2017-08-14 Mon

One of the Twelve Apostles of Christ, St Thomas came to India at the same time when St Peter and St Paul proceeded west. The event of St Thomas arrival was consequential, he arrived first in the north-western part of India. But due to fall of King Gonophores’ Empire around 47 BC, ST Thomas sailed to the southern shores of the Indian peninsula.

He reached Kerala which was quite famous at that time due to its trade routes. He established Seven churches at Palayur, Cranganore, Kottakavu (Parur), Kokkamangalam, Niranam, Nilakal, and Quilon. After completing his mission on the west coast he shifted to the east coast of India.

On the eastern coast, he became the favourite of the King Mahadevan but the king’s jealous ministries killed him. Before his extermination, the Apostle carved a cross on the stone. During the digging done for the new church by Portuguese, this cross was found. The cross is now installed in that church called San Thomas Cathedral at Madras where he is buried.

The above-shown stamp depicts the same cross which is closely associated with the death of this Apostle. India Post has issued this commemorative stamp of the 1900th death anniversary of St Thomas and also on the occasion of the first visit of His Holiness Pope Paul VI to India to attend the 38th International Eucharistic Congress, which is being convened at Bombay (Mumbai).