The Apostle Thomas in India
First we’ll examine the early history of Christianity in India, and then see how Thomas fit in, arriving in the year 52. This is what we know from history:
- A missionary named Pantaenus from Siciliy visit India in roughly 180. He reported finding Christian churches that used the Gospel of Matthew.
- In the AD 300s, Theophilus the Indian recorded the presence of Christians in India.
- Another reference to this century is from the Council of Nicea in 325, where 318 bishops gathered. A bishop named John, when signing his name, wrote that he presided over churches in Persia and India.
- Cosmas the Indian Voyager wrote a book in 547 called Christian Topography and stated: "In the country called Male, where the pepper grows, there is also a church, and at another place called Calliana, there is moreover a bishop, who is appointed from Persia." Both "Male" and "Calliana" are on the western coast of India.
Now we turn to references to Thomas’ life and death.
- Gregory of Tours (540-594) was a bishop in Gaul, or present-day France. He reported that a traveler named Theodore claimed that the bones of Thomas had been in a monastery and church in India and then moved to Edessa (in Greece or Turkey).
- A Syrian calendar of unknown early date reads thus on July 3: "St. Thomas who was pierced with a lance in India [and died]. His body is at Urhai [the ancient name of Edessa] having been brought there by the merchant Khabin."
- Ephraem (306-373) wrote this: "It was to a land of dark people he was sent, to clothe them by Baptism in white robes. . . . It was his mission to expose India to the One-Begotten"
- And none other than Marco Polo himself visited the tomb of Thomas in India, stating that "Christians . . . greatly frequented it in pilgrimage."
Therefore, Christianity was not only present in India early on, but it was probably introduced by Thomas. Many of these Christians even refer to themselves as St Thomas Christians to reflect this heritage. And the tradition among them is that Thomas came to India in AD 52 and established seven Christian communities: the beginnings of Christianity in India.
Perhaps knowing this will win Thomas more fans. After all, after Jesus rose from the dead, Thomas was the first to address Him as "My Lord and my God." (John 20:28)
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