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Context

• Kerala BJP leader trekked to a hilltop shrine in Malayattoor village of the Ernakulam district, on the occasion of a festival held there on the first Sunday after Easter.

About the shrine

• The shrine is dedicated to Saint Thomas, an apostle who was believed to be one of the 12 followers of Jesus Christ.
• It is said that he arrived at the location of the shrine after reaching India in 52 AD.
• Devotees believe he performed a miracle and left a footprint on the hilltop.
• Critics said there was no historical proof that St Thomas visited India.

Who was Saint Thomas?

• Thomas the Apostle also known as Didymus, was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus according to the New Testament.
• Thomas is commonly known as "Doubting Thomas" because he initially doubted the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Visit to India

• According to traditional accounts of the Saint Thomas Christians of modern-day Kerala in India, Saint Thomas travelled outside the Roman Empire to preach the Gospel, travelling as far as the Tamilakam which is in South India and reached Muziris of Tamilakam in AD 52.
• He is regarded as the patron saint of India among its Christian adherents, and the Feast of Saint Thomas on July 3 is celebrated as Indian Christians' Day.

Why is St Thomas’s visit disputed?

• His visit is disputed partly because of a lack of account about their details, though his tomb is mentioned by travellers who came to India, such as the 13th Century merchant Marco Polo.
• As the Kerala government’s website states, “The visit of St. Thomas is still a matter of dispute among historians. There are only very limited details about him in the Bible.”

https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/kerala-bjp-st-thomas-shrine-8561354/

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