In the list of the apostles, the eighth name
according to the Gospel of St. Luke and St. Mark and seventh name according to
St. Matthew is St. Thomas, the apostle of India.
His words, “Thou are my Lord and my God” show
his transformation into a complete faith and his readiness to give his life for
him.
Some legendary writings give the interesting
narration of St. Thomas’s mission in India in 52 AD. When the apostles gathered
in Jerusalem to set out to preach the Gospel, the lot of St. Thomas fell to
India. It can be true that there would have been trade between Jews and Indian
kings at that time. We know this through the coins that are found. Moreover, many prominent people of the church
affirmed that St. Thomas was preaching in India.
He should have been filled with the ardent
zeal for Christ. An approximate survey give facts about his missionary
activities: after preaching in Kerala he baptized 2,200 heathens at Quilon,
2800 heathens at Chayal and 2,200 at Parur. He built three churches in Kerala.
Many of Christians of Kerala proudly
call themselves ‘St. Thomas Christians’. With the influence of the Anglican Church in 18th Century the St. Thomas Christians formed Mar Thoma Church. In Tamilnadu he converted 17,490
brahmins, 350 vaishys, 4,280 sudhras and ordained priests and 21 deacons. Such
was his passion for Christ and St. Francis Xavier who landed in India in 1545
AD admired and emulated him.
His vigorous preaching made King Mahadevan,
the then ruler of Madras region, afraid of a revolution. So his ministers and
priests killed him on a mount which is now called “St. Thomas Mount” or Parangimalai
in 72 AD. He fell on the stone cross which he made it and embraced it when he died. The Santhome Basilica in Chennai carries his mortal remains. The Catholic Church celebrates his feast on 3 July.