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Sunday, November 21, 2010

St. Thomas' Visit To Kerala Under Doubt

On 27 September 2006, Pope Benedict XVI made a speech in St. Peter’s Square at Vatican City in which he recalled an ancient  St. Thomas tradition. He said that “Thomas first evangelized Syria and Persia and then penetrated as far as western India, from where Christianity also reached South India”.[1] This statement upset the Indian bishops in Kerala, and as it was perceived to be a direct violation of the beliefs of many Indian Christians, it was brought to the attention of the Pope’s editors and amended the next day on the Vatican’s website to read that St. Thomas himself had reached South India. G. Ananthakrishnan’s article “Thomas’s visit under doubt” in the Times of India, 26 December 2006, reads:
Jesus showing his wounds to Thomas and the disciples.



His reluctance to believe what fellow disciples said about Jesus Christ’s resurrection earned him the name Doubting Thomas. Centuries later, St Thomas — believed to be the man who brought Christianity to India — finds himself in the shadow of ‘doubt’ with none other than the Pope contradicting his evangelical trek in the country, only to modify it a few days later. But far from dousing the fire, the Pope has rekindled a debate and given critics an issue on the platter.
Pope Benedict XVI made the statement at the Vatican on September 27, 2006. Addressing the faithful during the Wednesday catechises, he recalled that St. Thomas first evangelized Syria and Persia, and went on to western India from where Christianity reached Southern India. The import of the statement was that St. Thomas never travelled to south India, but rather evangelized the western front, mostly comprising today’s Pakistan.
Knowingly or unknowingly, he had in one stroke challenged the basis of Christianity in India and demolished long-held views of the Church here that St Thomas landed in Kerala, where he spread the gospel among Hindus. The comments were especially a letdown for the Syrian Christians of Kerala, who proudly trace their ancestry to upper-caste Hindus said to have been evangelized by St Thomas upon his arrival in 52 AD.
The comments went unnoticed until Sathya-Deepam, the official mouthpiece of the Syro-Malabar church, picked it up. Writing in it, George Nedungat, a member of the Oriental Pontifical Institute of Rome, conveyed the community’s anguish and claimed that previous popes had recognised St. Thomas’s work in south India.


The Pope’s original statement given out at St. Peter’s, before it was amended on the Vatican website, was factually correct and reflected the geography of the Acts of Thomas, i.e. Syria, Parthia (Persia/Iran) and Gandhara (North-West Pakistan). There is no historical evidence to support the tradition that St. Thomas came to South India, and on 13 November 1952 Vatican officials sent a message to Kerala Christians stating that the landing of St. Thomas at Muziris (Cranganore now Kodungallur) on 21 November 52 AD was “unverified”. When this writer sought confirmation of the 1952 Vatican statement in 1996, the Vatican’s reply was disingenuous and noncommittal. The Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints said that he needed more information and that the life of St. Thomas was the object of historical research and not within his Congregation’s competence.[2]

Parthia: This is the world of St. Thomas according to the Acts of Thomas.
Earlier, in 1729, the Bishop of Madras-Mylapore had doubted whether the tomb in San Thome Cathedral was that of St. Thomas and wrote to the Sacred Congregation of Rites in Rome for clarification. Rome’s reply was never published and we may assume it was a negative reply. Again, in 1871 the Roman Catholic authorities at Madras were “strong in disparagement of the special sanctity of the localities [viz. San Thome, Little Mount, and Big Mount identified by the Portuguese after 1517] and the whole story connecting St. Thomas with Mailapur.” However, in 1886 Pope Leo XIII stated in an apostolic letter that St. Thomas “travelled to Ethiopia, Persia, Hyrcania and finally to the Peninsula beyond the Indus”, and in 1923 Pope Pius XI quoted Pope Leo’s letter and identified St. Thomas with “India”. These papal statements also reflect the geography of the Acts of Thomas, as does Pope Benedict’s statement, and make no reference to South India. In fact, the India they refer to is now Pakistan.

Pope John Paul II with Archbishop Arulappa at San Thome Cathedral in 1986.
Pope John Paul II visited India twice in 1986 and 1999 and prayed at the alleged tomb of St. Thomas in San Thome Cathedral, but, like St. Francis Xavier before him, he had nothing to say about St. Thomas’s visit to South India or Mylapore in the first century. This is a curious omission on the Pope’s part in that he was an ardent missionary who openly promoted the evangelizing of India and Asia, and a statement from him confirming a visit by St. Thomas to South India would have certainly supported his agenda and that of his Indian bishops.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

വിനോദിനി,കോപ്പേല്‍ പളളിയില്‍ വച്ച് ഒരു സതൃം ബൈബിളിലെ വാകൃം പ്രസംഗത്തില്‍ പറഞ്ഞത് എത്രയോ ശരി! ക്രസ്തു രാജനാണ് നമ്മടെയോക്കേ പിതാവും, നേതാവും എല്ലാം!വിനോദിനി പറഞ്ഞു, ക്രസ്തു രാജനല്ലാതേ മറ്റോരു ദൈവ്വം നമ്മുക്ക് ഉണ്ടാകരുത്?ദൈവ്വത്തിനല്ലാതെ മറ്റാരെയും പിതാവേ എന്നും വിളിക്കരുത്! അങ്ങനാണേങ്കില്‍ വിനോദിനിയോട് ഒന്ന് ചോതിച്ചോട്ടേ? ക്രസ്തു രാജനായ നമ്മുടെ ദൈവ്വത്തേ മാറ്റി അള്‍ത്താരയില്‍ ക്ലാവര്‍ കുരിശിനേ പ്രതീഷ്ടിക്കുന്നതും, ക്ലാവര്‍ കുരിശിനേ പോക്കി കൊണ്ടുനടക്കുന്നതും, ദൈവ്വമല്ലാത്ത ക്ലാവര്‍ കുരിശിനേ ആരാധിക്കുന്നതും തേറ്റല്ലേ? പാപമല്ലേ? പിന്നേ എന്തുകൊണ്ട് ഈ പാപം അറിഞ്ഞുകൊണ്ട് ചെയുന്നു? ചെയിപ്പിക്കുന്നു? Mar Jacob Angadiath-നേ, പിതാവേ പിതാവേ Angadiath പിതാവേ എന്നല്ലേ നമ്മള്‍ വിളിക്കുന്നതം, നമ്മളേകൊണ്ട് വിളിപ്പിക്കുന്നതും.
അപ്പോള്‍ അത് ശരിയാണോ? Mar Jacob Angadiath-നെ പിതാവേ എന്ന് വിളിക്കുന്നത് പാപമല്ലേ? Mar Jacob Angadiath-നെ എന്താണ് നമ്മള്‍ ചോല്ലിവിളിക്കേണ്ടേ? Mar Jacob Angadiath-നെ എന്ത് പേരിലാണ് വിളിക്കേണ്ടേ? ഒന്ന് പറഞ്ഞ് തരാമോ വിനോദിനി!!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

There is politics in church at all levels. History is written by many. Depending on which version survives, truth may be lost forever or even hidden by people with personal agenda.

I am not sure how much of it is facts and how much is fiction. If it can be trusted, watch the movie about St.Fracnis of Assissi to learn a thing or two about the catholic higherarchy. There is one called "Francis of Assissi (1961)" and another called "Brother Sun, Sister moon".

Anonymous said...

Claver Angadiath is playing politics again

This time he and his claver cronies are trying to block anyone from "kaakanadu syro malabar headquaters" and synod to come and participate in the consecration ceremonies for coppell church.

It is time for Claver Angadiath to stop playing third rate politics.

Let someone from Kaakkanadu syro malabar headquarters come and witness what is going on here in USA under Claver Angadiath.

Anonymous said...

രണ്ടാഴ്ച്ച മുംബ് കമ്മിഷനായി വന്ന അച്ഛന്‍ കുര്‍ബാനയുടെ സമയത്ത് പറയുകയുണ്ടായി , എല്ലാവരും മാര്‍ത്തോമ കുരിശിനെ പറ്റി പഠിക്കണമെന്ന് . പഠിക്കാന്‍ താല്പര്യം ഒന്ടായിട്ടോ എന്തോ ഒരുവിശ്വാസി അച്ഛനോട് ചോതിക്കുന്നത് കേട്ടു , വിസതമായ് വായിച്ചു പഠിക്കാന്‍ പുസ്തകം വല്ലതും ഒന്ടോയെന്നു . അച്ഛന്‍ അതിനു ഒരുമറുപടിയും കൊടുത്ത്ക്കണ്ടില്ല . ഇല്ലാത്ത ഒന്ന് ഒണ്ടെന്നു സ്ഥാപിക്കാന്‍ തക്കവണ്ണം ആരാണ് തയാറാകുക . അന്തെന്മാര്‍ക്കുപോലും അസാത്യമായ കാരിയം . സീ എം സീ സഭയുടെ ചിന്നം മാനിക്കെന്‍ ക്രോസ് ആണെന്ന് കുറച്ചു പംബരവിട്ടികള്‍ പരഞ്ഞുപരത്തുന്നു . അങ്ങനെ ഒരുചിന്നം ഉണ്ടന്ക്കില് അത് സീ എം സീ സഭയുടെ കുരിശല്ല , മറിച് അത് പാലാ പവുത്തില്‍ തിരുമേനിയുടെ മാത്രമല്ല അങ്ങാടി തിരുവാളിയം മാത്രമാണ് അതിനു ഉത്തരവാതി . നമ്മുടെ ചിന്നം വിശുത കുരിശു മാത്രമാണ് .കുരിശിനെ പേടിക്കുന്നവര്‍ സാത്താന്റെ സന്തതികള്‍ ആണ്. യേശുവിന്റെ പീടാനുബവം കുരിശുമരണവും നമ്മെ പഠിപ്പിക്കുന്നത്‌ ഈ വിശുത കുരിശുവഴിയാണ് . അവിടുന്ന് മരണത്തിനു തൊട്ടുമുമ്പ് പറഞ്ഞവാക്കുകള്‍, പിതാവേ ഇവര്‍ ചെയ്യുന്നത് എന്തെന്നു ഇവര്‍ അറിയുന്നില്ല , ഇവരോട് ക്ഷേമിക്കണമേ എന്നാണ് . തടുപ്പിക്കാന്‍ കെട്ടിയിട്ടിരിക്കുന്ന പശുവിന്‍റെ ഈറ്റത്തില്‍ വിത്തുമൂരി മനുത്തിട്ടു പല്ലിളിക്കുന്നത്പോലെ ഒരുത്തന്‍ കോപ്പേല്‍ പള്ളിക്ക് ചുറ്റും പല്ലുളിച്ചു നെല്ലുവാരി നടുക്കുന്നത് കണ്ടു . ഒരുത്തന്‍ മാളതിലായിട്ടു മാസങ്ങളായി . വട്ടനും , പൊട്ടനും ,ചേനയും നെല്ലുവാരിക്ക് അഹംബടി പോയോ ഇല്ലയോ ആരുണ്ട്‌ ഇതൊക്കെ അന്നെഷിക്കുന്നു . വേറെ പണിയൊന്നും ഇല്ലാത്തവര്‍ നോക്കട്ടെ .

Anonymous said...

തടുപ്പിക്കാന്‍ കെട്ടിയിട്ടിരിക്കുന്ന പശുവിന്‍റെ ഈറ്റത്തില്‍ വിത്തുമൂരി മനുത്തിട്ടു പല്ലിളിക്കുന്നത്പോലെ ഒരുത്തന്‍ കോപ്പേല്‍ പള്ളിക്ക് ചുറ്റും പല്ലുളിച്ചു നെല്ലുവാരി നടുക്കുന്നത് കണ്ടു . ഒരുത്തന്‍ മാളതിലായിട്ടു മാസങ്ങളായി . വട്ടനും , പൊട്ടനും ,ചേനയും നെല്ലുവാരിക്ക് അഹംബടി പോയോ ഇല്ലയോ ആരുണ്ട്‌ ഇതൊക്കെ അന്നെഷിക്കുന്നു . വേറെ പണിയൊന്നും ഇല്ലാത്തവര്‍ നോക്കട്ടെ .എല്ലാ അതിക്രമെങ്ങളും കാട്ടി ബാങ്ക് കൊള്ളടിക്കാന്‍ വരെ തുനിഞ്ഞ വട്ടന്‍ തോമ നേര്ച്ചസത്യ നടത്തിയാല്‍ പാപപരികാരം ആകുമോ . ഒന്‍പതു ഒന്ന് ഒന്ന് , ഫോണ്‍ വിളി നിര്‍ത്തുമോ .മൂരികുട്ടന്‍ തൊരപ്പന്‍ നെല്ലുവാരെള്‍ നിര്‍ത്തുമോ , കുടിയന്‍ സാജു മാളത്തില്‍നിന്ന് പുറത്തുവരുമോ .

Anonymous said...

Mar ക്ലാവര്‍ Angadiath, ക്ലാവര്‍ രോഗം പിടിച്ച് തളര്‍ന്ന് കിടക്കുകയായിരുന്നോ?

Anonymous said...

I watch the movie has nothing explaining what happenings in the sysro malabar usa.

Anonymous said...

Movie is not about Syro church. It shows the selfishness, greed, hunger for power, and lack of willingness to do what Jesus asked the clergy to do. Selfishness is the root of all that evil, and it goes all the way up to the highest rank.

Anonymous said...

I do not believe St.Thomas came to Kerala. But for the pope to say that there is no historicla evidence is bit troubling...because, does he have historical evidence for all the "Europen saints"?????

Anonymous said...

We make saints and they make money for us. Win win.

Tom Varkey said...

Dear Blogger, please put the article below in the blog and not the one I sent yesterday. Thanks.

What! St. Thomas Never Came to Kerala? Who Cares? – Tom Varkey
Honestly speaking, I don’t understand what is all the commotion about Mar Thoma Cross! Even if it is true that St. Thomas did come to Kerala, still what is the big deal? I don’t mean to put him down nor am I downplaying the fact that St. Thomas came to India. St. Paul who is probably the greatest Apostle among all of Jesus’ Apostles asks: “What is Apollos, what is Paul? -- only servants, through whom you came to believe” (1 Cor. 3:5). He implies that since Jesus is the one who redeemed us by His death on the cross, no one else really matters in comparison with Jesus Christ. Simply put, Jesus is God and others are not.
St. Paul says in Col. 2:17 “everything else and everyone else is shadow of things that were to come.” The reality is Jesus and once He came, others have no value at all. This applies to all Apostles or anyone else in heaven or on earth. In 2 Cor. 10:5 St. Paul tells that our weapons are not worldly, but on the other hand, they are divine. Then he goes on to say that our objective in using these weapons is to bring all philosophies and ideologies into subordination under Jesus Christ. This is true when it comes to the Cross oe anything else whether principalities, authorities, bishops, Pope or anyone else or anything else. In Phi. 2 Paul tells us that Jesus alone is LORD and that every knee will bend in front of Him. Even the Syro-Malabar Bishops like Powathil and Mar Jacob Angadiath will have to admit and acknowledge that He alone is LORD and His Cross which is the Crucifix alone is the real Cross. Everything else is a mere shadow and those who do not treat them as shadows will themselves become shadows!
Remember for many years, the Israelites offered incense to the Asherah poles and the bronze snake which Moses had made for healing the rebellious Israelites who grumbled against Moses and were punished by the bites of the fiery serpents. God asked Moses to set up this bronze serpent on a pole so that whoever looks on it could be healed of serpent bite and live. But this was not to go on forever. However, nobody had the courage to crush it into pieces until Hezekiah, one of the most revered kings of Israel came along. In 2 Kings 18 we read that Hezekiah broke the bronze serpent into pieces and the Asherah poles to which the Israelites were offering incense for many years in the past. When Hezekiah broke the serpent into pieces, God was pleased with his heroic action. Therefore it says in 2 Kings 18 that God made him a king so great that there was no other king equal to him until that time. “He was (also) successful in everything he did” (2 Kings 18:7).

Tom Varkey said...

This is the second part of the article (tom Varkey)

In the Old Testament, the bronze serpent was a shadow of things to come in the New Testament. King Hezekiah put an end to this shadow when he destroyed it. Now the reality of this shadow found in Jesus Christ had to come as Jesus Himself prophesied in Jn. 3:14 when He said: “Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert for saving the Israelites bitten by the serpent, so also the Son of Man MUST be lifted up.” This is the reality being referred to in Col. 2:17. So we shouldn’t be thinking of any more shadows of the Crucifix either from the past or from the present even if it is one that originated after the death of Christ like the “Mar Thoma Cross”. These are all shadows. Just as God was pleased with Hezekiah, I am sure God is waiting for someone courageous enough to crush into pieces the Mar Thoma Cross from ALL our places of worship which is what we the supporters of the Crucifix want because God wants it!
Let us not go back to shadows again. Let us not offer any more incense to any shadows of the Crucifix even if that shadow came from St. Thomas or anybody else. A shadow is a shadow no matter where it came from even if it came from Mylapore or St. Thomas Mount in Madras. We are living in the reality behind the shadow which is long gone. This reality is the Crucifix on which our precious Savior hung. The Mar Thoma Cross is nothing but such a shadow. Jesus told us in Jn. 14 that He was going to prepare a mansion for us. Let us not lose this real mansion by going after a shadow. Remember the story of the dog which was going along a bridge and barked at its own image and lost the bone in its mouth? Let us show more prudence than this dog which went after a shadow and lost the real thing. We have too much to lose for all eternity which is a real mansion that Jesus has prepared for us. It is an awesome mansion “which the eye has not seen, the ears not heard nor the human heart has not comprehended” (1 Cor. 2). Believe me, it is more than worth all the fighting that we are putting up against Mar Angadiath and Powathil many times over!