Location: Situated in different places and a large amount from the St. Thomas Museum, Mailapore and other museums around the world.
Importance : Most of them have taken their role in foundig Christianity in Indian soil during different periods. Others are with equal importance that supoported the occassions and please go through the discription furnished below each item. Please let us know if there is any corrections or mistakes.

The Three Sassanian-Pahlvi Crosses in Malabar.

With two small bulging pillars ending in Ionic volutes at the top. Note the scallop shell at the top, under the curved curling ribbing.

It comes from the Cathedral grounds. What this was used for is not clear. Does the shell at the top perhaps hint that it was used to keep articles necessary for baptism? (a shell being perhaps used for pouring water on the person at baptism). Fr. Hosten says that no one at the time of his gathering these antiquities remembers this 'box' having been used in the old Cathedral.

I H S WHICH MEANS
'JESUS'. THIS WAS AT THE ENTRANCE OF THE OLD PARISH
HOME, IN THE PREMISES NOW CALLED
'DHYANA ASHRAM',
MYLAPORE.

At the entrance to what was once Parish Priest's private garden, in the premises of the present Dhyana Ashram was a gateway with stone pilasters and a lintel. On the inner surface of the lintel we see a Cross on a Calvary between two peacocks and on either side we see three eight-petalled rosaces.Although the peacock was a common Christian decoration in the West from the earliest times (cf. Painting representing 'Paradise' at the end of 3rd century A.D. in the Catacomb of Callixtus, also fresco in the Catacomb of St. Priscilla, 'Clothing a Virgin Dedicated to God') yet to us it has a special interest as it seems to link Christ and his cross in the Peacock Town-Mylai.Note the big stone lying near it is a Tomb stone-seems incompletely carved.Another, similar to it near are southern window is also a Tomb Stone.

THE MAP

 

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Note the map of India is dated 1519, i.e. before the Portuguese arrived in Mylapore.At the end of the arrow note the words in Latin: 'Hic Sepultus est Sanctus St. Thomas', i.e. Here is buried St. Thomas.This is a testimony not negligible-regarding the Tomb of St. Thomas in the present Cathedral. The statute of St. Peter-was once in the old Cathedral.

 

This was found in the San Thome Cathedral opposite the present north-west verandha. The department of Epigraphy, Madras judged (in 1923) placed it in the 12th century A.D. i.e. Raja Vikram Chola's time.

It registers a gift of land tax free for the burning of a lamp, at night, before the idol of Nataraja (Hindu God).

The stone is a fragment. Did the rest of the fragment refer to a similar gift for providing some revenue to the church which may have been near by?

We know that the ancient kings were not adverse to granting gifts even to sacred shrines other than Hindu!...

In Grrantha characters
12th century A.D

This stone was found some 100 yards to the west of the St. Thomas Cathedral.It has not been clearly interpreted.

NOT IDENTIFIED

FRAGMENT OF A TAMIL INSCRIPTION
Dated 12th century-
It was found on a block of granite, to the right of the last step leading to the main door of the San Thome Seminary now San Thome H. Sec. School Premises.

It seems to refer to a temple in Mylapore, dedicated to a Jain saint.

Not identified-seems to be some writing in Urdu letters.

THE STONES WITH CROSSES
Each with a cross, equal armed, containing a smaller equalarmed incised cross: round the cross a rope-border.

These were found in the Cathedral grounds. Old residents of Mylapore seem to have told Fr. Hosten, S.J. (who salvaged these old relics from the excavations he made around the Cathedral) that they stood formerly outside the old Cathedral in what was a burial gound, north of the present Cathedral.

It may be safely supposed that these crosses are pre-portuguese work.

An Armenian Priest residing in the present Armenian Church (Armenian Street, Madras) is said to have told Fr. Hosten, S.J. in 1923, that it is an Armenian practice to put crosses of stone in the walls of houses and churches.

A BENEFACTOR OF THE OLD CATHEDRAL
On the 1st February 1923, Rev. Fr. Hosten tells us, the Archaeological Department, Southern Circle, found a slab of granite about 36 inches long by 24 inches wide bearing a Portuguese inscription, while digging a trench in front of the Southern Verandha of the San Thome Cathedral, near the Baptistry. The inscription reads:-

Line (1) AQUAZVA 'Aqi jaz Va/sco Roiz C/avaleiro da
Line (2) SCOROIZC Casa d/el Rei Nos/o Snor, qu/e fez
Line (3) AVALEIRO esta c/paella e to/da esta fr/ontaria
Line (4) DACASAD (a) o longo da (r) va'.
Line (5) ELREINOS
Line (6) OSNOROV Translation:
Line (7) EFEZESTAC
Line (8) APELLAETO 'Here lies Vasco Roiz, Knight of the
Line (9) DAESTAFR King, our Lord's household, who made
Line (10) ONTARIAO this Chapel and the whole of this
Line (11) LONGODA facade along the street'.
Line (12) (R) VA

'Roiz' is the short of 'Rodrigues'. In line 12, only the upper part of the last two letters could be distinguished as the stone is chipped off below. They are in all probability VA. As these are the last letters of the word, the first is in all likelihood 'R' for then it forms the word 'RVA' (STREET) which seems the only suitable word in the context.

Which fecade did the good Knight build?

The tombstone of Cav. Vasca Roiz was found on the site of the Southern Porch of the Old Cathedral. (This was pulled down in 1892).

The tombstone, unfortunately is undated. Fr. Hosten thought the stone must be anterior to A.D. 1600.

RECORD ABOUT THE 'BLEEDING CROSS'
OF St. Thomas MOUNT

EM MEMORIA DA CRUS Q' AQUI SE ACHOU
POR REVEL ACAO CO HU VAZO CHEO DE
TERA. NO ANO DE 1596.
The full inscription for easy reading:COMO ESTA EM MEMORIA DA CRUS Q' AQUI SE
ACHOU CO HU VAZO CHEO DE TERA. NO ANO
DE 1596.
In current Portuguese: COMO ESTA E' EM MEMORIA DA CRUZ QUE AQUI
SE ACHOU POR REVELACAO COM UM VAZO CHEIO
DE TERRA. NO ANO DE 1596.
English Rendering: HOW THIS STONE IS IN MEMORY OF THE CROSS
WHICH WAS FOUND HERE BY REVELATION ALONG
WITH A VASE FULL OF EARTH. IN THE YEAR 1956.

This Stone was discovered in 1954 by the late Chancellor Msgr. Pereira de Andrade, in the compound of the present St. Patrick's Church.

THE GLORY OF MARY MOTHER OF JESUS

The base of the stone is 26 inches and the sides measure 27 inches. The inscription reads, 'LOWADA SEIA A PVRISSIMA CONCEICAO'. (Praised be the most pure Conception ). For Non-Christians and Non-Catholics, we must explain that this expression can only refer to the Virgin Mary whom, we believe, God made pure (free from original sin) from the earliest moment of her life.

SCRIPT: The script is not modern Portuguese. In               the first word, the 3rd letter 'V' is used for               'U' and joined on to the 4th letter 'V' ; also               in the 4th word, 'V' is used instead of 'U'.               Again 'I' is used instead of 'J' in the 2nd               word.
In modern Portuguese, it should be, ' LOUVADA SEJA A PURISSIMA CONCEICAO'.
THE DESIGN: The design is neatly carved and seems to be Indian.

In the centre, is a medallion which bears what appears to be an image of a bearded man wearing a tunic sitting cross-legged.To some he looks as if he is standing behind a pulpit. He appears to wear a cap and a low crown. He seems to have long hair which can be seen to the right of his head. The left-hand holds a Cross while the right-hand is raised in benediction.

This stone was got in 1935 from Mr. M. Daniels, 'Blue Wave', No. 29-Doming Lne, about half a mile to the South East of San Thome Cathedral.

Mr. M. Daniels found it in 1916 while digging the foundations for his house, which is very near to the spot where once stood the South Gate of the Portuguese Citadel.

THE DOUBLE FIGURE

This 'double figured' Massive pedestal, seems to have been, at one time, (it is difficult to fix the period) in the open air some where, the local Christians being in the habit of pouring oil on the head of the two figures.

Whom do these figures represent? Friar Paulinus, in his book 'Christian Oriental India', printed in Rome 1794 says that this Stone was found near the tomb of St. Thomas and describes one of the figures as St. Thomas, 'dressed in a garment falling down to the heels, holding in his left hand on his breast a book, and with the right hand in the pose of blessing or teaching'.

In 1729, the then Bishop of Mylapore Dom Joseph Pinheiro writes, in exactly the same strain, to the Bishop of Verapoly.

The figure seems to wear a girdle, part of which falls in front, below the knee, and a stole-like vesture winding round left hand.

The book held in the hand may be taken as an indication that the figure represents an apostle; for the apostles in olden times, both in the Greek and Latin Church were usually represented with a book.

The 'girdle' worn seems to identify him as St. Thomas. Both Syrian and local traditions (legend ?) have it that St. Thomas received our Lady's girdle after her Assumption.

This connection of the girdle with our Lady seems to have been taken for granted by Christians of Mylapore, all along the centuries. Thus we find Bishop John de Marignolli (about 1349 A.D.) recording it. It is also connected with the legend of the dragging of a huge log from the sea to the shore, which could not be moved even by elephants. St. Thomas is said to have used this girdle in order to pull it ashore.

THE FIGURE ON THE OTHER SIDE

The Christians seem to identify it with Kandappa Raja (Gondophores?) the supposed King of Mylapore whom St, St. Thomas may have converted. The figure is obviously bearded: seems to have also a girdle round the waist: a loose garment (shown by the triple wavy line in the background) which reappears round the left arm, down the left hip and up the right hip and hangs loose in front above the knees.

Do the wavy lines in the background represent a halo? It is not clear.

What appears to be like a top-knot may perhaps be an aureole (thus placed for the sake of perspective) because there is a grove all round the outer border. The left heel is raised as in the act of walking, while the right foot rests on the ground.

The left hand seems to hold a book or some instrument. If it is a book, the figure may represent an apostle too! Perhaps St. Bartholomew who is said to have brought to India
St. Mathew's Gospel, written in Hebrew!

Two Apostles of India! Though the Apostlate of St. Bartholomew in India is not yet as much proved as that of St. Thomas. It is rather significant that the new Divine Office (after Vatican II) has this note on 24th August: '…after the Lord's ascension tradition has it that he preached the gospel in India and there suffered martyrdom'. In fact Kalyan a place near Bombay is often said to be the place of his martyrdom.

This double-figure in stone is said to have been discovered somewhere near the tomb of St. Thomas when it was dug up in 1729. This is what Bishop Pinheiro (above mentioned) writes in his letter to the Bishop of Verepoly. It is said that originally this stone was kept in the open.

It is also known that when the Portuguese opened it in 1521-1523 it was not found there. How or when did it get there? A most probable explanation is that when the Christians were driven from Mylapore (by Muslims?) some time between 1430 and 1500 or at an earlier date it was buried not exactly in the tomb, but rather some where near it!

This figure of St. Thomas (& St. Bartholomew) seems to testify to the cult of the apostle even before the Portuguese came to India.

The date of the stone image, perhaps middle of 7th Century A.D.

St. Thomas' COINS

Gracia de Sa, Governor of the State of Goa ordered that in memory of St. Thomas special coins be minted in Goa in 1548. They were known as 'Santhomes'. On one side there was the effigy of St. Thomas with a carpenter's rule on his shoulder and on the reverse the Royel Portuguese Arms. In the beginning they were of gold. Similar silver coins were minted between 1551 to 1554. A collection of coins was seen in the Exhibition of National Industry held in 1861. In this collection one gold 'Santhome' was exhibited. (Cf. Resumo Historico da Vida de S. Francisco Xavier, by Filipe Nery Xavier, 1861).

Travernier, who was in Goa and Mylapore, gives us the picture of one of these 'Santhomes' minted in 1660.