11-29-2006, 10:39 PM
Did Thomas the Apostle visit South India?
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Did Thomas the Apostle visit South India?
Don Sebastian
Tuesday, November 28, 2006Â 23:34 IST
After Kerala's Syro-Malabar Church voices concern, Vatican corrects papal remark
Pope Benedict XVI, who became the target of global protest after his comments on Islam and Prophet Mohammed, faces dissent from among the flock for his rediscovery of history.
After the Syro-Malabar Church in Kerala voiced its concerns over the papal remark doubting Thomas the Apostleâs visit to south India, Vatican has corrected the speech in its official website.
The Pope, in a general audience at St Peterâs Square on September 27, said: âLet us remember that an ancient tradition claims that Thomas first evangelised Syria and Persia then went on to Western India from where Christianity also reached Southern India.â
The new version on the website supplants âChristianityâ with âheâ (St Thomas), returning to the old theory of the apostle's visit to south India. The Syro-Malabar Church, which accounts for 4 million of the 24 million Christians in India, objected to the Popeâs casual remarks made in a series of catechesis on the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ.
The Churchâs mouthpiece Sathyadeepam (Light of Truth), a fortnightly, ran an article on its November 19 issue criticising the Popeâs remarks.
The article titled âSt Thomas the apostle of India or of Pakistanâ written by Jesuit priest George Nedungattu reads: âPope Benedict may seem to distance himself from his predecessors, especially Pope John Paul II, who on several occasions has referred to St Thomas as the Apostle of India. <b>According to Pope Benedict XVI, however, the area St Thomas evangelised was not south India, but what he called âwestern India,â corresponding roughly to Pakistan today.â </b>
âPope Benedict XVI has the reputation of being a theologian, but this is not the same as competence in Church history. His negative stand does not erode the merit of the Indian tradition about St Thomas as the Apostle of India.â The priest, who is working with Oriental Pontifical Institute in Rome, sites sources from early Popes to former Indian Presidents Rajendra Prasad and Shankar Dayal Sharma to prove his point. In 1986, Pope John Paul II visited the Santhome Cathedral in Chennai, where St Thomas is believed to be buried in a crypt.
<b>Syro-Malabar Church, one of the three Catholic Churches in Kerala, claims to have been formed by those directly baptised by the apostle, who landed in Kerala in AD 52 and was martyred in Tamil Nadu in AD 72. But Latin Catholic Church, established in the 15th century, has been less insistent on the claim.</b>
âThe Popeâs statement is contrary to the views expressed by earlier Popes and official view of the Church. Earlier Popes acknowledged St Thomas as Apostle of India in their statements and records,â Father Paul Thelakat, chief editor of the fortnightly, said. Though there was no official rebuke to the papal theory, believers did not try to hide their resentment. Syro-Malabar Archbishop Joseph Powathil, however, said that âThe Pope has been misquoted.â
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<b>St THOMAS AND INDIAThe visit of St Thomas to India is an established fact. St Thomas was linked to King Gondophorus of Pakthia (a place in Pakistan) and this was considered a myth till the end of the 19th century, when coins bearing the name of Gondophorus were unearthed in Pakistan. The visit of St Thomas to India is considered a fact in all ancient Christian centers. The Malankara (Kerala) Syrian Orthodox Church based in Kerala was established by the Apostle himself and its Supreme Pontiff calls himself the spiritual successor of St Thomas. The head of the Syrian Orthodox Church is the only head of church who claims to be the successor of St Thomas.</b> There are no claimants to the throne of St Thomas anywhere else in the world. <b>The Syro Malabar Church came into being in the 16th century and it is composed of those who broke away from the ancient orthodox church of Kerala, under Portugese pressure.</b> However, the Syro Malabar Church claims that it was the church established by St Thomas. Nothing can be further from the truth. <b>The ancient church of Kerala had no links with Rome and did not even know that a personality called the Pope existed. The Kerala church had spiritual links only with the oriental churches of West Asia. Another indicator of the Kerala church's absolute lack of links with Rome is the usage of the semitic Syriac language for worship. Syriac is the language spoken by Christ and the Apostles and its usage indicates the connection it had with St Thomas. The Roman Church from the very beginning used Latin, the official language of the Roman empire. The churches established by St Thomas still exist in Kerala and they are all Orthodox Churches. </b>
By asha mathewWednesday, November 29, 2006<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
So something odd is in the future of TSP. While Hindus are willing to write off the TSP the Church wants to harvest them. This whole Thomas In India or Pakistan should be in geo-political thread as its not just a religious issue.
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Did Thomas the Apostle visit South India?
Don Sebastian
Tuesday, November 28, 2006Â 23:34 IST
After Kerala's Syro-Malabar Church voices concern, Vatican corrects papal remark
Pope Benedict XVI, who became the target of global protest after his comments on Islam and Prophet Mohammed, faces dissent from among the flock for his rediscovery of history.
After the Syro-Malabar Church in Kerala voiced its concerns over the papal remark doubting Thomas the Apostleâs visit to south India, Vatican has corrected the speech in its official website.
The Pope, in a general audience at St Peterâs Square on September 27, said: âLet us remember that an ancient tradition claims that Thomas first evangelised Syria and Persia then went on to Western India from where Christianity also reached Southern India.â
The new version on the website supplants âChristianityâ with âheâ (St Thomas), returning to the old theory of the apostle's visit to south India. The Syro-Malabar Church, which accounts for 4 million of the 24 million Christians in India, objected to the Popeâs casual remarks made in a series of catechesis on the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ.
The Churchâs mouthpiece Sathyadeepam (Light of Truth), a fortnightly, ran an article on its November 19 issue criticising the Popeâs remarks.
The article titled âSt Thomas the apostle of India or of Pakistanâ written by Jesuit priest George Nedungattu reads: âPope Benedict may seem to distance himself from his predecessors, especially Pope John Paul II, who on several occasions has referred to St Thomas as the Apostle of India. <b>According to Pope Benedict XVI, however, the area St Thomas evangelised was not south India, but what he called âwestern India,â corresponding roughly to Pakistan today.â </b>
âPope Benedict XVI has the reputation of being a theologian, but this is not the same as competence in Church history. His negative stand does not erode the merit of the Indian tradition about St Thomas as the Apostle of India.â The priest, who is working with Oriental Pontifical Institute in Rome, sites sources from early Popes to former Indian Presidents Rajendra Prasad and Shankar Dayal Sharma to prove his point. In 1986, Pope John Paul II visited the Santhome Cathedral in Chennai, where St Thomas is believed to be buried in a crypt.
<b>Syro-Malabar Church, one of the three Catholic Churches in Kerala, claims to have been formed by those directly baptised by the apostle, who landed in Kerala in AD 52 and was martyred in Tamil Nadu in AD 72. But Latin Catholic Church, established in the 15th century, has been less insistent on the claim.</b>
âThe Popeâs statement is contrary to the views expressed by earlier Popes and official view of the Church. Earlier Popes acknowledged St Thomas as Apostle of India in their statements and records,â Father Paul Thelakat, chief editor of the fortnightly, said. Though there was no official rebuke to the papal theory, believers did not try to hide their resentment. Syro-Malabar Archbishop Joseph Powathil, however, said that âThe Pope has been misquoted.â
More India headlines... Post your comment
Email Article  Print Article Search This Site    Â
Rate this articleCurrent Rating
2.3
Total 1 comment | View all commentsReaders' commentsPost your comment
<b>St THOMAS AND INDIAThe visit of St Thomas to India is an established fact. St Thomas was linked to King Gondophorus of Pakthia (a place in Pakistan) and this was considered a myth till the end of the 19th century, when coins bearing the name of Gondophorus were unearthed in Pakistan. The visit of St Thomas to India is considered a fact in all ancient Christian centers. The Malankara (Kerala) Syrian Orthodox Church based in Kerala was established by the Apostle himself and its Supreme Pontiff calls himself the spiritual successor of St Thomas. The head of the Syrian Orthodox Church is the only head of church who claims to be the successor of St Thomas.</b> There are no claimants to the throne of St Thomas anywhere else in the world. <b>The Syro Malabar Church came into being in the 16th century and it is composed of those who broke away from the ancient orthodox church of Kerala, under Portugese pressure.</b> However, the Syro Malabar Church claims that it was the church established by St Thomas. Nothing can be further from the truth. <b>The ancient church of Kerala had no links with Rome and did not even know that a personality called the Pope existed. The Kerala church had spiritual links only with the oriental churches of West Asia. Another indicator of the Kerala church's absolute lack of links with Rome is the usage of the semitic Syriac language for worship. Syriac is the language spoken by Christ and the Apostles and its usage indicates the connection it had with St Thomas. The Roman Church from the very beginning used Latin, the official language of the Roman empire. The churches established by St Thomas still exist in Kerala and they are all Orthodox Churches. </b>
By asha mathewWednesday, November 29, 2006<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
So something odd is in the future of TSP. While Hindus are willing to write off the TSP the Church wants to harvest them. This whole Thomas In India or Pakistan should be in geo-political thread as its not just a religious issue.