India and the apostle Thomas

Was Thomas ever in India?

Or was all that simply legend of Thomas or church traditions?

Are there anyway way to verify Thomas residing in India during his ministry?

“Verify”, as meaning, independent sources, preferably historical records over church legends. I find church traditions to be unreliable, and often fabrication to help with conversion numbers. I am trying to distinguish facts from legends.

gnostic said:

Was Thomas ever in India?

Or was all that simply legend of Thomas or church traditions?

Are there anyway way to verify Thomas residing in India during his ministry?

“Verify”, as meaning, independent sources, preferably historical records over church legends. I find church traditions to be unreliable, and often fabrication to help with conversion numbers. I am trying to distinguish facts from legends.

Click to expand...

There are no independant historical records of the lives of any of the Apostles let alone where they preached or where. They are folkloric characters.

gnostic said:

Was Thomas ever in India?

Or was all that simply legend of Thomas or church traditions?

Are there anyway way to verify Thomas residing in India during his ministry?

“Verify”, as meaning, independent sources, preferably historical records over church legends. I find church traditions to be unreliable, and often fabrication to help with conversion numbers. I am trying to distinguish facts from legends.

Click to expand...

Good luck.

You could, I suppose, start with all the Wikipedia references and track back to see if any help. Thomas the Apostle - Wikipedia

gnostic said:

Was Thomas ever in India?

Or was all that simply legend of Thomas or church traditions?

Are there anyway way to verify Thomas residing in India during his ministry?

“Verify”, as meaning, independent sources, preferably historical records over church legends. I find church traditions to be unreliable, and often fabrication to help with conversion numbers. I am trying to distinguish facts from legends.

Click to expand...

All I know about it is what a history teacher told us. (No sources.)
When western sailors first reached India, they were surprised to find a Christian church. The Indians told them they were Christianized by Thomas.
Never verified or falsified that story. But Vasco da Gama would be a source to look for.

sun rise said:

Good luck.

You could, I suppose, start with all the Wikipedia references and track back to see if any help. Thomas the Apostle - Wikipedia

Click to expand...

I did try Wikipedia, but that was years ago.

I don’t know if they have updated the page since then.

I was hoping for someone here who would know more or could shift only relevant information to me.

@gnostic


Look at Wiki again as @sun rise has linked.
I also found this, which might be of help
Various historical records and traditions indicate that Thomas traveled by sea to India in AD 52. He was later martyred and buried there after witnessing to the Indian people. The tomb of St. Thomas is in Mylapore, India. A poet, St. Ephrem, recorded in his hymns and poetry that Thomas worked miracles in the Indian city of Edessa. A Syrian ecclesiastical calendar has an entry which reads, “3 July, St. Thomas who was pierced with a lance in ‘India.’ His body is in Urhai (Edessa) having been brought there by the merchant Khabin.” A tradition observed by the people of Edessa honors Thomas, calling him “the Apostle of India.” Many other accounts and traditions mention Thomas in connection with India.
See full link Did the Apostle Thomas (St. Thomas) take the gospel all the way to India? | GotQuestions.org.

Also. @paarsurrey might know something on this as in his religion (Ahmadi Islam), they believe the Jesus travelled to and lived in India, I read the book several decades ago and don't remember the details.
The book "Jesus in India" is online, so you can google it.

Hope this is of some help.

gnostic said:

I did try Wikipedia, but that was years ago.

I don’t know if they have updated the page since then.

I was hoping for someone here who would know more or could shift only relevant information to me.

Click to expand...

One may like to read the following:
"Debate on the Apostolate of St. Thomas in Kerala: A Response"
Dr.Pius Malekandathil
Professor in History
JNU, New Delhi
(Pius Malekandathil,”Debate on the Apostolate of St.Thomas in Kerala: A Response”, in Journal of St.Thomas Christians, vol. 29, no.2, July-December , 2018, pp.32-58)
Debate on the Apostolate of St. Thomas in Kerala: A Response Nasranis

Please go through the articles on the< - Saint Thomas Christians history, traditions, heritage and culture. >of the Syriac Christianity, one may find many clues of one's interest.

Regards