Posted on 01/10/2005 12:36:47 PM PST by It's me
CHENNAI (ICNS) The tsunami waves have subsided, but a miracle is being talked about across Chennai. It is the story of how St Thomas miraculous post kept the invading waves away, sparing the newly renovated Santhome Cathedral.
The Cathedral, the worlds second basilica built on an apostles tomb, has been giving shelter to hundreds of tsunami victims ever since the waves ravaged many buildings across the coast.
But even though the killer tsunami waves devastated the Chennai coast, Father Lawrence Raj, the parish priest of the Santhome Cathedral Basilica, says the sea did not touch our church.
The reason? We believe the miraculous post of St Thomas prevented the sea waters from entering the church, says Father Raj.
The church that sits at the site where St. Thomas, one of the 12 Apostles of Jesus Christ, was buried after his death in the year 72 is located a few metres from the sea. While all the buildings on either side of the church were hit by the tsunami waves, the Santhome Cathedral remained unaffected.
Local people now say it is the St Thomas miraculous post that has kept the sea away on December 26.
According to Father Raj, the legend is that when St Thomas planted the post at the top of the steps leading to the Cathedral, he said the sea would not pass that point.
The priest saw from the terrace of church the angry sea in action, as it surged across the road and flooded the huts in front of St Thomas post, which is an innocuous looking log of wood, mounted on a cement pedestal.
The belief goes that a village in the Mylapore area was flooded when a huge tree trunk fell across the river. The local king brought a royal pachyderm to lug it away, but the task seemed impossible.
Then, according to legend, St Thomas came along, removed the girdle from his waist and handed it to a bystander and asked him to yank the log with it. He did so and the log was moved easily.
A mural in the Cathedral museum illustrates this incident. Father Raj says the current post is believed to be from that same log of wood.
Hundreds of homeless survivors who have been staying in the church ever since the tragedy hit them have prayed to St Thomas for saving them.
It is St Thomas who has saved me. This church was untouched by the waters because of the miraculous power of the St Thomas post, said K Sebastiraj, a fisherman who sought shelter in the Santhome Cathedral.
Please read Matthew 16:18.
Christ's church lives.
Take another hit on your crack pipe, simpleton.
So this hunk of wood has been around for nigh on 2000 years, maybe even outdoors?
Not bloody likely.
In Ephesus, Turkey are the ruins of the Basilica of St. John the Divine, built atop his tomb...
Death Cookie? Huh?
Legend has it that they set forth to preach the Gospel very widely; St. Thomas reached India, St. James reached the western (Atlantic) shore of Spain, etc. I have never seen any reason to doubt these accounts, which are very ancient. Even people who were not Apostles (merchants, etc.) travelled great distances, probably under conditions that we would consider impossible, and there was a known Silk Route from the Holy Land to the Orient.
Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition! I pray they will baptize the death loving Muslims in the name of the Holy Trinity.
Where does scripture say that we must only use scripture as authoritative? As you can see, I'm not that well-versed, so please quote me the scripture where that is said. I really need to brush up on my Bible study. Your quote may help me to get motivated.
What a beautiful setting!
That is the invention of Jack Chic, a noted anti-Catholic. He descibes the Eucharist as the "Death Cookie" which is used to mislead Catholics into loosing the chance for salvation. His hate-filled tracts have been around for years.
There is always a more natural explanation for those who wish to remain unbelievers and skeptics. It is set up that way. Otherwise, all people would end up as believers and that's not the way it plays out.
A wonderful miracle for a wonderful Christian people and a wonderful Church.
Thanks. I have missed that one. Which is surprising because I have a virulently anti-Catholic relative who never misses a chance whether it's relevant to the conversation.... he tells me that I'm going directly to hell, do not pass go, do not collect any insurance unless I join the OnceSavedClub. He's quite nasty about it, I wonder if he read Chic or Phelps.
Even Lazerus died for good - in God's time.
Believe me, you haven't missed a thing. Sorry to hear about your relative. I have had my share of the "Catholics aren't Christians" crowd. Sad, but an opportunity to respond with charity and love. Keep the Faith.
2 Thessalonians 3:6 (New American Standard Bible)
6Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from every brother who leads an unruly life and not according to the tradition which you received from us.
>>Brilliant engineers built the church on carefully selected high ground.<<
Yes, that would be my guess, when presented with the low volume of facts in the article.
Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. We need to know the topography of the area and the hight of, and currents in the water that inundated that area. People were putting up pictures of fairly intact mosques in the flooded areas as well a few days ago.
I will say this: If a big earthquake hits the Seattle area and only one building survives, it will most likely be the Mormon temple, and it won't be due to any miracle.= It will be due to the fact that it was engineered and built like a brick sh**house on a known fault. I toured the thing right after it was built when I was thinking of joining that cult myself.
It will TAKE an act of God to damage that thing...
MOSQUE STILL STANDING AFTER TSUNAMI IN MEULABOH, INDONESIA |
I've seen that one, and it mentions tradition. I'm looking for the verse(s) that points to saying that we must use Scripture only for authority. I have trouble finding that one.
What is the issue on this thread? I thought some were suggesting that believing that St. Thomas has nothing to do with this is the topic. The Catholic Church seems to be being questioned here. I'm looking for answers like everyone else.
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