St Ephrem in many of his poems refers to the Indian mission of St Thomas. In his many hymns we find St Ephrem praising the Apostle Thomas and this testifies the fact India is the field of his evangelization, death and burial. In particular, he articulates the contemporary living tradition in Edessa on the relics of the Apostle and on his mission in India. Ephrem’s concentration is on the theme of translation of Thomas’ relics to Edessa, which was a very great event in the history of the Edessan Church. That is the reason why Ephrem devotes a lot of time and energy for the description of this event in his various writings.
In the Carmina Nisibena 42 Ephrem sings of the transfer of the relics of the apostle from India to Edessa. This hymn is composed of 10 stanzas which is a complaint on the part of the devil about his defeat in the face of the work of redemption realized by Jesus and continued by his apostles. The first four stanzas deal with Thomas and the rest with the other apostles. In three more hymns we find Ephrem praising St Thomas and India. These hymns are not given special titles. Therefore, they are treated as Madrasha (Hymn) I, Madrasha II and Madrasha III. Madrasha I or Hymn I of St Ephrem is full with notes regarding Thomas and India. They are testimonies to the Indian mission of St Thomas. Madrasha II is another collection of hymns of St Ephrem, which are related to the Indian Church history. Madrasha II consists of eight stanzas, except the IV and V, where also we read about St Thomas. Madrasha III of St Ephrem is another source to study the ancient history of the Indian Church. This hymn has all together six stanzas. In this hymn in three stanzas we find references to St Thomas and India.
There is still another collection of hymns called Hymni Dispersi V, VI and VII. These hymns too contain some references to St Thomas. The Memre for New Sunday, another set of hymns, also gives references to Thomas. It is a very beautiful, poetical and impressive text exalting the memory of Thomas. According to this text his behaviour was a kind of love for Jesus, which expresses itself by touching. Thomas is sad because the Lord appeared to the others and bestowed on them the joy to see Him and receive the Holy Spirit. Jesus responds to this love.
We find Ephrem extolling Edessa for having obtained the relics of the apostle Thomas from India, ‘a country celebrated for its pearls’. According to him Edessa has now acquired this pearl. The facts relating to the apostle with his mission and death in India are not attested by the one individual St Ephrem, but by the whole church of Edessa. Ephrem was not merely presenting his personal views on the subject, but putting forward through the hymns the knowledge and the beliefs of the people of a nation. Since most of these hymns were incorporated in the Liturgy of the Syrian Church, and were sung frequently in the churches, they give emphatic support to the facts of the Indian mission of St Thomas.
Rev. Dr. James Puliurumbil
