ST. THOMAS CHRISTIANS ORIGIN The Church of the St. Thomas Christians is an ancient Christian Church and an apostolic Church originated out of the evangelical endeavours can be utilized and analysed. 1. The living community of St. Thomas Christians in south India and their traditions. 2. The witness of the Tomb of St. Thomas at Mylapore and its traditions. 3. The tradition of the East Syrian Christianity and the tradition of the Universal Christianity (Graeco-Roman). 4. The testimony of Fathers. 5. The Liturgical Traditions. 6. Ancient writings and legends -Acta Thoma. 7. The Portuguese witness of the 16th Century. 8. Opinions of Historians. The Church of St .Thomas Christians and their traditions about their origin The traditions current among the St.Thomas Christian of India is this with regard to their origin. St. Thomas one among the 12 apostles of Christ after visiting Socotra came to Muzris (Kondungallore/Cranganore) on the Periyar estuary, north of Cochin in about AD 52. He preached to the Jewish colony and made converts. He converted natives of sound social and religious standings and established Christian communities at seven places namely: Maliankara (Kodungallore), Palayur, Paravur(Kottakavu), Gokamangalam(Kokamangalam ie at present Pallipuram in Cherthala taluk of Alappuzha district in Kerala), Niranam(Trippaleswaram), Chayal (Nilackal) and Kollam(Quilon). He also appointed leaders from the leading families from whom he had converts to look after and lead the church. Those families were Kalli, Kaliankal, Shankarapuri and Pakalomattam. From Kerala St.Thomas proceeded to the eastern parts of south India where also he had converts and then on he moved as far as to Malacca and China. Later returning to India he was martyred and buried at Mylapur (near Madras) in AD 72. His mortal remains are entombed at Mylapur now known as St. Thomas Mount (This was well-known from 3rd cent AD onwards on the basis of written evidences as the burial place of the apostle). This above said is the substance of the tradition presented and transmitted by the living community of the St.Thomas Christian of India about their apostolic origin. Details of this can be found in a few folk songs like Ramban Pattu, Veeradiyan Pattu, Margam Kali Pattu etc. These they used to sing during festival occasions and these songs now exist in written records. The Portuguese, who were present among them in the 16th cent have clearly attested to the tomb of the apostle at Mylapore. Moreover the tradition of the East Syrian Christianity, with whom the St.Thomas Christians, had very close relationship till 16th century, and Christianity in the Graeco Roman world was that, St. Thomas was the martyred in India. The non-Christian neighbours of the Thomas Christians also testify to the truth of this tradition. The Liveliness of the St.Thomas Tradition A few important aspects of this tradition which draws our serious attention are these: The Seven places where St. Thomas had established Christian communities are even now seeable and locatable. In almost all these place there are strong presence of St. Thomas Christian communities with their tradition, apart from the stories how they were subsequently diffused into other and surrounding localities. Similarly the port where the apostle landed in Kerala, the places where he preached and did miracles and made coverts the leading families whom he baptized and appointed as caretaker of his communities, the site where he met martyrdom are traceable, lively and important. So all these are still lively parts of the ancient tradition. Those places where St.Thomas established churches again attract our attention. Because all those places lay located not only in or near the former Jewish colonies but also in important trading centres near the sea or on back lagoons or river shores (eg, Kodungallur, Niranam, Palayur, Gakamangalam,Kollam etc). The leading families from whom the apostle had coverts and appointment as leaders exist even now with their hereditary claims from generations. Therefore all the local, physical and circumstantial evidences are in favour of the tradition witnessed by the St. Thomas Christians. It is important to note that there is no rival tradition in the church of the Thomas Christians in Kerala with regard to its origin and there to no other country in the world which claims that St. Thomas is their apostle and died there. In the absence of such claims and due to the presence of the living community of the Thomas Christians in Kerala along with the presence of the burial place of the apostle at Mylapur from centuries, it is just to admit the prevailing claim that out of the evangelical works of St. Thomas the church of the St. Thomas Christians in India had its origin. The St. Thomas Christians holds their apostolic origin as an article of their church. The Tomb of St Thomas at Mylapur This is another unquestionable and strong witness to the Indian apostoliate of St.Thomas than any other in that respect. Moreover to the vestige of the Thomas tradition this is an evidence of unique importance. In almost all every century (Commencing from the 3rd century till 16th) we have one or more testimonies to the existence of the St.Thomas tomb in India. According to all the early documents St.Thomas worked and died in India. From the 7th century the place in India was identified as Calamina or Qalimaya. In the 12-14 centuries it is in Calamina or Myluph or in Meilan. From that time onwards undoubtedly it was identified as the present Mylapur. Various Testimonies to the Tomb According to all traditions (Indian, East Syrian, Graeco-Roman, Mylapur etc.) St. Thomas met a martyr’s death and that event according to the traditions found within the St.Thomas Christians of India and Mylapur was at Mylapur in the Pandiyan kingdom. The Thomas Christians used to go on pilgrimage to this tomb from time immemorial. Other testimonies from the 3rd century are these: The 3rd century Syrian writing the Acts of Apostle Judas Thomas (Acta Thoma), says that the apostle worked in India and met death on the top of a hill in the kingdom of Mazdai. It was from there a part of the bones was taken to Edessa by a Syrian merchant called Khabin and a church was built in Edessa in the name of the Apostle. St Ephrem testifies to this fact and he has composed a lot of hymns on St. Thomas on his mission in India, martyrdom and removal of bones to Edessa etc, in the 4th century. About the shrine and church of St.Thomas at Edessa there is information from Egeria’s pilgrimage diary in the end of the 4th century. St. John Chrysostum merely says that the site of St.Thomas tomb is as much known as the sites of the tomb of St. Peter, St.Paul and St.John, although he does not give definite indication of its location. Gregory of Tours (AD 594) gives an account of the monastery of St.Thomas in India based on the report he had heard from a monk called Theodore who had visited that monastery. In 841 Suleiman a Muslim traveller mentions Bethuma (House of Thomas), which can be reached in 10 days from Quilon. Pseudo-Sophronins (AD 7th Century) seems do be the first to indicate the place name ‘Calamina’ where St. Thomas was martyred and buried. Isidore of Seville (AD 636) and many others following him echo this tradition and all of them definitely say that Calamina is a city in India. Ishoyahb bishop of Saba (ie. Nisibis) (AD 1187-1222) attests that the body of St. Thomas the apostle is in India. While Solomon his contemporary specifies the place as Mayluph- a city in the land of the Indians. At the end of the cent. Marcopolo, the Venitian traveller visited India and wrote (AD 1293): “It is in this province of (Maabar) which is styled the greater India at the gulf between Ceylon and the mainland that the body of Messer St. Thomas lies at a certain town having no great population”. The Arab Christian historian Amr Ibn Matte wrote in 1340: “Thomas’ tomb is on the island of Meilan in India, on the right hand of the alter in his monastery” John Marignolli (AD1349) John of Monte Corvino(1291), Oderick(1325), Nicolo Conti(1440) all refer to the church of St. Thomas at Mylapur and to the presence of his tomb. In 1504 four East – Syrian bishops who arrived in Kerala while writing a letter to their patriarch clearly say that Mylapur was the house of the holy Apostle Thomas and their letter clearly shows that they knew where Mylapur is:” in the province of Silan which is one of the province of India”. When the Portuguese reached India in 1498 the St. Thomas Christians of that country were unanimous on the point that the apostle St. Thomas suffered martyrdom and buried at Mylapur. The same the Portuguese also admitted since 1517, when during their investigation interviewed many natives around Mylapur who were mostly non-christians. The People conveyed to the Portuguese their common belief that St.Thomas had been buried there and that Christian settlements existed in the vicinity. Thus all the above evidences confirm the time-honoured tradition of the Thomas Christians of India which by all means undeniable evidences do the apostolate of St. Thomas in India. The Tradition of the East Syrian and Meditteranean Christianities