Did Thomas Go To India?
Someone from church just asked me on a connect slip if the apostle Thomas went to India. I’d heard the claim before, but never done the research. Here’s what I’ve been able to gather (and I’ve probably spent too much time on this than I should have, given how busy me week is, but, also, nowhere near enough time, given the wealth of literature out there).
Did Thomas go to India? Maybe.
🏛️ 1. Early Church Historians and Writings
Eusebius of Caesarea (c. 260–340 AD)
In his Ecclesiastical History (Book 3.1.1), Eusebius states that the apostles divided the world for evangelism and that Thomas received “Parthia” as his lot, which included regions extending toward modern-day Iran and potentially India. He writes:
Parthia, according to tradition, was allotted to Thomas as his field of labour, Scythia to Andrew, and Asia to John, who, after he had lived some time there, died at Ephesus.
Origen (c. 184–253 AD)
According to Eusebius (Book 3.1.2), Origen confirmed this idea in his Commentary on Genesis. Unfortunately, this commentary hasn’t survived in full, and this particular detail is preserved only through Eusebius. A shame.
Parthia was a region in northeastern Iran, not India, though it bordered areas that connected to the Indian subcontinent. When Origen (via Eusebius) says Thomas went to Parthia, it likely refers to his mission in the eastern regions, which later tradition more specifically locates in India.
Acts of Thomas (early 3rd century)
The Acts of the Holy Apostle Thomas narrates that when the apostles divided the world for mission, “by lot, then, India fell to Judas Thomas, also called Didymus.” Initially reluctant, Thomas was like, “how can I, being an Hebrew man, go among the Indians to proclaim the truth?” but Jesus appeared to him and assured him, “Fear not, Thomas; go away to India, and proclaim the word; for my grace shall be with you.” A merchant named Abbanes, sent from King Gundaphoros of India to find a carpenter, then “purchased” Thomas from Jesus and brought him to India. There, Thomas performed miracles, preached the gospel, built a palace for the king, and led many to faith in Christ.
This book is kind of random and has apocryphal, legendary vibes. Nevertheless, some scholars believe it preserves a kernel of historical truth. More on that later.
🏛️ Later Significant Testimonies
Gregory of Nazianzus (c. 329–390 AD)
In his Oration 33.11, Gregory of Nazianzus writes:
Be it that Judæa is Peter's home; what has Paul in common with the Gentiles, Luke with Achaia, Andrew with Epirus, John with Ephesus, Thomas with India, Marc with Italy, or the rest, not to go into particulars, with those to whom they went?
Ambrose of Milan (c. 340–397 AD)
A lot of people claim that Ambrose of Milan said that Thomas preached in India, but it’s hard to find any firsthand evidence of this.
Jerome (c. 347–420 AD)
In Jerome’s letter to Marcella, Letter LIX, he writes:
Christ, therefore, was at one and the same time with the apostles and with the angels; in the Father and in the uttermost parts of the sea. So afterwards he was with Thomas in India, with Peter at Rome, with Paul in Illyricum, with Titus in Crete, with Andrew in Achaia.
📚 Modern Scholarly Support
📘 A. E. Medlycott – India and the Apostle Thomas (1905)
Bishop A. E. Medlycott presents a comprehensive defence of the tradition that the Apostle Thomas evangelised in India. He argues that the presence of Christian communities in India and local traditions supports the claim of Thomas's mission. He states:
It is confidently hoped that the evidence adduced will uphold the truth of the tradition that Thomas suffered martyrdom in India: thence it will follow that his tomb ought to be found in India.
Page vi
He also references the discovery of coins bearing the name of King Gondophares, mentioned in the Acts of Thomas, as corroborative evidence.
📗 Stephen Neill – A History of Christianity in India: The Beginnings to AD 1707 (1984)
Stephen Neill approaches the tradition with scholarly caution but acknowledges its historical significance. He notes that the Acts of Thomas is the earliest literary source linking Thomas to India and that the tradition has been maintained by Indian Christians for centuries. On pages 48-49, Neill writes:
The story of the ancient church of the Thomas Christians is of great significance for the whole history of Christianity in India. It is to be regretted that, when all the evidence has been collected and sifted, much remains uncertain and conjectural. What history can offer, here as elsewhere, is not certainty but probability in various degrees:
It is almost certain that there were well-established churches in parts of South India not later than the beginning of the sixth century and perhaps from a considerably earlier date; but it is probable that these were at least in part churches of foreigners, worshipping in Syriac and cared for by foreign priests and bishops.
There is a possibility that already existing Christian forces in India were strengthened by a considerable immigration in the first half of the fourth century, and it is at least possible that the immigrants came intending to join themselves to Christian groups, of the existence of which they were already aware.
It is probable that a part at least of the indigenous element in the Indian church belonged originally not to Kerala but to the Pandiyan kingdom. The continuance over many centuries of the tradition associating St Thomas with Mylapore suggests that the first Christianisation of that area goes back to very early times.
There are traces of the existence of Christian communities in other parts of India, but these are uncertain, and do not suggest that continuity of which we have clearer evidence in the south.
When the Christian community in Kerala emerges into the clear light of history, it seems to have been a rather prosperous, indeed wealthy, body, enjoying the favour of the local rulers, and with guarantees for protection against injury.
There is no clear evidence of attempts by the Indian Christian community to propagate its faith in the non-Christian society in the midst of which it had its existence.
For the first three centuries of the Christian era we have nothing that could be called clear historical evidence—references to India may relate to countries that would not today be called India.
It is possible that in this dark period the apostle Thomas came to India and that the foundation of the Indian church goes back to him; we can only regret the absence of any sure historical evidence to support this view.
Millions of Christians in South India are certain that the founder of their church was none other than the apostle Thomas himself. The historian cannot prove to them that they are mistaken in their belief. He may feel it right to warn them that historical research cannot pronounce on the matter with a confidence equal to that which they entertain by faith.
In other words, there is no definitive historical evidence that the apostle Thomas came to India, but the various traditions and early Christian presence suggest the possibility. Millions of South Indian Christians firmly believe Thomas founded their church, a belief that, though unverifiable, persists with conviction beyond the reach of historical proof.
📙 George Menachery – The St. Thomas Christian Encyclopaedia of India
As editor of this encyclopaedia, George Menachery argues that Thomas most likely did travel to South India to preach the Gospel, with both Indian and Western traditions supporting this view. While the Acts of Thomas is a romanticised, apocryphal text, it “contains a historical nucleus” (page 4) reflecting early oral tradition about his mission. The living testimony of the Thomas Christian community, the tomb at Mylapore, and consistent early sources make his Indian apostolate “not just a possibility but a probability” (page 4). He adds:
The conclusion seems to be inevitable: St. Thomas the Apostle preached the Gospel in South India.
He argues that, first, although the Acts of Thomas is an apocryphal and highly stylised text, it likely preserves early oral traditions and provides the earliest written account of Thomas’ mission to India.
He argues that many early church figures affirm the tradition, though annoyingly doesn’t give us any footnotes to the references:
The early references to St. Thomas in India are chronologically: Syriac Acts of Thomas (c. 200); 3rd century: Clement of Alexandria; Syriac Doctrine of the Apostles, Origen (c. 231, quoted in Eusebius); 4th cent.: Arnobius (305), Eusebius of Caesarea (d. 340), Ephrem (d. 373), Gregory of Nazianzus (d. 389), Cyrillonas (396), Ambrose (d. 397), “De Transitu Mariae”; 5th cent.: Gaudentius of Brescia (d. after 406), Jerome (d. 420), Theodoret of Cyrus (427), Paulinus of Nola (d. 431), “Martyrologium Hieronymianum’” (mid-5th cent.), Balai (d.c. 460); 6th cent.: Jacob of Sarug (d. 521), “Passio Thomae” (c. 550), Gregory of Tours (d. 594); 7th cent.: John of Saba (c. 630), Isidore of Seville (d. 636), etc.
Footnote 3, page 8.
He also argues that in India itself, a strong local tradition among the St. Thomas Christians has long preserved the memory of the Apostle, with key sites like Little Mount and Mylapore being venerated as places of his martyrdom and burial. He reckons the journey is also historically plausible, as well-established trade routes in the first century connected the Roman Empire with South India by land and sea. Taken together, these sources make a compelling case that St. Thomas did indeed bring the Gospel to South India.
Conclusion
So, did Thomas go to India? Maybe. It’s plausible, but not certain.
