In the footsteps of St Thomas: the Apostle of the East

The story of the early spread of Christianity is full of tales of amazing bravery, endurance and faith. But the most remarkable by far are the legends of St Thomas, who took the Gospel to India, according to traditions which first appear in the late 2nd century AD.

In this book Serena Fass tells us this story with a traveller’s eye and deep empathy across the roads of ancient Parthia and Gandhara to the palm forests of tropical South India. As a travellers tale alone it takes some beating. But of course it is much more.

Michael Wood, historian, author & TV filmmaker

PREFACE

St Thomas has always been my favourite Apostle, largely because of the story of his first doubting the Resurrection and then being convinced, something that probably applies to many of us in our walk with Jesus. And he was the most adventurous traveller of the eleven remaining disciples.

I have been a passionate traveller since childhood and have been fortunate enough to go to many of the places where St Thomas went, although in my case in comfort, by air, ship and car; in his, by boat, perhaps by horse or camel and on foot. I share his love of India. Little did I realise that my first visit in 1969 would lead me back me to  India nearly every year, often taking people with me to share its magic. Meeting Mother Teresa in Calcutta in 1971 was a life-changing experience.

When it was suggested that I compile this book, I realised that I had most of the material I needed if I wanted to follow in St Thomas’ footsteps: in the Middle East, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka and China; with countries like Syria and Iraq sadly being completely unvisitable now. Other places have been destroyed and places that I photographed then are not there to take now.

The many introductions I had during my recent journey in Kerala proved invaluable. Having compiled my book of the Magi and their journey, I was fully immersed in the Roman, Jewish and Parthian world of the first century AD.

Did Jesus’ Apostle Judas Thomas take the Gospel to the East in the middle of the first century? Did he only go to King Gondophares in Taxila (Parthia) in what is now Pakistan, but what was then Northern India and die there, as some think, or did he also go by ship to Kerala and evangelise Southern India and continue from there to Sri Lanka and  China? There are many compelling early accounts that say he did, as well as statements from Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Dr Rajendra Prasad, President of India, that the vibrant church of Thomas Christians in South India is a living witness that St Thomas did indeed bring the Good News to India, both North and South. Or did Christianity only reach Kerala with Persian Nestorian merchants in the 3rd and 4th centuries? Or with the Jewish Christian merchant Kanai Thomas, accompanied by 72 Syrian families in AD 345?

Let the reader decide which of these traditions is true and I hope they will enjoy the quest as much as I have.

Serena Fass,  Pentecost 2017.