St. Thomas – 19th Death Centenary
Technical Data
| Stamp Set | Death Centenary |
|---|---|
| Date of Issue | July 3, 1973 |
| Denomination | 20 nP |
| Quantity | 1500000 |
| Perforation | Comb 13 |
| Printer | Security Printing Press, Nashik |
| Watermark | No Watermark |
| Colors | Blue | Grey |
| Catalog Codes |
Michel IN 567 Stamp Number IN 583 Yvert et Tellier IN 369 Stanley Gibbons IN 687 |
| Themes | Anniversaries and Jubilees | Crosses | religion | |
The arrival of St. Thomas in India holds great significance, countering the common belief that Christianity was solely introduced to India by Western countries. During the same period when St. Peter and St. Paul traveled westward, St. Thomas journeyed eastward to India. After the death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ, His disciples gathered to discuss their mission to spread the Gospel worldwide. According to tradition, lots were cast to determine each disciple’s direction, and it fell to St. Thomas to go East.
St. Thomas initially ventured to the northwestern regions of India, believed to be the land of the Parthian king Gondophares during the early first century. However, there are scant traces of his activities in these areas, possibly due to the turmoil caused by the Kushan invasion around 47 A.D. Nonetheless, historical evidence points to St. Thomas’s arrival on the coast of Kerala, known for its abundant spice trade, around the year 52 A.D.
In Kerala, St. Thomas is said to have founded seven churches, including those at Palayur, Cranganore, Kottakavu (Parur), Kokkamangalam, Niranam, Nilakal, and Quilon. After his evangelization efforts on the west coast, he shifted his focus to the Coromandel coast in the east, with notable locations such as Mylapore, Little Mount, and St. Thomas Mount.
Despite facing persecution from the local king’s ministers, St. Thomas continued his mission, seeking refuge in the jungles of Little Mount and later at St. Thomas Mount. Tradition holds that he was martyred in 72 A.D. while praying before a stone cross he had carved, which is believed to have miraculously bled upon his embrace.
The cross associated with St. Thomas’s death, discovered during the Portuguese excavation of a new church on St. Thomas Mount, serves as the inspiration for the stamp commemorating the 1900th death anniversary of St. Thomas. The Posts and Telegraphs Department are honored to issue this stamp, acknowledging the enduring legacy of St. Thomas’s missionary work in India.