000 Titelei - TOBIAS-lib - Universität Tübingen

ordained from some of the converted families, the Apostle crossed over to the east
coast or Coromandel coast. After preaching the Gospel and founding churches there,
he went to Malacca and China. When he returned to the Coromandel coast from this
journey, he was assassinated near Mylapore in Madras in A.D. 72.
190
8 DIE SOG. ›TRAVANCORE 856 -TRADITION‹ VOM WIRKEN DES APOSTELS JUDAS-
THOMAS IN SÜD-INDIEN UND CHINA 857 .
In the year 52 A.D., the Apostle Thomas arrived in Muziris by sea, from the island
Socotra. He preached to the people; made many converts; organised seven churches;
and ordained two presbyters. He next went to the east coast and preached there with
success, the king as well as considerable numbers of the people accepting baptism.
Thereafter he paid a visit to China, and won many for Christ. But when he returned to
the east coast of India, he had so much success in his work that the Brahmans of the district
were filled with envy and anger; and, in a sudden riot, one of them pierced him
with a lance, and he won a martyr’s crown. The date of his death is given as 72 A.D.
9 DER NISIBENER HYMNUS 42 EPHRÄMS DES SYRERS 858
I
(Thus) howled the devil: ›Into what land shall I fly from the just‹?
›I stirred up Death the Apostles to slay, that by their death I might escape their
blows.
›But harder still am I now stricken: the Apostle I slew in India has overtaken
me in Edessa; here and there he is all himself.
›There went I, and there was he: here and there to my grief I find him.
II
›The merchant brought the bones: nay, rather! they brought him. Lo, the mutual
gain!
›What profit were they to me, while theirs was the mutual gain? Both brought
me loss.
856) Zur Lage der Landschaft Travancore s. z.B. die Karte Mundadan 1984, 218. Travancore ist der
südliche Teil Keralas.
857) s. Farquhar 1972, 43 (II, 22f.) und hier weiter oben Anm 225.
858) s. Medlycott 1905, 22–24 und hier weiter oben Anm 249.