St Thomas Cross is the common name for the decorated crosses which were used by the St. Thomas Christian community in India. Even though there are no evidences for any direct links to St. Thomas, these crosses are attributed to St Thomas, due to the fact that they took shape in and were widely used among the St. Thomas Christians.
When we analyse the St. Thomas Cross, based on the recent developments in iconography and sculptures, we can see the beautiful depiction of the holy Trinity. The empty Cross, without the crucified Jesus, symbolizes the resurrected Son of God, Iesho Mishiha. The descending dove symbolizes the Ruha D' Qudisha (Holy Spirit). In the early Christian archaeology and iconography, God the Father was depicted in and through His creations like leaves, fruits, flowers, animals etc. Hence the lotus flower/leaves on which the Cross is erected symbolizes our God, the Heavenly Father. Thus we could say that the St Thomas Cross is a beautiful depiction of the Holy Trinity.
Some people argue that these crosses were imported from Persia. But the granite on which these Crosses were carved are all local granite. And the use of the same decorations in the contemporary sculptures of other religions (especially in Buddhism) points to the Indian origin of this cross. Some started allegations linking this Holy Cross to Manichean-ism. It should be noted that there is no historical evidence for the use of the Cross in any form by the Manechaens.
Many accounts of the travelers and missionaries testify to the wide use of such decorated crosses among the St Thomas Christian community.
The letter of Alvaro Penteado to the king of Portugal in 1516-1517 says, “In their churches, they have crosses on the altars and on the roofs; they do not have statues or reliefs”.
"And the old Churches were all built like the temples of the gentiles, but all full of Crosses like of the miraculous Cross of Mylapore, which they call Cross of St. Thomas, from which it can be seen how old is the veneration of this Cross, and its devotion, than at the time when it was found by the Portuguese; for the old Churches built by these Christians, many years before the Portuguese came out to India, were all adorned by them, both with painting and with sculpture." -Jornada of Dom Alexis De Menezis, Antonio De Gouvea (1600)
From all these narratives, it is clear that this decorated cross was venerated in the Madbaha (Altar) of the Churches of St. Thomas Christians. But in the course of time, after the 16th century, these crosses disappeared from the Churches. There could be be different reasons for this.
1) Portuguese might have destroyed these crosses, during the period of conflicts with the St. Thomas Christians (As evident from the broken Cross discovered from Goa)
2) St. Thomas Christians might have hidden the Crosses from the Portuguese, who were trying to destroy them.
3) It might be due to the imposed Portuguese theology. The Portuguese might have imposed their theology and cross among the faction of St Thomas Christians under them. They might have built the Churches and kept the Latin Cross/Crucifix when the old churches of the St. Thomas Christians were renovated. Similarly the Antiochean Cross might have replaced the St. Thomas Crosses in the Churches of St. Thomas Christians, who were then under the control of the Antioch Church. As a consequence, the forgotten St. Thomas Cross might have disappeared. ( The cross of Alangad was found abandoned, lying like a mile stone on the road side. )
At present these crosses are found in St. Thomas Mount Chennai (Mylapore Cross), Goa, Anuradhapura (Srilanka), Alangad, Muttuchira, Kothanalloor, Kottayam and Kadamattom.
What ever be the reasons behind their disappearance, it is clear that these Crosses were venerated in the most holy place, the Madbaha (Altar) of all the Churches of St. Thomas Christians. There were no statues, Crucifixes or anything else but these beautiful decorated crosses.
When we analyse the St. Thomas Cross, based on the recent developments in iconography and sculptures, we can see the beautiful depiction of the holy Trinity. The empty Cross, without the crucified Jesus, symbolizes the resurrected Son of God, Iesho Mishiha. The descending dove symbolizes the Ruha D' Qudisha (Holy Spirit). In the early Christian archaeology and iconography, God the Father was depicted in and through His creations like leaves, fruits, flowers, animals etc. Hence the lotus flower/leaves on which the Cross is erected symbolizes our God, the Heavenly Father. Thus we could say that the St Thomas Cross is a beautiful depiction of the Holy Trinity.
Some people argue that these crosses were imported from Persia. But the granite on which these Crosses were carved are all local granite. And the use of the same decorations in the contemporary sculptures of other religions (especially in Buddhism) points to the Indian origin of this cross. Some started allegations linking this Holy Cross to Manichean-ism. It should be noted that there is no historical evidence for the use of the Cross in any form by the Manechaens.
Many accounts of the travelers and missionaries testify to the wide use of such decorated crosses among the St Thomas Christian community.
The letter of Alvaro Penteado to the king of Portugal in 1516-1517 says, “In their churches, they have crosses on the altars and on the roofs; they do not have statues or reliefs”.
"And the old Churches were all built like the temples of the gentiles, but all full of Crosses like of the miraculous Cross of Mylapore, which they call Cross of St. Thomas, from which it can be seen how old is the veneration of this Cross, and its devotion, than at the time when it was found by the Portuguese; for the old Churches built by these Christians, many years before the Portuguese came out to India, were all adorned by them, both with painting and with sculpture." -Jornada of Dom Alexis De Menezis, Antonio De Gouvea (1600)
From all these narratives, it is clear that this decorated cross was venerated in the Madbaha (Altar) of the Churches of St. Thomas Christians. But in the course of time, after the 16th century, these crosses disappeared from the Churches. There could be be different reasons for this.
1) Portuguese might have destroyed these crosses, during the period of conflicts with the St. Thomas Christians (As evident from the broken Cross discovered from Goa)
2) St. Thomas Christians might have hidden the Crosses from the Portuguese, who were trying to destroy them.
3) It might be due to the imposed Portuguese theology. The Portuguese might have imposed their theology and cross among the faction of St Thomas Christians under them. They might have built the Churches and kept the Latin Cross/Crucifix when the old churches of the St. Thomas Christians were renovated. Similarly the Antiochean Cross might have replaced the St. Thomas Crosses in the Churches of St. Thomas Christians, who were then under the control of the Antioch Church. As a consequence, the forgotten St. Thomas Cross might have disappeared. ( The cross of Alangad was found abandoned, lying like a mile stone on the road side. )
At present these crosses are found in St. Thomas Mount Chennai (Mylapore Cross), Goa, Anuradhapura (Srilanka), Alangad, Muttuchira, Kothanalloor, Kottayam and Kadamattom.
What ever be the reasons behind their disappearance, it is clear that these Crosses were venerated in the most holy place, the Madbaha (Altar) of all the Churches of St. Thomas Christians. There were no statues, Crucifixes or anything else but these beautiful decorated crosses.
