History of Early Christianity in India

THE HISTORY OF THE MALANKARA CHRISTIANS : M. M. NINAN
Other References to Thomas Christian Tradition
There are several references to Thomas' acts in India, which corroborates the
general validity of the story, though the Acts of Thomas is Gnostic
embellished apocryphal book.
St. Gregory of Naziaanzen (AD 329-390) refers to Thomas along with
other Apostles work in Contra Aranos et de Seipso Oratio
Ambrose of Milan (AD 333-397) wrote thus: "Even to those
Kingdoms which were shout out by rugged mountains became
accessible to them as India to Thomas, Persia to Mathew...." Ambrose
De Moribus. Brach.
Jerome (AD 342-420) wrote thus: "Jesus dwelt in all places; with
Thomas in India, with Peter in Rome, with Paul in Illyricum, with
Titus in Crete with Andrew in Achaia, with each apostolic man in
each and all countries." epistles of Jerome
Gregory, the Bishop of Tours (AD 538-593) in his In Gloria
Martyrdom writes: "Thomas, the Apostle, according to the history of
passion, is declared to have suffered in India. After a long time his
body was taken into a city which they called Edessa in Syria and there
buried. Therefore, in that Indian place where he firs rested there is a
monastery and a church of wonderful size, and carefully adorned and
arrayed."
Mar Solomon in 13th C wrote in his Book of the Bee as follows:
Thomas was from Jerusalem of the tribe of Juda. He taught the
Persians, Medes and the Indians; and because he baptized the
daughter of the King of the Indians he stabbed him with a spear and
died. Habban the merchant brought his body and laid it in Edessa, the
blessed city of our Lord. Others say that he was buried in Mahluph
(Mylapore) a city in the land of Indians.
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