LESSON 17: Thomas of Cana, the leaser of Syrin Migrators

LESSON 17

THOMAS OF CANA, THE LEADER OF SYRIAN MIGRATORS

Thomas of Cana led a group of 72 families, as well as clergymen, to the port city of Kodungallur in the Malabar coast. Thomas of Cana, an international merchant, was the leader of the Syrian migrators of A.D. 345. He had a good relationship with various international trading centers and kings. Based on his good relationship with king Cheraman Perumal, the Syrian migrants received a royal reception. With the influence of Thomas of Cana, Perumal granted the migrators 72 high privileges, which were inscribed on copper plates. The Thomas of Cana copper plates are noted to have existed in Kerala until the 17th century, after which point they were lost.

Thomas of Cana was known as Thomman Kinan, Knai Thomman, Thomas of Jerusalem, Thomas of Syria, Palestinian merchant throughout history. He had a good trade relationship with Kerala. Even before the Syrian migration. In one such commercial journey, he came to know about the St. Thomas Christians in Malabar, who were in spiritual jeopardy. Based on the report of Thomas of Cana the Church authorities entrusted Thomas of Cana to make arrangements for the migration along with a group of 400 Syrians. Along with them were Mor Joseph of Edessa, four priests and two deacons to give spiritual leadership to the migrators.

Perumal respected Thomas of Cana and considered the migrators equal to the sons of Kings and they were considered a noble race. The king granted land for their settlement and worship without tax. The king called the migrants ‘sons of the king’ and called their city the city of great God. Perumal honored Thomas of Cana by giving him the title ‘Cocurangon‘. There was a strong friendship between Perumal and Thomas of Cana and this relationship became a blessing not only to the Syrian migrators but also to the native Christians.

Thomas of Cana was a missionary-minded international Christian merchant and he tried to propagate the good news wherever he went. Only because of his missionary zeal, he led a group of Christians to this land for the propagation of the gospel and to give leadership to the unorganized Christian community in Kerala.