomas is an apocryphal book,written in syriac,in the 3rd century. It is the most ancient document on the missionary activities of St. Thomas in India although the discription of the Aposle's activities are limited in outlook and nature.The book is also,considered as one of the "oldest and most idiomatic monuments of Syriac literature". The original manuscripts are found in the British Museum .This book gives a detailed account of Apostle Thomas' labors in nine parts.

After the ascension of Jesus Christ, the Apostles met in Jerusalem and portioned all the countries of the world among themselves. India which at that time included all Middle East to the present India fell to the lot of St. Thomas.
A certain merchant by name Habban - the Raja Vaidehika of Indian King Gundnaphor came to Jerusalem looking for a carpenter to take home to the King. Christ appeared to Habban and asked him whether he was there for a carpenter. He said 'yes'. Jesus introduced himself as Jesus the Carpenter from Nazareth and sold his slave Thomas to Habban for twenty pieces of silver and pointed Thomas to him. Habban asked Thomas whether Jesus was his master. Thomas answered 'Yes, he is my Lord.' Habban told Thomas, 'He has sold you to me outright.' Thomas was dumb founded. In the morning, Thomas prayed, 'Lord, Let thy will be done' and went with Habban. He took with him nothing except the twenty pieces of silver which Jesus gave him.

They took the sea route to India and landed in a port called Sandruk Mahosa . Here Habban was received by the local King. They attended the wedding of the King's daughter and St. Thomas demonstrated his ability of miracle healing on the troubled daughter of the King by the laying on of hands. There after they continued their journey in India. They reached the Kingdom of Gundaphorus and Thomas was commissioned to build a palace for the King in the shores of the River. However St. Thomas out of his pity gave away the money to the poor and could not build the palace. He was put in the prison. However that night the King's brother Gad died and he was told the beautiful palace beside the river in the heavens was his brothers. He came back from the dead and told the story to the King. They were later converted to the Christian way.
After ordaining one Xantippus (Xenophon) as deacon to the churches in North India St. Thomas traveled throughout India and converted many to Christianity . Among them are the names of: King of Mazdai, a noble lady by name Mygdonia, Tertia the queen of Mazdai. He was martyred outside the cities on a mountain at the hands of four soldiers

Local Tradition
In almost complete support to the book there is a time honored tradition in Malabar which is handed down to us from generation to generation in the form of the songs of the Nazranis as Margom Kali. The other tradition comes from Veeradian pattu which is performed by a Hindu Caste on Christian festivals and is their heritage. Another written document is the Thomma Parvam written by Thomas Ramban in 1601 for use in the Niranam church. This Thomas Ramban is a descendant of one of the first Brahmin convert to Christianity christened as Ramban Thomas during St. Thomas' visit. The story is handed down through generations until it was written down in 1601.

Apostle Thomas landed in Cranganoor (Kodungallur, Muziris) and took part in the wedding of Cheraman Perumal and proceeded to the courts of Gondophorus in North India. By the discovery of Trade winds, the sea route most favored from Yemen boarder to India was to Kerala. Trade winds were discovered in A.D. 45 by Hippalus and the merchant route to Kerala went directly to Yemeni Ports and then proceeded to the Spice route over Palestine.

The King Gondophorus
This King was a mystery figure until recently. No one knew of a King by that name or a Kingdom corresponding to the description given in the tradition. However excavations in both east and west of Indus has unearthed coins and inscriptions which made it clear that Gundaphorus was indeed a historical figure and that he belonged to the Parthian Dynasty from Takshasila (Taxila). On the obverse of the coin is the figure of King Gondophorus with his name inscribed clearly. On the reverse is the figure of Shiva with his trident and with the clear inscription in Greek'Maharaja- rajaraja-samahata- dramia-devavrata- Gundaphorasa.' The date of his reign is clearly marked in the Takth-i-Bahi stones kept in Lahore museum which is 17 inches long and 14 1/2 inches wide and states: 'In the twenty-sixth year of the great King Gudaphoara, in the year three and one hundred, in the month of Vaishakh, on the fifth day' This places his ascension to the Kingdom as AD 19 and the year 103 corresponds to AD 46. Further evidence indicates that this King had a brother named Gad.

Soon after, this kingdom was over ran by several invasions and the churches established in the Northern India vanished with the Parthian Empire without a trace. The Christian community seems to have gone underground with a strong vow of silence in the face of massacre and severe persecutions. Even today there is an underground Christian Sanyasi group who surfaces whenever there is a need to help the missions. Sadhu Sunder Singh reports that he had been taken care of by these secret sects on one of his Himalayan journeys.

After leaving Taxila St. Thomas evangelized various parts of India and finally arrived in Madras where he was martyred by a tribal chief. His tomb can still be seen in Mylapore.

Malankara Syrian Christians
Malankara Syrian Christians today traces their heritage from the Apostle Thomas. Today they belong to various denominations such as the Orthodox Church, Mar Thoma church, St.Thomas Evangelical Church, Church of South India, Roman Catholic and other independent evangelicals.

Missionary Activities
According to Thomma Parvom the visit of St. Thomas in Kerala lasted only eight days in the first instant. During this period the main converts were Jews who were settled in Malabar. (There was a large Jewish community in Cochin at that time) . During his second visit over three thousand became Christians. The first convert was a Brahmin from Maliyakal who became Thomas Maliyakal the Ramban. Among them were 75 Brahmin families along with Jews, Kshatriyas, Nairs and Chettiars. One Jewish prince by name Kepha (Peter) was later ordained as bishop when St. Thomas left for the rest of Kerala and India. The seven original churches established by St. Thomas were located at Malayankara (Malayattur), Palayur (near Chavakkad), Koovakayal (near North Paravur), Kokkamangalam (South Pallipuram), Kollam, Niranam and Nilackel (Chayal). Each local parish was self-administered, guided by a group of presbyters and presided over by the elder priest or episcopa (bishop). It is also a tradition that he frequently visited Malayattoor hills for prayer. Later, he moved on to the east coast of India.

The Songs of Thomas
The Songs of Thomas is handed down through generations and written down in 1601.By tradition these songs were written by Thomas Ramban the first Brahmin convert to Christianity.
The first of the Apostles visit lasted for eight days. During this short stay the Apostle had made several conversions. He then proceded to Taxila and later traveled all through the land of India and China.
The song tells that Prince Peter or Kepha of Muziris who was one of the Apostle's first converts visited St. Thomas in the Pandya Kingdom (Tamil Nadu) and requested him to return to Malabar. Apostle came back to Coromandal coast. The request was granted and the Apostle accompanied Prince Kepha to Kerala, where headed by the other members of the Cranganore royal family three thousand non-Christians received the faith and were baptized in the course of eighteen months. Among these converts there were forty members of the Jewish community including Rabbi Paul of the Cranganore Synagogue where every Saturday the Apostle used to go and read and explain the Old Testament for the Jewish congregation. Though Rabbi Paul received baptism and became a Christian, a good number of the Cranganore Jewish community continued to stick fast to their ancestral religion and gave the Christians the name "Nazaranis ", meaning followers of the man from Nazareth i.e.; Jesus Christ.

Kidangallor Evangelization
Besides Jews, Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Nairs, and Chettiars were among the earliest converts to Christianity. The first Brahmin convert was a young member of a Niranam Brahmin family that had settled down in Cranganore engaged in some business. His father, who decided to cast him away from the family, did not like the young man's conversion. The Apostle called the young convert and asked him to live with him. The young man, who had received the Apostle's name in baptism agreed to live with him and came to be known as Thomas Maliyakal, in recognition of his Brahmin family name. Subsequently he was raised to priest hood, and after sometime was given the title of Ramban or Archpriest. In course of time a Jewish Synagogue as well as a Hindu temple at Cranganore were transformed into Christian churches. Accompanied by Prince Kepha, who was consecrated as the Bishop of Cranganore and Malabar, St. Thomas left Cranganore to preach the Gospel elsewhere.

Kollam Evangelization
Quilon was the next scene of the labors of the Apostle. The majority of the people of Quilon belonged to the Chettiar caste, the recognized trading caste of the time. A good many of them accepted the Gospel attracted by the preaching of the Apostle and the miracles performed by him. Many inhabitants of Quilon hated the new religion and migrated from Quilon to Vanjinad to keep themselves away from the influence of the new religion; After erecting a cross for the worship of the converts who numbered about one thousand and four hundred, the Apostle left Quilon.

Niranam Evangelization
The Apostle and Prince Kepha proceeded from Quilon in a northeasterly direction and arrived at Thrikapaleswaram, near Niranam. Thrikapaleswaram had Hindu temples at that time, and to provide a place of public worship to the Christian community, the Apostle planted a cross a few furlongs away to the west of one of the temples. The non-Christian people in the locality did not like this and they pulled it out and cast it into the nearby river.
This desecration took place sometime after the Apostle had left the place for Chayal or Nilackal. Two Christians from Thrikapaleswaram went there and requested the Apostle to re-visit their place and set matters right. The cross that had been thrown out into the river moved downwards floating on the waters for some distance, and eventually rested on a strip of land on the opposite bank of the river. Here at Niranam a new site for a church was secured. During this second visit, the Apostle stayed at Niranam for two months and during this period two hundred persons were baptized by him giving new vigor and strength to the Christian community. Local tradition is that most of the Nambuthiries having been made Christians by St. Thomas, left the place after giving the boxes containing the documents relating to their landed properties to a Kymal or Nair chieftain, who has since been known as Niranam Petti Kaymal. Of the various miracles performed by St. Thomas at Niranam, the most remarkable was the restoration of life to a child of a barber put to death by anti-Christian families, who wanted to throw the responsibility for the crime on the Apostle.

Nilackal Evangelization
The Apostle returned from Niranam to Chayal or Nilackal. According to the Ramban song the Apostle worked here for one year and during this period one thousand and one hundred persons were converted to Christianity.

Kokkamangalam Evangelization
Kokkamangalam, far to the north of Quilon, Niranam and Nilackal, was the next center of the missionary activities of St. Thomas. The Ramban song says that the Apostle spent one year at Kokkamangalam and baptized one thousand and six hundred persons to Christianity. After planting a cross and opening a church there the Apostle left the place. During the absence of the Apostle unknown hands removed the cross from its site and threw it into the nearby backwater lagoon. The cross moved with the water current and reached Pallipuram. The believers at Pallipuram installed the cross solemnly at a suitable place and a church was opened there.

Kottakkavu Evangelization
Kottakkavu near Parur was the next center where the Apostle preached the Gospel and founded a church. According to the Ramban song the Apostle succeeded in receiving into the Christian fold one thousand seven hundred and seventy persons at this center.

Palayur Evangelization
From Kottakkavu the Apostle proceeded to Palayur, one of the strongest Brahmin centers in Kerala. A prosperous Brahmin community was living there from ancient times. The place where the Jewish community had their residence at Palayur is still called Jewish hill. Orthodox Brahmins of those days used to perform every day five Yajnas. Punja-yajnas, and one of these was the "pilhrte yajna" and it consisted of offering libations of water to the spirits of their deceased ancestors. While some of the Brahmins were engaged in performing their Pithru-yajna by throwing up handfuls of water, in. a tank near one of the Palayur temples the Apostle saw this and enquired about the significance of this action. Since the explanation given did not satisfy him, the Apostle said: "lf your performance is acceptable to the gods, they can manage that the drops of' water remain suspended in the air, instead of falling down." The Brahmins retorted that such a tiling was impossible being against the laws of nature. The Apostle then assured them that God. the One, True, Almighty God, would have the handfuls of water suspended in the air, and also allow a cavity to be seen on the surface of the water indicating the spot from where the water had been taken, if only they believed in the true God and accepted the new faith, preached by him. The Brahmins present there expressed their readiness to accept the new faith on the condition stated by the Apostle. Then the Apostle prayerfully cast a handful of water high up in the air from the tank. The water stood still in the air after reaching a certain height. Subsequently, at the bidding of the Apostle it fell down at his feel in the shape of flowers. The majority of the Brahmins present there now became followers of the Apostle. He taught them the new faith and baptized them. Those who refused to accept the new faith left the village having cursed it, and since then it has come to be called Chowghat. The cursed forest, where a Brahmin can neither take food or drink.
This tradition is confirmed by the testimonies of many of the Fathers of the Church. It was not difficult for the Apostle to come to India, because extensive trade relations existed between Malabar and the Mediterranean countries even before the Christian Era. There is nothing to contradict this tradition.

Trade Relationships
Extensive trade relations existed between Malabar and the Mediterranean countries even before the Christian era. The numerous golden coins of the Roman Empire which have been found all over the south, as well as many recent discoveries, offer abundant proof that Roman trade centers existed along the southern coasts of India. While King Solomon was ruling over the Israelites (B.C. 970-930), his warships brought back to his country valuable merchandise supposed to be from Muziris (Cranganore), a defunct international port of Malabar. While discussing the dealings of the Phoenicians with Muziris, the Roman historian Pliny (A.D. 23-79) complained that every year they were sending large sum of money to India for silk, pearls, gems and spices. He also remarked that the Malabar ships were visiting the Persian Gulf, Aden, the Red Sea and Egypt. Pliny, Ptolemy (A.D. 100-160) and the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea give much detailed information about the trading centers of Malabar. Diplomatic relations between India and Roman Empire existed even before the Christian era. There were Jewish colonies in Malabar in the first century.

Traditions
According to the Acts of Judas-Thomas, which probably originated in the last quarter of the second century A.D. or the first years of the third, the Apostle St. Thomas preached the Gospel in the land of Gundaphares, a Parthian King, during the second quarter of the first century.

Besides this literary tradition favoring a Thomistic apostolate on the north-west borders of Hindustan, there is another, in favor of his preaching among the Dravidian populations of the south where there is the living presence of a strong body of Christians. The findings of Palayur, Arthad, Nilamperur, and so on, the sanctuary of Mylapore venerated as the Martyrium of the Apostle, all bear strong testimony to the reliability of the local tradition of Malabar. It is believed that the bones of the Apostle were removed from India to Edessa during the lifetime of the king under whom he suffered martyrdom. According to Cardinal Parecattil, the first Cardinal of the Thomas Christians, the apostolate of St. Thomas in India is "a tradition not written in papyrus, not carved on stone but buried in the hearts of his (St. Thomas) spiritual children from whom it can never be removed." From time immemorial these Christians were called "Thomas Christians". Tradition has it that the Apostle ordained two bishops, Kepha and Paul, respectively for Malabar and Coromandal (Mylapore). This supposedly marks the beginnings of the first hierarchy of India.

Testimonies
The testimonies of Eusebius (early 4th cent.) and St. Jerome (342-420 A.D.) about the mission of Pantaenus, a Christian philosopher sent by bishop Demetrius of Alexandria, "to preach Christ to the Brahmins and to the philosophers of India" in A.D. 190 affirms the tradition. The testimonies of the Fathers of the Church like St. Ephrem (306-373 A.D.), St. Gregory of Nazianze (324-390 A.D.), St. Ambrose (333-397 A.D.), St. Jerome, St. Gregory of Tours (6th cent.) and Isidore of Seville (7th cent.) are also notable. In various ways, they speak about the apostolate of St. Thomas, about the Christians of India, and about the priestly succession there. This is also attested to by several ecclesiastical calendars, martyrologies and other liturgical books of the Coptic, Greek, Latin and Mesopotamian Churches.

The missionary laboure of the Apostle in India are described in fourteen distinct act in the book.The first Act opens with a conclave of the Apostles of Christ in Jeruselem casting lots among themselves to apportion areas of the world for missionary work for each. In the process,India fell to the lot of JUDAS THOMAS,also called DIDYMUS,Otherwise known as St. Thomas,the founder of the ancient church in India. Christian writers and historians from the 4th century refer to the evangelistic work of Apostle Thomas in India, and the Indian Christians ascribe the origin of their church to the labours of the apostle in the 1stcentury.The Second Act decribes the arrival of St.Thomas in the court of Gondophornes and the activities of the Apostle in his Kingdom.The King commissioned St.Thomas to build a palace for him.But the palace was not built for long.On enquiry the king was told by the Apostle that the place was being built in heaven.Unconvinced,the king imprisoned the Apostle.He returned to earth and apprised the King of what he saw.Gondophornes believing his brother became penitent and freed the Apostle.St. Thomas then told the king about his mission and preached to him the Gospal of Christ.Consequently,King Gondophornes and his brother accepted the Gospel and became Christians.The Apostle continued his works in the Kingdom.Various miracles worked by St.Thomas in the name of God and consequent acceptance of the new faith by many in the country.

Martyrdom
St. Thomas came to India,preached the gospel and established churches at eight places; Crangannore, Palur,Paraur,Gokkamangalam, Niranam, Chayal,Kollam andThiruvithamcode (called the 1/2 church - probably because of its small size), and appointed prelates and priests.In due course,the Apostle returned to the Coromandal coast and continued his gospal work in Madras.One day he had an encounter with Brahmin pujaries outside the city.An altercation ensued,which ended in the consumation of the shrine of the 'Goddess Kali' by fire at the Apostle's behest.The enraged pujaries fell upon him;and one of them thrust his lance at the Apostle. The malankara Orthodox Church Calender indicates that the Apostles was speared on December 19 (72 A.D.)For three days St.Thomas languished before he succumbed on December 21 at Mylapur, Madras,India.The Church observes December 21,as the Apostle's Matryrdom Day.