MENU
SAINT THOMAS THE APOSTLE OF INDIA
Saint Thomas one of the twelve apostles of Jesus is the founder of Christianity in India. 'You will bear witness to me to the ends of the world' were the parting words of Jesus and the apostles took it in the literal sense. They took the Gospel of Jesus to the ends of the then world. It was Thomas who went beyond the Roman Empire and gained India for Christ. He visited both the North and south India and established Christian communities.
The name Thomas is derived from the Aramaic 'toma' which meant twin. When this word was taken to Greek they transcribed it as 'tomas' and translated it as Didymos. It shows that the word could not be the original name of the apostle who is known by it. It could just be a surname added to his original name. The Lord himself must have given this title to the apostle, just as he gave the name Peter to Simon who thus came to be called Simon Peter by various authors. In this way Thomas was added to the original name and he began to be known by this compound name. This compound name Judas Thomas is seen in all the Syriac Thomas literature. Thus Judas was the original name and Thomas was added to it. The obvious reason was to distinguish him from the other Judas, as 'Simon Peter' was used to distinguish him from the other Simon.
Saint Thomas the Apostle established Christianity in India and the Christians of Kerala always considered him as their father in faith. In Kerala among the St Thomas Christians their apostle has always been called Marthoma. These Christians have a very special reverence and respect to the name of Thomas. It is almost a passion for them. At the same time there is also a strong tradition regarding the mission of Thomas in North India, sufficiently vindicated by historical facts. This tradition narrates the story of Thomas in North India mainly in the parts of present Afghanistan, Pakistan and Punjab. These traditions are mainly enshrined in the Acts of Thomas the apocryphal book written most probably in Edessa in the 3th century AD. It is perhaps the first written account of the mission of an apostle other than those mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles. It is also the one that has been come down to the present times in its entire form.
Thomas most probably took the maritime route from Alexandria via Berenike, MyosHormos, Adulis, and Kane. Reaching India he first landed at Bharuch (Barygaza) and led his way via Vidisa, Ujjain, and Mathura to Taxila. From Taxila he went back to Jerusalem and then on a second voyage reached Muziris (Kudungallur in Kerala) via Socotra in 52 AD. From Kodungallur he went over to other parts of Kerala and established Christian communities in seven places. He crossed over to Coromandel Coast and preached his way through Madras and was martyred in 72 AD at Mylapore where his body was laid to rest by his disciples in the church built by himself