Churches in India celibrate St Thomas day on July 3rd every year.Significance of this date is that on this date theHoly relics of St Thomas was brought to Edessa in the later part of 4th Centuary and was placed in a Church there.The Churches in Middle east started celebrating st thomas day from that date onwards.looking at things from their point of view,one cannot fault this,although the Dukhorno of a saint should ideally be on the day of martyrdome .St Peater and St Pauls Dukharono is on 29th June,the day when the lent for the Apostles conclude.This also doesnot coincide with the martyredome date of the Apostles.
The Church in India blindly followed the Churches in Middle east and west and started celibrating the Dukharono of St Thomas either without realising or overlooking the fact that actualyy they are celibrating the loss of Holy relics of their patron saint from their soil!!!Church in Edessa has reason to celibrate that day since they got the holy relics of their patron saint on that day-it is a day of great gain for them.Atleast the Orthodox Church in India should shift St Thomas day to a more appropriate date.The day of Martyrdome of St Thomas is 21st December,which is very close to Christmas.Whynot consider16th June,the starting date of the lent of Apostles? Or the sunday after Easter when St Thomas made the declration of faith"My Lord and My God"?.Malayattoor Church and St.Thomas Church(Populerly known as Kurishupally) at Kottayam are celibrating the Perunal of St Thomas on that day.The Holy Synod of MOC should seriously consider this point and take suitable steps.
I am not making this request to Puthan Cruz Society since it is not clear asto whether they regard St Thomas as an Apostle or not.Patriarch Yakoob III declared him as not even Kahanotho(Priest).But HH's successor,HH Zacha I has found it appropriate to include the name of St Thomas alongwith St Peater and St.Paul in the Thubdhen.Dr Babu paul who claims to be the concience keeper of the Patriarch says that the present Patriarch is correcting the mistake of his predicessor in a subtle way.Ther is no guarentee that a successor of Patriarch Zacha I willnot "correct the mistake "of Zacha I in a more subtle way.It is another matter whether Appostles have to be at the mercy of Patrirchs for their position which the "Lord and my God"has given them.
The Church in India blindly followed the Churches in Middle east and west and started celibrating the Dukharono of St Thomas either without realising or overlooking the fact that actualyy they are celibrating the loss of Holy relics of their patron saint from their soil!!!Church in Edessa has reason to celibrate that day since they got the holy relics of their patron saint on that day-it is a day of great gain for them.Atleast the Orthodox Church in India should shift St Thomas day to a more appropriate date.The day of Martyrdome of St Thomas is 21st December,which is very close to Christmas.Whynot consider16th June,the starting date of the lent of Apostles? Or the sunday after Easter when St Thomas made the declration of faith"My Lord and My God"?.Malayattoor Church and St.Thomas Church(Populerly known as Kurishupally) at Kottayam are celibrating the Perunal of St Thomas on that day.The Holy Synod of MOC should seriously consider this point and take suitable steps.
I am not making this request to Puthan Cruz Society since it is not clear asto whether they regard St Thomas as an Apostle or not.Patriarch Yakoob III declared him as not even Kahanotho(Priest).But HH's successor,HH Zacha I has found it appropriate to include the name of St Thomas alongwith St Peater and St.Paul in the Thubdhen.Dr Babu paul who claims to be the concience keeper of the Patriarch says that the present Patriarch is correcting the mistake of his predicessor in a subtle way.Ther is no guarentee that a successor of Patriarch Zacha I willnot "correct the mistake "of Zacha I in a more subtle way.It is another matter whether Appostles have to be at the mercy of Patrirchs for their position which the "Lord and my God"has given them.
