St. Thomas in India

Time ^

[Coleus]

When 16th century European priests arrived in southern India to introduce Christianity, they were told that a more famed Christian missionary had been there first. In the districts of Travancore and Cochin, there was already a community of Indian Christians with a tradition of loose communion with the Roman Catholic Church. The man who first converted them, the Indians said, was none other than St. Thomas the Apostle (the "Doubting Thomas"), who reputedly arrived in India aboard a Roman trading vessel in 52 A.D.

Whether St. Thomas actually preached under the palm trees of Travancore and Cochin is a point that historians have neither proved nor disproved. But nowadays there are 2,357,000 Indian Christians in the area, and for the past month, giving St. Thomas the benefit of the doubt, they have been celebrating the 1900th anniversary of his landing.

Three Drops of Honey. According to tradition, St. Thomas made his first conversions by a miracle. At the village of Palur, he found some Brahman priests throwing handfuls of water into the air as they performed their purification prayers. Thomas threw some water into the air himself, and it hung suspended in the form of sparkling flowers. Tradition continues that most of the Brahmans embraced Christianity on the spot, and that the rest fled. To this day, no orthodox Brahman will take a bath in Palur.

Although St. Thomas was later killed (one legend says he was pierced by spears), the religion founded by him or later missionaries took firm hold. By the sixth century there were Indian churches in contact with the Christian bishops of Syria. In 883, King Alfred the Great sent an English bishop to make an offering for him at St. Thomas' shrine in Mylapore.

[Coleus]

Celebrating the Apostle's Coming : 1950th Anniversary of St. Thomas in India

[Coleus]

 

About the Project

Manuscript Archives and Collections

The Saint Thomas Christians in India

About Kerala

The Saint Thomas Christians in India from 52 to 1687 AD

In the picture above: One of the most impressive granite crosses of Kerala, which stands in front of the Syro-Malabar Catholic church of Angamaly (by now the ancient church has been demolished). These granite crosses normally stood, as they now partly stand, in front of the Western entrance to the church. Although they are undatable, many of them, such as this one, may have been erected in the pre-Portuguese period. On this picture one may clearly see the most important symbolic representations of the Saint Thomas Christians: in the middle, the "Saint Thomas Cross," the shape of which goes back to reliquary crosses said to have been carved by Saint Thomas himself; underneath, an angel in worship; the wings of the cross end in lotus buds.

• 1. On the St Thomas Christians

• 2. Traditions about St Thomas the Apostle
• 3. Traditions of Thomas of Kana and the Earliest Syrian Connections
• 4. Church Governance before the Portuguese Period
• 5. The Early Portuguese Period
• 6. The Synod of Diamper and the Syrian Orthodox Mission in India
• 7. The Background and the Aftermath of These Events

[Coleus]

[dominic flandry]

Of course St. Thomas went to India. Why else would they have the history of his coming and converting?

[ccmay]

In 883, King Alfred the Great sent an English bishop to make an offering for him at St. Thomas' shrine in Mylapore.

Now THAT would be an adventure story to beat Columbus, Cortes, or Marco Polo. From one of the farthest reaches of the known world to the other. How could someone even contemplate such a voyage in the Dark Ages?

-ccm

[Constantine XI Palaeologus]

Well, truth be told, the Dark Ages weren’t all that dark. Although, Britain was pretty far from the major centers and this was pretty early.

[Daffy]

If you like adventure stories, check out this list:
http://manybooks.net/authors/hentyga.html

[Dajjal]

St. Thomas ping

[Salvation]

BTTT!

[Dajjal]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/810969/posts
Celebrating the Apostle's Coming : 1950th Anniversary of St. Thomas in India

(Thanks for remembering this thread, Salvation!)

[Coleus]

on post #1

[Maeve]

Bumpus ad summum

[sagar]

“Why else would they have the history of his coming and converting?”

LOL. Like Jesus was in the Himalayas, too, right? Some of the recent converted locals also say that, so that must be true, too.

[design engineer]

cmon.. whether you believe it or not, most syrian christians off the Malabar coast do believe in this very important event in Indian history.

[narses]

+

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[Canticle_of_Deborah]

. Like Jesus was in the Himalayas, too, right? Some of the recent converted locals also say that, so that must be true, too.

No, the belief is very old.

[Clemenza]

I knew a St. Thomas Christian from India back in my college days. Interesting group of people and (usually) very devout.

Of course, you also have the Syriac-Malabars who are actually Indian Jews who converted to Christianity.

There is a long history of Christianity in India that predates the Portuguese and the Brits. The Hindus don't want you to know that, however.

[Salvation]

St. Thomas, Apostle

Saint Thomas the Apostle
Feast Day
July 3rd

 

CARAVAGGIO
The Incredulity of Saint Thomas
1601-02, Oil on canvas, 107 x 146 cm
Sanssouci, Potsdam

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Doubting Thomas. The Gospel account of Jesus' appearance to His grieving apostles after His resurrection in John 20, tells of Thomas, who was away, being doubtful of the preposterous story that the Lord was alive. He had been with the Lord during his Passion and Crucifixion. He knew about the stone that sealed the tomb. How could his Lord be risen from the dead? I will not believe it, he told his friends, unless I put my hands in Jesus' wounds.

Every Christian can relate to this doubt -- we too are "doubting Thomases". And we, with Thomas, feel ashamed of ourselves. We follow Thomas's example in proclaiming, in awed recognition of Our Savior's living, real presence, "My Lord and my God!"

According to tradition, when the apostles dispersed to different parts of the world, Thomas was a missionary to India and the Near East.

Readings

Collect:
Almighty Father,
as we honor Thomas the apostle,
let us always experience the help of his prayers.
May we have eternal life by believing in Jesus,
whom Thomas acknowledged as Lord,
for He lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

First Reading: Ephesians 2:19-22
So then you are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are built into it for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

Gospel Reading: John 20:24-29
Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, and place my finger in the mark of the nails, and place my hand in his side, I will not believe". Eight days later, His disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. The doors were shut, but Jesus came and stood among them, and said, "Peace be with you." Then He said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side; do not be faithless, but believing". Thomas answered Him, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe."

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Family Activity

Chaldean Coconut Cookies - Akras Jouz Al-Hind
These triangular coconut cookies are served at First Communion parties among Christians in such countries as Iraq. According to their tradition, Saint Thomas the Apostle on his way to India brought the Gospel to the Chaldeans of Babylon and Assyria. This recipe is adapted from Babylonian Cuisine: Chaldean Cookbook from the Middle East by Julia Najor.

-- from A Continual Feast by Evelyn Birge Vitz, originally published by Harper & Row in 1995, now available in paperback from Ignatius Press.

1 1/2 cups of sugar
1/2 cup water
2 eggs
4 cups flaked coconut
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

In a small heavy saucepan mix the sugar and water. Stir over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. Let the mixture come to a boil and skim off the foam. Let cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture registers 240° F on a candy thermometer. Let cool.

In a bowl beat the eggs lightly, and add the remaining ingredients. Stir in the sugar syrup. Knead the dough gently in the bowl with the palm of the hand and the fingers for about 5 to 7 minutes.

Refrigerate for 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 300° F.

Take balls of dough a little larger than a walnut. Using a spoon or your fingers, form each ball into a flattish triangle about 1/4 inch thick.

Place the cookies on greased baking sheets. Bake them for 35 to 40 minutes, or until they are very light brown.

Yield: about 2 dozen cookies.