Apostolic Tradition in the East

  • Thread starter Thread starter Madaglan
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
M

Madaglan

Guest
I was just wondering: so often we talk about how such and such was the Apostolic Tradition passed down to us. However, when we say this, we mostly mean the teachings of a certain group of apostles: James, John, Peter, Jude Thaddeus, Matthew.

However, there were many other apostles who preached in the East and whom we know almost nothing about: Bartholomew, Thomas and Simon in particular. I wonder: what happened to the converts of these areas? Did they survive till today? If so, are there different Apostolic Traditions in these churches than in the West? I just wonder how much info one gets about St. Thomas and St. Bartholomew if one goes to India today. :yup:
 
Yes, there are still Churches founded by these lesser known Apostles-I have a friend who is Indian, and his family has been Christian since time immemorable. There is a remanent of Chaldeans, but the days are very hard on them, especially in the last century, and before, when the Arabs first arrived, and this is the case with the Copts. However, many groups have disappeared-the region of Cappadocia is almost desolate (this was once one of the greatest centers of Christianity), the Sythians are no more (they lived in what is now Ukraine-St Andrew went there), Tibetan Christianity was obliterated (this was another region where Bartholemew preached), and the strong Latin centers of Hippo and Carthage are ruined. One fears that the few Copts, Melkites (Arab Christians and some Syrians that follow the Byzantine Rite), Chaldeans, Armenians, and Ethiopians will be forgotten by the time our grandchildren are old.

At anyrate, the Apostles went from the western edge of the Mediterrenean to the southwestern coast of India, from moder Ethiopia to even the British Isles and Central Asia. But now in many places, the Church is weak and disappearing, but this, we pray is merely temporary until we get out acts together and get some Apostolic zeal in us.

In Christ,
Adam
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top