Indian Antiquary Vol 32

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 21

JANUARY, 1903.) THE CONNECTION OF ST. THOMAS WITH INDIA.
251 10.
1 | 2nd cont.pl Syriac “Doctrine of the St. Thomas wrote letters from " India." H. Apostles."
evangelised "India" and countries bordering
on it. c. 170 Heracleon ... ... ... St. Thomas died a natural death. c. 210? Clementine Recognitions . St. Thomas evangelised the Parthians. 220 Clement of Alexandria .. St. Thomas died & natural death.
Origon ... ... ... St. Thomas evangelised the Parthians. Eusebius ... ... . Do
do
do, 378 St. Ephraem , .. St. Thomas was thartyred in India." His rolio
were part at Edessa, part in India. 389 St. Gregory Nazianzen St. Thomas evangelised India. 394 St. Gregory of N588a St. Thomas evangelised Mesopotamin. 397 St. Ambrose
St. Thomas was martyred. St. Asterias ... St. Thomas was martyred. St. John Chrysostom The locality of the grave of St. Thomas was
known to him. Rafinns ... ... St. Thomas evangelised Parthis. His relics were
at Edessa. St. Gaudentins
St. Thomas was martyred in India. Some of his
relics were at Brencia. St. Jerome ..
St. Thomas was in India. St. Paulinas of Nola St. Thomas was allotted India. 43 Sosomen ... ... ...He mentions the famous church of St. Thomas at
Edess, and perhaps implies that his relics
1 were there. 18 . 445 Socrates * ** *
Do. do.
do. St. Gregory of Tours ... St. Thomas was martyted in India; his relics
were translated to Edese and there was then existing a famous churoh in India, at the place where the body of the Apostle was first buried.
400
407
10
10
481
The early evidence is, then, that St. Thomas evangelised Parthia; and, apart from the Syriac “Doctrine of the Apostles," there does not seem to be any mention of "India" in connection with St. Thomas till we get to St. Ephraem (378) and St. Gregory Nazianzen (889), the two living in adjacent countries. The “Doctrine of the Apostles" would be more important if we could fix its date; from expressions used in it, it is thought to be of the 2nd century but Lipsias says " towards the end of the 4th cent," which would bring it to the time of St. Ephraem. See article in Smith and Wace's Dictionary of Christian Biography, etc., Vol. 1. London, 1877.
It will be noticed that in none of these ancient writings is there any mention whatever of the name of the place at which St. Thomas was martyred, - Calamina, w it appear in later and perhaps undateable writings. Of some of these, it is necessary now to give some account..
(To be continued.)