Send CathInfo's owner Matthew a gift from his Amazon wish list:
https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/25M2B8RERL1UO

« previous next »
Pages: [1] 2

Author Topic: St. Thomas The Apostle in South America  (Read 1484 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Giovanni Berto

St. Thomas The Apostle in South America
« on: April 27, 2025, 05:37:20 PM »
The Legend of St. Thomas or ‘Pai Sumé’
Elaine Jordan
It was a story told from generation to generation among the Guaraní Indians of Paraguay and Brazil. The legend was recorded by the first Spanish conquerors and Jesuits who evangelized those Indians in the 16th century.


Statue of St Thomas prepared for procession in South AmericaSt. Thomas the Apostle, signs of his evangelization in America
According to these reports, long, long before the arrival of the Europeans, a tall, white-bearded, extraordinarily wise man called Pai Sumé or Pai Zumé [Father Thomas] came walking over the ocean to teach the Indians the art of agriculture, to sow maize and cassava and other products, and to show them the use of yerba mate.

Most importantly, this wise old man spoke to them about a religion with the One True God and told them one day there would be men who would carry the Cross and teach them this truth. Then, after a time, having completed his mission among the natives, this man turned back to the sea, leaving traces of his footsteps on the rocks in various sites along the coast and interior of the South American Continent. In Paraguay, these footsteps of the Apostle St. Thomas can be seen on several hills: Tacuмbú near Asunción, Santo Tomás, Cristo Rey in Caacupé, Yaguarón, etc.

In this part of America, the Indians used a system of roads that was known by the name of Peavirú or Peavijú for their trips to the coast and to Paraguay. These same roads were used by the Europeans, guided by the Indians, in their explorations. This communications system was also given the name of Santo Tomás, as it is mentioned in the history books on the Jesuit Missions of Paraguay.

It received this name by the disciples of St. Ignatius of Loyola and the Spaniards, since those roads were connected to the legend of Pai Zumé. These first Jesuits who evangelized in these areas believed that this personage was in fact the Apostle St. Thomas, who had come to America in the days of the early Christians to prepare for the coming of the missionaries.


A procession of saint thomas and stones with the imprint of his footstepsA procession with St. Thomas in the city of Paraguarí in Paraguay; at right steps of St. Thomas at the top of a hill of Tacuмbú near Asunción
Logged

Offline Predestination2

Re: St. Thomas The Apostle in South America
« Reply #1 on: April 27, 2025, 05:45:24 PM »
St Thomas went to the Indians not the Amerindians. He died in kerala 
Logged

Offline Matthew

  • Mod
Re: St. Thomas The Apostle in South America
« Reply #2 on: April 27, 2025, 07:20:46 PM »
Quote from: Predestination2 on April 27, 2025, 05:45:24 PM
St Thomas went to the Indians not the Amerindians. He died in kerala

Yes.

St. Thomas evangelized the "Code writer" Indians, not the "Code talker" ones.
Dot, not feather.
Logged

Offline Ladislaus

  • Supporter
Re: St. Thomas The Apostle in South America
« Reply #3 on: April 27, 2025, 07:40:13 PM »
OK, but this posits that he also visited South America ... similar to how Mary of Agreda reportedly went to the Americas also.

We can't rule it out.
Logged

Offline Philip

Re: St. Thomas The Apostle in South America
« Reply #4 on: April 28, 2025, 06:01:02 AM »
Quote from: Ladislaus on April 27, 2025, 07:40:13 PM
OK, but this posits that he also visited South America ... similar to how Mary of Agreda reportedly went to the Americas also.

We can't rule it out.
There is at least one academic paper published suggesting that may have been the case. (It can be read online or as a PDF):


https://read.dukeupress.edu/hahr/article-standard/57/1/82/150188/Saint-Thomas-Apostle-of-America
Logged
Pages: [1] 2
« previous next »