Thomas the apostle was not with the others when Jesus appeared to them after His resurrection. When the other apostles reported the joyful news, Thomas refused to believe “unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and place my finger in the mark of the nails, and place my hand in His side” (John 20:25).
The image most people have of Thomas is the doubter who would not believe until he saw concrete proof. But Christians in southern India have a different view of the apostle — they credit him for bringing the message of Jesus to their nation.
Thomas is widely believed to have been India’s first Christian missionary. Although there is no remaining concrete evidence to confirm this, many historians agree that Thomas probably did reach the southern coast of India. Modern archaeological and historical finds appear to support the contention.
After Jesus’ ascension to heaven, the apostles scattered, preaching the gospel and establishing churches. Origen, an early church historian who wrote in the early second century A.D., noted that Thomas had traveled to the area now known as Iran.
The earliest writings placing the doubting apostle in India date back to the late second century.
Thomas’ preaching won many converts. His teachings were accepted by many, including those who remained Hindu, and were eventually integrated into the traditions and beliefs of the local communities. Thomas is said to have established seven churches.
Portuguese explorers led by Vasco da Gama discovered an estimated 2 million Christians in Malabar when they reached Southern India in 1498. But the Indian Christians had mixed some Hindu practices and beliefs in with Christianity. Their church practices were so different that the Portuguese considered them to be heretics.
In an attempt to bring the Indian believers into line with their own beliefs and practices, the Portuguese church sent missionaries to the region. In their zeal, they destroyed documents that might have shed light on Thomas’ activities in the area. Some of the documents destroyed are believed to be some of Thomas’ own writings.
Today, there are about 7 million believers in the region. Most call themselves “St. Thomas Christians.”
Tradition among Indian Christians holds that an angry pagan priest killed Thomas near Madras with a spear while the apostle was kneeling in prayer. Paintings or sketches of Thomas often show him holding a spear.
Today, a visitor to southern India can visit a tomb on the Malabar Coast that locals believe was the first burial place of Thomas, whose remains were later moved to another site.
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