Do the St. Thomas Christians of India and Assyrian Christians of the Middle East believe in the Girdle of Thomas story? The Girdle of Thomas is a legend that states that during the Assumption of Mary, St. Thomas was not apparent but the other apostles were, similar to the Doubting Thomas biblical event. The legend states that St. Thomas was not apparent because he was making his way back from his mission in India, so Mother Mary appeared to Thomas because of his skeptical nature and dropped to him Her girdle, to give him physical proof of what had occured. I ponder this question because it is a largely held beleif among St. Thomas Christians and Assyrian Christians that St. Thomas never made a return trip but instead was Martyred in South India. However this legend is greatly based upon the concept that St. Thomas missed the Assumption because he was making his way back from India.
This may add to the details of the event of the Blessed Virgin’s death, dormition, assumption, etc. St. Thomas was not there when she died. He arrived late. I have read Catholic sources that say her robe, veil and belt are the only relics, the Orthodox record her belt and veil. Thomas may have received the belt (girdle) on his way to her funeral. theologic.com/oflweb/feasts/08-15.htm
Although I cannot speak to the tradition of our geographically Eastern counterparts, perhaps us West Syriacs share similar pious beliefs. According to the Fenqitho (festal offices) of the West Syriac tradition, Thomas was transported via cloud back to Jerusalem for the death of Mary - perhaps he was deposited back in India the same way.
However in the same tradition, it’s implicit that he was taken by such extraordinary means because Mary asked her Son that she’d like to see all the apostles before she died so the Spirit urged the apostles in the area to return - it lists Peter from Rome, John from Ephesus, Bartholomew from the Armenians, etc. -and it seems like all the apostles get there on time because they all salute her before her departure and she dies in peace. The real name of our anaphora nicknamed Sharar (or Peter III) for the first word kind of testifies to that since the name is something like “the anaphora of the twelve apostles when they assembled for the death of the virgin and each added a prayer” (i.e. they arrived before the death).
I realize that doesn’t help clarify at all . Hope it provides something of interest in the realm of Syriac tradition of the Dormition, however.
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. Hope it provides something of interest in the realm of Syriac tradition of the Dormition, however.