On the Day July 3 72AD

Thomas the Apostle Dies in India

Khen Lim




Image source: catholic.az

When a fair-complexioned Jew by the strange name of Thomas arrived from the west in 52AD and taught of a new religion, many were willing to listen but not the Brahmin priests who were incensed because he was a threat to their control of the people, a threat that could seriously undermine their livelihood. After all, they were earning handsomely from the people whose faith was underpinned by their adherence and compliance to the pagan gods.

But the priests would have been amused at the same time. Here was a strange teaching of a criminal who was crucified and still treated as a hero of the people. If that weren’t foolish enough, the hero apparently came back to life and before that, he was with the people, performing miracles and spreading a very odd narrative about being able to live forever to the chagrin of his enemies!

Thomas (aka Didymus, meaning ‘the twin’) was one of Jesus’ original twelve apostles and he is forever recorded for everyone to read about in all four Gospels. However it was John who offered the best details about him. 

The first time we hear of Thomas was when Jesus learned of Lazarus’ death. On His intention to pay Mary and Martha a visit, every of His disciples protested because of the incredible risks   except Thomas who said, “Let us go too—and die with Jesus” (Jn 11:16). But that was not the only time his bravery was on show for he would again in his later life.

The next time Thomas spoke was at the Last Supper when Jesus revealed the shocking premonition that He must return to the Father. In his ignorance, he said, “Lord, we don’t know where You are going so how can we know the way?” (14:5) to which, Jesus famously replied, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one can come to the Father except through Me. If you had really known Me, you would know who My Father is. From now on, you do know Him and have seen Him!” (14:6)

Thomas may not have been present when a resurrected Christ appeared before His disciples but it was he who not only expressed his doubt about the authenticity of the resurrection but who was finally shown the wounds, as he demanded, by none other than his risen Master (20:25). To that, he was humbly fell to his knees and declared, “My Lord and my God” (20:28) and at that, became the world’s most famous and triumphant testimony of faith.

Following the descending of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles, Thomas took the Gospel to the east where it was said that he graced Iran and India with his presence. It was to India that much of what we know can be read on the Internet. 

The death of Thomas the Apostle (Image source: haaretz.com)

Equally so, most are convinced that on July 3 72AD, he died. However the details of his death still prove inconsistent. While he likely died in Mylapore near Madras (now Chennai), how he died remained a mystery. 

Some records suggest an angry pagan priest launched a spear that pierced his body while he was praying. 

Marco Polo claimed that he died accidentally through a badly-aimed arrow from a fowler who had intended to shoot at peacocks but somehow killed him instead. 

Ancient Marthoma Christians who revere him as their founder suggested he died from the spears of four soldiers. 

Yet in another account, it was said that he was thrust through with pine spears before he was then tortured with red hot plates on his body and the ultimately burnt alive because he would not deny Christ.

Sadly records of Thomas’ are today inconclusive because the Portuguese adventurers mistook the Christians of Malabar for heretics and hence destroyed all precious documents including those that pertained to Thomas’ life and death and so it’s near impossible to know where precisely he was interred whether it was Mylapore or Edessa or anywhere else.