Saint Thomas, Apostle of India

Saint Thomas, one of Jesus' twelve apostles, came to India about 52 CE and probably preached initially to the Jewish merchant communities in the cities of King Gudnaphars Scytho-Indian Empire which included the Punjab. He also went south and founded churches in Kerala which still survive and whose adherents, followers of the Syrian Orthodox rite, call themselves St Thomas' Christians. St Thomas was speared to death, according to one tradition, at the orders of the Madrassi king and his remains are interred in the cathedral bearing his name at Mylapore just outside the city of Madras.

The legend of Saint Thomas' palace

Jesus had told his disciples that they must take his message and tell it to the people of all the world. Now here was Thomas in India many miles from home and wishing that he'd never come. Thomas walked the streets of the city of Takshasila in the Punjab where King Gudnaphar ruled his empire. Thomas needed work and asked if there was a job for a builder, for he could work with wood and stone.

Thomas was overheard by one of the King's men: 'You're a builder from Jerusalem? What luck! My master, King Gudnaphar wants a palace built as fine as the palace of King Solomon in Jerusalem. You're just the man we need;' So Thomas was brought before the King. 'Tell me what you can do,' said Gudnaphar. 'In wood, your majesty, I can make ploughs, yokes, balances and pulleys, oars and masts and ships. In stone I can make pillars, temples and palaces.'

'You are indeed the man for the job,' said the delighted King.

Gudnaphar took his new builder to the place some miles from the city where his new palace was to be built. The land there was covered with trees and some of it was marshy. 'I shall want you to start right away and build me a palace as beautiful as the famous palace of King Solomon.'

'I can build you a palace, your majesty , but I won't be able to start until November. I shall have it finished by April, however.

'That would be fast work indeed,' said the King, but you can't work through the winter. You must start now while the weather is good.
'I'm afraid it's that or nothing,' said Thomas.

The King agreed and when he finally saw the plans of the palace Thomas drew for him he knew it would be a palace worth waiting for. As November drew near King Gudnaphar sent a very large sum of money to Thomas so that he could employ workers to begin clearing the trees and so that he could buy the very best woods and stone to build his wonderful palace.

But as soon as Thomas had the money he began to go round the poor villages nearby, giving the hungry money for food, giving the sick money for medicines; Thomas paid for houses for the homeless and he made sure that orphans, widows and old people were properly cared for.

As the months went by the money began to run out but there was no sign of any palace. King Gudnaphar sent more money so that Thomas could buy gold for the walls, marble for the floors, silver for the lamps; and Thomas gave all of it to the poor people of the villages. As April came to an end the King set out to see his new palace, built for him in record time by Thomas from Jerusalem. Gudnaphar could think of nothing else. You can imagine his shock when he stood at the place where his palace should have been. He could see the trees all still standing and the marshy ground, but he could see no sign of a palace.

He asked a passer-by if he had seen Thomas. The King would like a word with him. 'You mean Thomas who has given money to the poor and hungry, who has looked after the sick and found homes for the homeless. He eats nothing himself but bread and water and he travels from village to village telling people about Jesus.' 'That's all very well but I can see no sign of my palace.'

'But haven't you seen the happiness on the faces of the people hereabouts,' replied the man.

Thomas was soon found by the King's soldiers and brought before him. And when the King demanded to see his new palace, Thomas calmly answered, 'You will certainly see the palace I have built you. But it is not an earthly palace. It is a palace in people's hearts, a heavenly palace that you will not see in this life.' King Gudnaphar was disappointed and angry .He ordered Thomas the builder to be dragged off to prison.

'You have made a fool of me and wasted my money,' said Gudnaphar. 'You will die a horrible death. Your skin will be stripped off piece by little piece, and then you will be burned alive.'

Thomas was taken away saying, 'I shall fear nothing, only believe in God.'

That very night Prince Gad, the brother of the King was suddenly taken seriously ill and in the early hours of the morning he died. His soul was taken to Heaven where the angels told him that he could choose a heavenly palace to live in. Prince Gad looked at all the beautiful buildings and soon noticed one that was more magnificent than all the rest. 'I should like to spend forever in a palace like that,' said Gad.

'That palace was built for your brother Gudnaphar by Thomas the builder who has cared for the poor with the King's money " said the angels.
As King Gudnaphar lay sleeping his brother, Prince Gad appeared before him and told him of the wonderful palace that Thomas had built for him in Heaven. The King understood and leaped out of bed waking his guards with orders to set Thomas free immediately. From that day Gudnaphar gave his money generously to the poor and continued to build his palace in Heaven.

The Common Prayer:

You are holy, O God,
You are holy, Almighty Lord
You are holy, Ever-living Lord.
You were born for us -have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Lord, be kind and merciful to us.
Lord, accept our worship and our prayers
and have mercy on us.
Glory to You, O God.
Glory to You the Maker of Everything.
Glory to You, Christ the King,
You show loving-kindness to us your sinful servants. Bless us, Lord.
(from the Kauma of the Malabar Jacobite Church)