Priesthood that brought good news to India: Apostle Thomas
The following highlighted article reflects the historical and traditional depiction of Apostle Thomas evangelization in India, and the details within this article corresponds and reflects the evidences in the artifacts available at St. Thomas mount, where Apostle Thomas lived and attained martyrdom. The interesting attraction of this article is that it tells the Apostle Thomas life account in an exact manner I heard from my father. So It has consistency to the legendary tradition.Additional attraction of St. Thomas mount is that Pope John Paul II visited this hill, where appostle Thomas lived, soon after his arrival to India. I saw him kiss the earth of Madras when he arrived, that very scene made me move to Madras in my early twenties, because I wanted to touch and live in the city where pope John Paul landed kissed the land. This was my first major decision of my life with out the help of my parents. Of-course I obtained parents permission, because I was unmarried then, but the decision to find a job and move to Madras was mine.My Mom supported my decision whole heartedly, which is not a usual custom because I am a first born. Pope John Paul made a great impression in my heart at that tender youthful age and he was an inspiration in my youth and he is an inspiration in my life even now. Whenever I visit this church, I usually love to stand few minutes in the exact place, where Pope stood and blessed India for the first time, which is marked with marble writings.
Madras the city where Apostle lived and killed is my home town, the new name for city is Chennai. When I used to live in Madras, before taking any major decisions, I always visit this church and pray in silence before the bleeding cross. One can feel the serene peace within this hill and church. This church is my father's favorite places in Madras.I like to cling on my father's arm while walking on these steps of this hill hearing him tell stories, even now. He visited this church whenever he visited my house, some days he has walked to this church from my house, which is about 15minutes driving distance from my house. This church is one of the favorite places of my husband as well. He goes to this church to pray and offer mass , whenever me and children have major exams. I went to this church saying novenas before coming to united states.
I am compiling various articles on the theme of priesthood and good news in India.The purpose of this compilation is to highlight the merits of suffering Christ among us, who are the called brave men, who decided to lay their life for our salvation. When the world rise against them( priests), which is natural because they do not belong to the world, as Jesus said, it is our responsibility to celebrate their merits and sacrifices, and thank God and pray for them. Let us acknowledge their blessings, which is the necessary for our salvation of souls,if not Jesus would not have instituted priesthood. Let us pray and promote and protect priesthood for our generation and generations to come.
"An emissary of an Indian king happened to visit Jerusalem for the purpose of finding an architect who could build a super palace for the king. He had heard that good architects were available in Jerusalem.Pointing at Thomas, a Jew said that he was a renowned architect. The emissary approached the Apostle for negotiations. At this moment, Lord Jesus Himself joined the twosome in physical form and said showing a finger at Thomas, “He is my slave. I am giving him to you. Take him to India.” Thomas Didymus was stunned.The emissary turned to the ‘architect’ and demanded, “Is this man your master?” Thomas hesitated for an instant even as the risen Lord kept gazing at him He could not deny that Jesus was his Master.[Simon Peter’s denial of the Lord at the palace of Pontius Pilate, prior to Jesus’s crucifixion, was fresh in his mind.] “Yes”, he confirmed loudly and positively. Apostle Thomas landed at Cranganore in Kerala, in the western coast of Southern India, during the year 52 A.D.
As regards the king’s palace, Thomas withdrew large sums of money from time to time from the king’s treasury but spent it all on the poor along with his evangelism. Whenever the king asked the architect for a progress report, Thomas would say, “The palace is coming up beautifully oh my king – in Heaven.” The king didn’t understand the statement at all. In course of time, the king came to know that instead of a palace, Thomas was building churches on the western coast and was also feeding the poor. Getting wild, the king had decided to punish the Apostle with death.
But, that night he had a dream. He found himself in a magnificent country, a like of which he did not imagine ever existed. A guide was showing him around. On seeing an exquisite building structure that was just about half complete, the king enquired, “Whose mansion is this?” The guide raised his head in surprise and answered, “Of course, it’s yours, your majesty. You had ordered it. Don’t you remember?” The king woke up and realized that Thomas was a godly man who knew that his palace was coming up in some other world. He then began to revere Thomas and asked to know everything about the Gospel of Lord Jesus Christ.
After completing 7 churches in Kerala, St. Thomas crossed over to the Coromondal coast and landed in Madras. He lived for some years here. His home was a cave on a small hillock. This cave is preserved till date at a place called Little Mount which is about 3 KM from St. Thomas Mount.
Besides evangelism to thousands of people, St. Thomas also built a chapel with his own hands in Mylapore, which is about 6 KM from Little Mount. After his martyrdom, the Apostle’s body was buried here. And today stands on St Thomas’s tomb, a big church of Gothic architecture called, “San Thome Cathedral”.
Some records say that the Apostle made a brief visit (possibly for some months only) to China and returned to Madras. The Apostle’s evangelism perhaps was confined only to the Madras city region. People flocked to hear him. He performed several miracles through the power of Lord Jesus Christ such as, healing the sick, the lame, the blind and other varieties of handicapped persons.
One summer when multitude of people had come to listen to his sermon, the Apostle noticed that they were thirsty and were looking around for some water to quench themselves. Little Mount is an area known for its water scarcity and was so in the first century as well. Taking pity on the audience, the Saint struck at a particular point on the hillock with his staff. And water gushed out at once. This was reminiscent of what prophet Moses did to provide water for the Israelites in the desert between Palestine and Egypt about the year 1430B.C.
The existence of a small spring almost at the top of a hillock and water being available round the year would sound truly remarkable. This is known as the fountain of St. Thomas, which exists even today. Some miraculous power is attributed to this water.
The spread of Christianity in a Hindu dominated society of Madras was indeed a matter of jealousy for many of St.Thomas’s persecuters. The flash point came when one day a Hindu brahmin chased the Saint from his Little Mount cave-home along the road and pierced him to death with his lance when the Saint ran the distance of 3 KM to the hill feature. And thus came the name “St. Thomas Mount”, the spot where St. Thomas was murdered. His body was taken to Mylapore and buried in the chapel built by him.
Thomas Mount remained a simple hill feature for several centuries. One Diego Fernandez, a Portuguese, built a small chapel on it in the year 1523 A.D By then St. Thomas Mount had become a place of pilgrimage and as the number of pilgrims increased, one Father Gasper Goelho converted the chapel into a big church in 1548 A.D.
This ancient church on top of the 300 feet high Mount, had been a sign post for mariners for some 400 years. In the 16th and 17th centuries, when the Portuguese and Armenian ships sighted the church, the sailors used to offer prayer of thanksgiving for a safe voyage ahead and then fire a gun shot as salute.
St. Thomas Mount Church
The church houses a few important objects of Art and Antiquity. Chief among them is, a Cross which had been chiseled by the Saint himself. This Cross was dug out during the construction work of the church in the year 1547. It can be seen now behind the altar.
According to records, this cross started sweating blood from 18 December 1558.The bleeding Cross sweated every year, then every two years and later at longer intervals. The last occasion of ‘blood sweating’ was in 1704 A.D
There is also on the Altar an oil painting of Mary, the earthly mother of Lord Jesus. This picture was painted by St. Luke, one of the Gospel writers, and was brought to India by St. Thomas.
Mount Road
Madras city has been renamed as ‘Chennai’ in recent years.
A straight road 12 KM long runs right in the middle of Chennai city. This is a popular commercial road that contains posh shops, show rooms and important industrial offices. The stretch starts from Fort St.George and ends at St. Thomas Mount. Hence it is known as “Mount Road.”.The Dravidian Government of Tamil Nadu, has renamed the road as “Anna salai”. But ‘Mount Road’ continues to be the more widely used and known .name to the citizens of the city.
Conclusion
If you plan a journey to India, do include Chennai (Madras) in your itinerary and when here, don’t forget to visit St. Thomas Mount, Little Mount and the Santhome Cathedral. During this sojourn, which could be titled also as ‘pilgrimage’, the Christian history of some 1960 years would unfold itself right before your eyes."
Source: Cheers.org
Madras the city where Apostle lived and killed is my home town, the new name for city is Chennai. When I used to live in Madras, before taking any major decisions, I always visit this church and pray in silence before the bleeding cross. One can feel the serene peace within this hill and church. This church is my father's favorite places in Madras.I like to cling on my father's arm while walking on these steps of this hill hearing him tell stories, even now. He visited this church whenever he visited my house, some days he has walked to this church from my house, which is about 15minutes driving distance from my house. This church is one of the favorite places of my husband as well. He goes to this church to pray and offer mass , whenever me and children have major exams. I went to this church saying novenas before coming to united states.
I am compiling various articles on the theme of priesthood and good news in India.The purpose of this compilation is to highlight the merits of suffering Christ among us, who are the called brave men, who decided to lay their life for our salvation. When the world rise against them( priests), which is natural because they do not belong to the world, as Jesus said, it is our responsibility to celebrate their merits and sacrifices, and thank God and pray for them. Let us acknowledge their blessings, which is the necessary for our salvation of souls,if not Jesus would not have instituted priesthood. Let us pray and promote and protect priesthood for our generation and generations to come.
"An emissary of an Indian king happened to visit Jerusalem for the purpose of finding an architect who could build a super palace for the king. He had heard that good architects were available in Jerusalem.Pointing at Thomas, a Jew said that he was a renowned architect. The emissary approached the Apostle for negotiations. At this moment, Lord Jesus Himself joined the twosome in physical form and said showing a finger at Thomas, “He is my slave. I am giving him to you. Take him to India.” Thomas Didymus was stunned.The emissary turned to the ‘architect’ and demanded, “Is this man your master?” Thomas hesitated for an instant even as the risen Lord kept gazing at him He could not deny that Jesus was his Master.[Simon Peter’s denial of the Lord at the palace of Pontius Pilate, prior to Jesus’s crucifixion, was fresh in his mind.] “Yes”, he confirmed loudly and positively. Apostle Thomas landed at Cranganore in Kerala, in the western coast of Southern India, during the year 52 A.D.
As regards the king’s palace, Thomas withdrew large sums of money from time to time from the king’s treasury but spent it all on the poor along with his evangelism. Whenever the king asked the architect for a progress report, Thomas would say, “The palace is coming up beautifully oh my king – in Heaven.” The king didn’t understand the statement at all. In course of time, the king came to know that instead of a palace, Thomas was building churches on the western coast and was also feeding the poor. Getting wild, the king had decided to punish the Apostle with death.
But, that night he had a dream. He found himself in a magnificent country, a like of which he did not imagine ever existed. A guide was showing him around. On seeing an exquisite building structure that was just about half complete, the king enquired, “Whose mansion is this?” The guide raised his head in surprise and answered, “Of course, it’s yours, your majesty. You had ordered it. Don’t you remember?” The king woke up and realized that Thomas was a godly man who knew that his palace was coming up in some other world. He then began to revere Thomas and asked to know everything about the Gospel of Lord Jesus Christ.
After completing 7 churches in Kerala, St. Thomas crossed over to the Coromondal coast and landed in Madras. He lived for some years here. His home was a cave on a small hillock. This cave is preserved till date at a place called Little Mount which is about 3 KM from St. Thomas Mount.
Besides evangelism to thousands of people, St. Thomas also built a chapel with his own hands in Mylapore, which is about 6 KM from Little Mount. After his martyrdom, the Apostle’s body was buried here. And today stands on St Thomas’s tomb, a big church of Gothic architecture called, “San Thome Cathedral”.
Some records say that the Apostle made a brief visit (possibly for some months only) to China and returned to Madras. The Apostle’s evangelism perhaps was confined only to the Madras city region. People flocked to hear him. He performed several miracles through the power of Lord Jesus Christ such as, healing the sick, the lame, the blind and other varieties of handicapped persons.
One summer when multitude of people had come to listen to his sermon, the Apostle noticed that they were thirsty and were looking around for some water to quench themselves. Little Mount is an area known for its water scarcity and was so in the first century as well. Taking pity on the audience, the Saint struck at a particular point on the hillock with his staff. And water gushed out at once. This was reminiscent of what prophet Moses did to provide water for the Israelites in the desert between Palestine and Egypt about the year 1430B.C.
The existence of a small spring almost at the top of a hillock and water being available round the year would sound truly remarkable. This is known as the fountain of St. Thomas, which exists even today. Some miraculous power is attributed to this water.
The spread of Christianity in a Hindu dominated society of Madras was indeed a matter of jealousy for many of St.Thomas’s persecuters. The flash point came when one day a Hindu brahmin chased the Saint from his Little Mount cave-home along the road and pierced him to death with his lance when the Saint ran the distance of 3 KM to the hill feature. And thus came the name “St. Thomas Mount”, the spot where St. Thomas was murdered. His body was taken to Mylapore and buried in the chapel built by him.
Thomas Mount remained a simple hill feature for several centuries. One Diego Fernandez, a Portuguese, built a small chapel on it in the year 1523 A.D By then St. Thomas Mount had become a place of pilgrimage and as the number of pilgrims increased, one Father Gasper Goelho converted the chapel into a big church in 1548 A.D.
This ancient church on top of the 300 feet high Mount, had been a sign post for mariners for some 400 years. In the 16th and 17th centuries, when the Portuguese and Armenian ships sighted the church, the sailors used to offer prayer of thanksgiving for a safe voyage ahead and then fire a gun shot as salute.
St. Thomas Mount Church
The church houses a few important objects of Art and Antiquity. Chief among them is, a Cross which had been chiseled by the Saint himself. This Cross was dug out during the construction work of the church in the year 1547. It can be seen now behind the altar.
According to records, this cross started sweating blood from 18 December 1558.The bleeding Cross sweated every year, then every two years and later at longer intervals. The last occasion of ‘blood sweating’ was in 1704 A.D
There is also on the Altar an oil painting of Mary, the earthly mother of Lord Jesus. This picture was painted by St. Luke, one of the Gospel writers, and was brought to India by St. Thomas.
Mount Road
Madras city has been renamed as ‘Chennai’ in recent years.
A straight road 12 KM long runs right in the middle of Chennai city. This is a popular commercial road that contains posh shops, show rooms and important industrial offices. The stretch starts from Fort St.George and ends at St. Thomas Mount. Hence it is known as “Mount Road.”.The Dravidian Government of Tamil Nadu, has renamed the road as “Anna salai”. But ‘Mount Road’ continues to be the more widely used and known .name to the citizens of the city.
Conclusion
If you plan a journey to India, do include Chennai (Madras) in your itinerary and when here, don’t forget to visit St. Thomas Mount, Little Mount and the Santhome Cathedral. During this sojourn, which could be titled also as ‘pilgrimage’, the Christian history of some 1960 years would unfold itself right before your eyes."
Source: Cheers.org
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