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Beautifully hand cut stone crosses are the treasure of ancient churches in India. These Crosses are found mainly in Southern Indian State of Kerala. They are also found in state of Goa and Tamil Nadu.
Two types of the stone crosses are broadly classified as Saint Thomas Cross[1] and Nasrani Sthambams.
The Saint Thomas Cross are smaller in size and are found inside the Kerala churches at Kadamattom, Muttuchira, Kothanalloor, Kottayam and Alengad. Outside Kerala, they are at St. Thomas Mount, Chennai (Madras), Tamil Nadu, Pilar Seminary Museum, Goa, Anuradhapura [ 2 nos ] in Sri Lanka and Taxila at Pakistan.[2]
The large crosses known as Nasrani Sthambams are found at the frontage of many churches in Kerala. There are also other flowery ancient Persian Crosses found in Kerala Churches.
These crosses represent resurrection through its various symbolism.[3] Kerala has many churches of antiquity. It is recorded that before the arrival of Portuguese there were more than 150 ancient churches in Kerala.[4]
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Antonio Gouvea in the Sixteenth century work, " Jornada" states that the old churches of Saint Thomas Christians were full of crosses of the type discovered from S.Thome ( Mylapore).[5] He also states that veneration of the cross is an old custom in Malabar. "Jornada" is the oldest known written document which calls the cross as St. Thomas Cross. The original word used is “ Cruz de Sam Thome “ meaning Cross of St. Thomas. Interestingly, Gouvea writes about the veneration of the Cross at Cranganore mentioning it as "Cross of Christians"[5]
The crosses are at the following locations,[2]
Dr. Burnell, archeologist with the government of India, in 1873, translated the inscriptions as follows:
Prof. F.C. Burkitt and C.P.T. Winckworth, the then reader of Assyriology in the University of Cambridge studied the inscriptions and produced a translation. This has been discussed at the International Congress of Orientalists held at Oxford in 1925.
The interpretation is as follows:
On the large cross, there is this additional sentence in Estrangelo Syriac. (Galatians 6:14)
The inscription at Kadamattom church when translated is,
Unlike crosses in other traditions, the St. Thomas Cross does not carry the effigy of the Christ. In addition to this unique quality, each of its elements carry symbolic meanings. Generally the Cross symbolizes life rather than death and suffering.[7]
The other type is a giant open air stone cross. These are called Nasrani Sthambams.[8]
The plinth of these crosses represents lotus petals and lotus flowers and has a square base. It also has a variety of iconographic motifs, including elephants, peacocks and various other animals, depictions of the Holy Family and of the Crucifixion, to name a few. The stone cross in front of St.Mary's Forane Church, Puthenchira is more than 12 meters high.
These crosses are found in Puthenchira, Parappukkara, Veliyanad, Kalpparambu, Angamaly, Kanjoor, Malayattoor, Udayamperur, Kuravilangad, Uzhavoor, Chungam, Kaduthuruthy, Muthalakodam, Muttuchira, Kudamaloor, Niranam, Muvattupuzha, Kothamangalam, Chengannur, Thumpamon, Chathannur and many other places.[8]
The Saint Thomas Kottakkavu Church at North Paravur under the diocese of Ernakulam-Ankamaly of the Syro Malabar Church and the St. Mary’s Orthodox Syrian Church, Niranam under the Niranam diocese of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church has ancient flowery Persian Cross.[3]
9.Prof. George Menachery:Indian Church History Classics, Vol.I, The Nazranies, 1998 10.Menachery:The St. Thomas Christian Encyclopaedia of India, Vol.II,1973 11.Menachery:Glimpses of Nazraney Heritage, 2005