Apostle Tomb, Heritage, Persian Cross, Saint Thomas Crosses, Thomas the Apostle

Dear Jabin The general Christian story in Sri Lanka, …

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Dear Jabin

The general Christian story in Sri Lanka, is known from 16th century after the arrival of Portuguese. The ancient church appears to have become extinct. There are some references and evidences about early influence. Professor Senerath Paranavitana who was a pioneering archeologist and epigraphist of Sri Lanka mentions that, their were Christians in Sri Lanka in ancient times. It appears mainly due to Indian Malabar influence and trade relations.

Anuradhapura was the ancient capital of Cyelon. “Mahawamsa”, the great Chronicle of the Sinhalese records that even church was built for men of Maditerranean or Persian origin. A baptismfont has been excavated from here.

The neighboring India had Christians from the very early times, so there is no doubt that they would have had a great impact on Sri Lanka specially because of the geographic proximity of these two countries and also because of trade and commerce that linked the two countries.

See this, (Daily News Report ).

I think the first one to give a reference about the mutual existence, is Cosmas Indicopleustes [Indicopleustes is Latin for ‘Indian Navigator’]. He is an Egyptian who traveled to south India between 520 and 525 AD .He cite the existence of large Christian communities in southern India (“in Male (Malabar) where the pepper grows”) and in Sri Lanka (Ceylon).

There are actually two Mar Thoma Crosses excavated from Anuradhapura. It indeed is very interesting.