They lifted the heavy gravestone and watched the underlying relics. It was to a land of dark people he was sent, to clothe them by Baptism in white robes. )[69], Many devotional hymns composed by St. Ephraem bear witness to the Edessan Church's strong conviction concerning St. Thomas's Indian Apostolate. Greek kingdoms in northern India and Bactria, founded by Alexander the Great, were vassals[dubious – discuss] of the Indo-Parthians.[62]. The equivalent term for twin in Greek, which is also used in the New Testament, is Δίδυμος Didymos. Second, the St. Thomas Christians are unique in claiming Thomas as their founding apostle. Through St. Thomas they preserved the accepted faith of the one God. Thomas works miracles in India, and at Edessa Thomas is destined to baptize peoples perverse and steeped in darkness, and that in the land of India. [37] The San Thome Basilica Mylapore, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India presently located at the tomb was first built in the 16th century by the Portuguese and rebuilt in the 19th century. Third, the community has passed down the tradition with consistency. The Transitus Mariae describes each of the apostles purportedly being temporarily transported to heaven during the Assumption of Mary. Understanding the genre of the Acts is important in determining its historicity. The name Thomas (Koine Greek: Θωμᾶς) given for the apostle in the New Testament is derived from the Aramaic תְּאוֹמָא or Classical Syriac: ܬܐܘܿܡܵܐ‎ Tāʾwma/Tʾōmā, equivalently from Hebrew תְּאוֹם tʾóm, meaning "twin". [48] No further recorded investigations exists, and according to Wisner, people believed that the letters were made by Saint Thomas the Apostle, following the tradition. He appeared to be one who loved the Savior and seemed ready to die with Him. Thomas was not a liar. [4] Moffett, A History of Christianity in Asia, 29. Thomas the apostle was one of Jesus Christ's original twelve disciples, specially chosen to spread the gospel after the Lord's crucifixion and resurrection. Through St. Thomas the Kingdom of Heaven took wing and ascended to China. Ancient coins often provide similar information as modern coins, including the names of various rulers and kings. Western scholars tend to assume its legendary nature rather than argue for it. Muslim exegesis, however, more or less agrees with the New Testament list and says that the disciples included Peter, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, Andrew, James, Jude, John, and Simon the Zealot. Christine Thomas has suggested that the various Acts of this period, and other similar novels, are best categorized as historical fiction. 32–34 attests that Thomas had written Christian doctrine from India. The urn containing the bones instead is placed under the altar. Thomas died in India in 72 AD as a martyr for his faith when an Indian king, angry that he couldn't get Thomas to worship an idol, ordered his high priest to stab Thomas with a spear. Saint Thomas is one of the original Twelve Apostles chosen by the Lord Jesus Christ to be His follower. In addition, the next Sunday of the Easter (Pascha) is celebrated as the Sunday of Thomas, in commemoration of Thomas' question to Jesus, which led him to proclaim, according to Orthodox teaching, two natures of Jesus, both human and divine. [49] Marco Polo, the Venetian traveller and author of Description of the World, popularly known as Il Milione, is reputed to have visited Southern India in 1288 and 1292. The interpretation based on Christian Jewish tradition assumes that its design was based on Jewish menorah, an ancient symbol of the Hebrews, which consists of seven branched lamp stand (candelabra). Ortona's three galleys reached the island of Chios in 1258, led by General Leone Acciaiuoli. Patrologia Graeca (Migne), 19–24., 20.215. [50] The martyrologist Rabban Sliba dedicated a special day to both the Indian king, his family, and St Thomas: Coronatio Thomae apostoli et Misdeus rex Indiae, Johannes eus filius huisque mater Tertia (Coronation of Thomas the Apostle, and Misdeus king of India, together with his son Johannes (thought to be a latinization of Vizan) and his mother Tertia) Rabban Sliba, In the 4th century, the martyrium erected over his burial place brought pilgrims to Edessa. He really believed Jesus rose from the grave and was willing to suffer and die for that conviction. During his visit to India in 2006, Pope Benedict XVI said that Thomas had landed in western India, somewhere in modern day Pakistan and Christianity had spread from there to south India. In the 380s, Egeria described her visit in a letter she sent to her community of nuns at home (Itineraria Egeriae):[51]. There must have been some significant reason, says Vadakkekara, for why the Indian Christians chose Thomas. Gouvea also writes about the veneration of the Cross at Cranganore, referring to the cross as "Cross of Christians". [23] This is contrary to the popular legend of Thomas' direct visit to Kerala and had kicked off a debate among Christians in Kerala. Fourth, the tradition has been unanimous amongst both Christians and non- Christians sources. The Acts of Thomas (c. AD 200-220) is the earliest literary account of the martyrdom of Thomas in India. There, according to custom, prayers were made and the other things that were customary in the holy places were done; we read also some things concerning saint Thomas himself. 2. However, most modern liturgical calendars (including the Common Worship calendar of the Church of England) prefer 3 July. Also, "The merchant brought the bones" to Edessa.[70]. 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