“St. Thomas the Apostle and His Missionary Work in India”

“St. Thomas the Apostle and His Missionary Work in India”

from History Lessons

by Neil McBride

St. Thomas the Apostle and His Missionary Work in India

St. Thomas the Apostle, often remembered by the epithet “Doubting Thomas” due to his initial reluctance to believe in the resurrection of Jesus without physical proof, was one of the twelve original disciples chosen by Christ. His story, marked by human vulnerability and spiritual transformation, culminates in a powerful legacy extending far beyond biblical narratives. While his moment of doubt is frequently cited in sermons and theological reflections, a less commonly explored—but immensely significant—aspect of his life is his bold missionary journey to India.

According to longstanding Christian tradition, St. Thomas embarked on this journey around 52 AD, travelling across the ancient trade routes that connected the Middle East to the East. He is believed to have arrived on the southwestern coast of the Indian subcontinent, in the region known today as Kerala. This voyage placed him among the very first Christian missionaries to travel beyond the boundaries of the Roman Empire, long before the better-documented missions of Paul or later church fathers. His arrival in India marked the geographic expansion of the early Church and the beginning of a rich intercultural and interreligious dialogue that would shape Christian identity in South Asia for centuries to come.

His work in India is traditionally credited with planting the seeds of Christianity in a land known for its diverse spiritual heritage, coexisting with Hinduism, Buddhism, and ancient local traditions. Rather than imposing a foreign faith, Thomas is believed to have engaged local populations respectfully, preaching the Gospel, performing miracles, and establishing Christian communities that embraced both the message of Christ and the cultural context of India. This missionary effort laid the foundation for what would later become the Saint Thomas Christian community, a group that has survived and thrived for nearly two millennia.

The Journey to India

The Acts of Thomas, an early Christian apocryphal text believed to have been written in the 3rd century, provides a vivid—albeit partly legendary—account of the Apostle Thomas’s missionary journey to India. While the document contains elements of hagiography, including miraculous events and symbolic narratives, it offers important insight into how early Christian communities perceived Thomas’s evangelistic mission to the East. The text describes Thomas being divinely commissioned to travel to distant lands, eventually reaching Parthia (in present-day Iran) and then journeying further to the Indian subcontinent. According to tradition, his final destination was the Malabar Coast of South India, which corresponds to the modern state of Kerala.

This belief in Thomas’s Indian mission is not merely a product of ecclesiastical folklore; it is deeply woven into the Saint Thomas Christians’ historical consciousness, oral traditions, and liturgical life (also known as Nasranis) of Kerala. For nearly two thousand years, this community has upheld the conviction that one of Christ’s apostles brought their faith to them personally. Their prayers, songs, and rituals often invoke the memory of Thomas’s arrival and his foundational role in establishing the Christian faith in their land.

According to this enduring tradition, St. Thomas arrived at the ancient port of Muziris, a bustling hub of commerce and culture on the Malabar Coast. Muziris—believed by many scholars and archaeologists to correspond to modern-day Kodungallur—was a major centre of international trade during the early centuries of the Common Era. The port connected India with the Roman Empire, the Arabian Peninsula, and regions farther west. Spices, gems, ivory, and textiles were exported from Kerala, while ships brought gold, silver, wine, and ideas from Mediterranean and Middle Eastern civilizations.

Significantly, Muziris and its surrounding areas already hosted diverse communities, including Jewish, Arab, and Persian merchants, who had established vibrant diasporas there. The presence of these monotheistic cultures and the thriving cosmopolitan atmosphere of the region created fertile ground for the exchange of not only goods but also religious and philosophical ideas. In such an environment, the message of Christianity, as preached by Thomas, found open minds and receptive hearts. He is said to have engaged with local leaders, performed healings and other miracles, and gained followers from various social strata, including members of the Brahmin caste and ruling families.

Thus, St. Thomas’s arrival in Kerala was not a mere historical footnote but a significant event that marked the beginning of Christianity’s deep and lasting presence in India. His mission, shaped by the unique socio-cultural landscape of ancient South India, laid the groundwork for a distinct Christian tradition that has persisted through centuries of change, challenge, and renewal.

Establishing the Christian Faith

St. Thomas is said to have carried out extensive missionary work along the Malabar Coast, where he preached the Gospel, performed miracles, and won converts from various sections of society. Tradition holds that his message resonated deeply with common people and the educated classes, leading to the conversion of numerous families, including members of the upper-caste Brahmin community and even local ruling elites. These conversions were not merely individual spiritual awakenings but often transformed entire households and clans, many of whom became prominent pillars of the early Christian community in India.

As part of his evangelizing mission, St. Thomas is traditionally credited with establishing seven and a half churches—referred to in Malayalam as Ezharappallikal. The term “half church” is commonly interpreted to mean either a smaller chapel or a congregation that was not fully established during Thomas’s lifetime but later developed into a church. These churches, considered to be among the oldest in India, are located in Kodungallur (believed to be the site of his initial landing), Palayoor, Paravur, Kokkamangalam, Niranam, Nilackal, and Kollam, with the “half” church often associated with Thiruvithamcode in Tamil Nadu. These churches became important centres of worship, community life, and religious instruction.

Thomas laid the foundation for a unique and enduring Christian tradition in India through his ministry. The converts and communities that grew out of his mission became known as the Saint Thomas Christians, or Nasranis, a name derived from Nasrani, meaning followers of Jesus of Nazareth. These early Indian Christians developed a distinct identity that reflected both their apostolic heritage and the cultural context of South India. Rather than adopting a purely Western or Middle Eastern model of Christianity, the Nasranis adapted their religious practices to align with local customs, languages, and social structures.

They developed their liturgical traditions, many based on the East Syriac Rite, a branch of the Syriac Christian tradition that had strong theological and ecclesiastical connections with the Church of the East centred in Persia (modern-day Iran and Iraq). This affiliation meant that Indian Christians were part of a broader network of Eastern Christianity that stretched across Central Asia and into China. Bishops were often sent from Persia to India, and the clergy in Kerala were trained according to the doctrines and disciplines of the East Syriac Church.

Despite this foreign connection, the Saint Thomas Christians maintained a uniquely Indian character. They adopted local architectural styles for their churches, participated in regional festivals, and held a place within the broader fabric of Kerala society. Over the centuries, they came to be respected as a religious community for their contributions to education, medicine, literature, and trade.

This rich synthesis of apostolic Christianity and Indian cultural tradition allowed the Saint Thomas Christians to survive and thrive through centuries of change—whether political upheaval, colonial encounters, or internal divisions—retaining a proud identity rooted in the belief that their faith was founded by none other than one of Jesus’s twelve apostles.

Martyrdom and Legacy

According to tradition, after spending considerable time spreading the Christian faith along the Malabar Coast of Kerala, St. Thomas continued his missionary journey eastward, reaching the Coromandel Coast in Tamil Nadu. He is said to have preached the Gospel, converting many people to Christianity and establishing churches in the region. His work was marked by miracles and a deep commitment to the spread of Christianity, which resonated with local communities. He is believed to have reached the city of Mylapore (modern-day Chennai), a thriving port town with rich cultural and religious significance, where he continued his efforts to evangelize.

In Mylapore, Thomas’s missionary activities eventually drew the ire of local religious leaders who saw his growing influence as a threat to their traditions. According to tradition, Thomas was arrested, and despite his continuing ministry and the conversions he had inspired, he was condemned to death. His martyrdom is said to have occurred around 72 AD when he was speared by soldiers while praying on a hill. This hill, known as St. Thomas Mount, is a significant landmark in the city. It is said that as Thomas was struck down, his final words were a prayer for the forgiveness of his persecutors, reflecting the deep compassion and commitment to Christ’s teachings that had characterized his life.

The place where Thomas is believed to have been martyred became a site of deep veneration for early Christians, and it continues to hold profound spiritual significance for millions today. His tomb, located near St. Thomas Mount, became one of India’s most important pilgrimage sites and remains so today. For centuries, pilgrims from all over the world have travelled to Mylapore to visit the apostle’s tomb, seeking spiritual solace and connection to the early Christian roots of the Indian Church.

In the 16th century, during the Portuguese colonial period, a San Thome Basilica was built over the site of St. Thomas’s tomb. The basilica is a majestic testament to the legacy of the apostle’s missionary work in India. It is one of the three churches in the world that is believed to be built directly over the tomb of an apostle. The other two such churches are St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, which marks the burial place of St. Peter, and the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Spain, which is associated with St. James. The San Thome Basilica, therefore, not only serves as a sacred site for Christians in India but also connects the Indian Christian community to the wider tradition of apostolic succession.

The enduring legacy of St. Thomas in Mylapore and beyond is a powerful reminder of his faith, dedication, and the lasting impact of his mission in India. The Church and the tomb continue to be symbols of Christianity’s deep roots in the Indian subcontinent, and every year, thousands of pilgrims visit this holy site, seeking to honour the apostle’s sacrifice and to deepen their spiritual connection to the roots of the faith in India.

Historical and Cultural Impact

Although direct archaeological evidence from the 1st century regarding St. Thomas’s missionary activities is scarce, the enduring presence and cultural continuity of the Saint Thomas Christian tradition offer compelling circumstantial evidence of Christianity’s early arrival in India. Despite the lack of concrete artefacts or documents from Thomas’s time, the rich heritage of the Saint Thomas Christians—known locally as Nasranis—serves as a testament to the apostle’s missionary work. This community, which traces its origins to St. Thomas’s efforts along the Malabar Coast, has maintained its identity for nearly two thousand years, with its unique liturgy, religious practices, and customs. The Saint Thomas Christians have survived and flourished through centuries of external challenges, from foreign invasions to political upheaval. They adapted to the changing landscapes of Indian society, incorporating aspects of local culture into their Christian identity while steadfastly preserving the core tenets of their faith.

Despite these challenges, the preservation of their traditions speaks to the resilience of the Saint Thomas Christian community. For centuries, these Christians maintained strong ties to the Eastern Christian traditions of the Church of the East—also known as the Nestorian Church—which provided a framework for their theological teachings and liturgical practices. These connections helped the community remain independent and rooted in the traditions passed down from St. Thomas, even as India’s political and religious landscapes shifted.

The arrival of Portuguese missionaries in the 16th century, however, marked a pivotal moment in the history of the Saint Thomas Christians. The Portuguese, keen on spreading Catholicism, sought to bring the Nasranis into Roman Catholicism. This led to significant ecclesiastical and political changes, with Portuguese influence exerting pressure on the local Christian communities to conform to Roman liturgical practices and doctrinal standards. The result was a complicated and often contentious relationship between the Saint Thomas Christians and the Roman Catholic authorities. In some cases, this led to the Synod of Diamper (1599), a controversial council convened by the Portuguese that sought to enforce Catholic orthodoxy on the Indian Christians, further dividing the community.

While some members of the Saint Thomas Christians accepted this new union with Rome, others resisted, leading to internal divisions. These tensions ultimately resulted in the establishment of two distinct branches of the Saint Thomas Christian community: the Syro-Malabar Church, which aligned with the Roman Catholic Church, and the Malankara Church, which initially rejected Roman authority and maintained closer ties with the Eastern Orthodox and Syriac traditions. Over time, the Malankara Church experienced further splits, eventually leading to the creation of the Indian Orthodox Church and the Jacobite Syrian Christian Church, each of which developed its unique traditions while remaining rooted in the ancient Christian practices of the early Church in India.

Despite these divisions, the core of St. Thomas’s legacy remains intact. Today, millions of Christians across Kerala and other parts of India trace their spiritual heritage back to St. Thomas, celebrating his missionary work, martyrdom, and the deep-rooted Christian tradition that continues to thrive in the subcontinent. The Saint Thomas Christian community, in all its diversity, serves as a living reminder of the global reach of early Christianity. Their history speaks to the transformative power of faith, the resilience of religious identity, and the intermingling of Christianity with local Indian traditions.

Though centuries old, St. Thomas’s mission in India stands as a testament to the far-reaching influence of early Christianity. It is a powerful symbol of the continuity and adaptation of the Christian faith. It reflects one apostle’s work in India and the broader history of Christianity’s spread worldwide. In the centuries since his arrival, his mission has had a lasting impact on India’s religious and cultural fabric, influencing the Saint Thomas Christians and the region’s broader Christian and spiritual landscape.

Conclusion

St. Thomas’s journey to India is far more than a mere religious narrative; it represents a profound story of intercultural dialogue, resilience, and unwavering faith. His mission in India transcends the boundaries of geography and time, offering a testament to the transformative power of religious conviction when it encounters new cultures and traditions. St. Thomas, arriving in a land rich with its own spiritual and philosophical heritage, engaged with diverse local customs, religious practices, and intellectual traditions. His journey was not only about spreading the Gospel but also about fostering dialogue between Christianity and the ancient cultures of India. The faith he planted here was not imposed from the outside. Still, it intertwined with the local context, adapting to and incorporating elements of Indian culture while retaining the essence of Christian teachings.

Over the centuries, the communities that trace their origins to St. Thomas have demonstrated incredible resilience. They have faced trials ranging from political upheaval, foreign invasions, and colonial domination to internal theological divisions and religious persecutions. Yet, through it all, the legacy of St. Thomas has endured, not as a static relic of history but as a vibrant and living tradition. The ancient churches he is believed to have founded continue to be places of worship, education, and community life, each one a symbol of the apostle’s enduring influence. The traditions and liturgies practised by the Saint Thomas Christians have survived centuries of change, preserving the historical memory of the apostle’s mission and the adaptation of Christianity within the context of Indian society.

St. Thomas’s legacy is not solely written in the stones of ancient churches or the pages of early manuscripts, though these are enduring markers of his influence. His true legacy is found in the living faith of the millions of Christians across India who continue to trace their spiritual roots back to him. The communities that follow in his footsteps maintain the religious practices passed down through generations and carry forward his spirit of mission, community building, and interfaith dialogue. They continue to thrive, adapting to the challenges of the modern world while staying rooted in the traditions St. Thomas set in motion.

In Kerala, the birthplace of the Saint Thomas Christian community, the faith that St. Thomas sowed is still a vibrant force. Churches, monasteries, and pilgrimage sites dedicated to his memory remain central to the religious and cultural landscape of the region. The faithful who gather in these sacred spaces, whether for weekly worship or annual festivals, are part of a living tradition that has sustained itself through millennia. In this sense, St. Thomas’s journey to India was not a one-time event but the beginning of a dynamic and ongoing spiritual journey that continues to unfold.

Today, St. Thomas’s influence extends beyond the religious sphere. His legacy is also reflected in the profound contributions of the Saint Thomas Christian community to Indian society in areas such as education, social work, arts, and culture. In many ways, St. Thomas’s mission in India reminds us of the universal message of love, peace, and reconciliation that lies at the heart of Christianity and how the faith can flourish in diverse cultural environments. His journey to India continues to inspire Christians and people of all religions, standing as a powerful symbol of the potential for intercultural and interfaith exchange.

Thus, St. Thomas’s legacy is not a mere historical memory but a living, breathing reality that continues to shape the spiritual and cultural landscape of India. His mission began two millennia ago and has left an indelible mark on countless people’s hearts. His story inspires new generations of believers to engage with their faith, communities, and the world around them with passion, resilience, and reverence.

“St. Thomas the Apostle and His Missionary Work in India”

DTA – Neil McBride

(CEO and founder of Downtown Angels)