Cbrijltaii'. The Cbriftians diftihguifhed themfelves by a golden
crofs worn over their foreheads ; bat the Jeivs who were among
them were marked on their cheeks with a hot iron.
Or Christiaks B u t what weighs greatly with-me concerning the truth of
cr St. homas, exiftence of the Indian Cbriftians, or Cbriftians of St. Thomas,
as they are ufually called, is, that the knOwlege of them had
known in Eng- reached England as early as the ixth century ; for we are cer-
iahb in S83. taja ty,at our great Alfred, in confequence of a vow, fent Sig-
belm II. in the year 883, Biflrop of Sberbotirn, firft to Rome, and
afterwards to India, with alms to the Cbriftians o f the town of
Saint Thomas, now Meliapour, who returned with various rich
gems, fome of which were to be feen in the church of Sherbourn
(according to William of Malmjbury, lib. ii. 248) even in his
days. I have not extent of faith to favour the legend of the
place o f the martyrdom o f the faint, which was fixed by pious
liiftorians to have been at St. Thomas on the Coromandel coaft;
o f which the reader will find an account in the following volume.
T b e i f R i t e s . T h e rites and cuftoms o f thefe Cbriftians differ i n feveral
refpecfs from thofe o f the church o f Rome. In fome they accord,
which makes me imagine there might have been fome
accidental communication o f the nature o f that I have mentioned
above. Oforio, i. 212, gives an account of their ceremonies.
Speaking o f the Cbriftians o f Cranganore, he thus goes
on “ The Cbriftians who refide here, are generally very poor,
“ and their churches of a mean appearance. They keep the
“ fabbath in the fame manner as we do, in hearing fermons,
u and performing other religious duties. The high prieft, whom
_S_ “ they
“ they acknowleged as the head of their church, had his feat
(< near fome mountains, towards the north, in a country called
“ Chaldicis. He has a council compofed o f twelve cardinals,
“ two hiihops, and feveral priefts: With the afliftance o f thefe,
u he fettles all affairs relating to religion ; and all the Cbriftians
“ in thefe parts acquiefce in his decrees. The priefts are fhaved
a in fuch a manner,, as to reprefent a crofs on their crowns.
“ They adminifter the facrament in both kinds, making ufe of
« the juice of preffed grapes, by way of wine, and allow the laity
“ to partake of both; but no one is admitted to this folemn
« ordinance till he has made a confeflion of his iniquities.
“ They baptized not their infants till they were forty days old,
“ except in danger of death. When any one amongft them is
“ feized with a fit of ficknefs, the prieft immediately vifits him,
“ and the fick perfon is greatly animated by the holy man’s
a fupplications. When they enter their churches, they fprin-
u y e themfelves with holy water. They ufe the fame form of
“ burial as in. other catholic countries : the relations of the de-
« Ceafed give great entertainments, which laft a week, during
« Which time they celebrate his praifes, and put up prayers for
“ his eternal happinefs. . They preferve the facred writings in
“ the Syrian or Gbaldaan language, with great carefulnefs;
« and their teachers are ready in all public places to inftruct
‘f every one.: They keep the Advent Sunday, and the forty
« days of Lent, with great ftriftnefs, and obferve moil o f the
ii feftivals which w.e have in our. church, with the fame
“ exadtnefs. They compute their time likewife in the fame
a nlanner as we do, adding a day to every fourth year. The
« firft