The East Indians of Bombay

St. Bartholomew & St. Thomas

St. Bartholomew and St. Thomas were the 2 Apostles that first brought Christianity to Indian. Having landed on the west coast of Indian most probably Kalyan. Both preached in this region. St. Bartholomew went towards to north and St. Thomas towards the south. The gospel that St. Bartholomew carried with him was left behind, which proved that he was the person to bring Christianity to these parts and hence the East Indians of Bombay would have their ancestors as the early Christians

Martyrs of ThanA

These were the Franciscan Missionaries, Thomas of Tolentino and Giacomo of Padua and the Lay Brothers Demetrius of Tiflis and ‘Peter of Sienna who were martyred by Mahomedans on the 11th April 1321. As the martyrdom took place on what may be termed East Indian soil, they are to be held in special veneration by our people. Friar Jordan of who the Dominican Order, was preaching in those regions, gave burial to the sacred
bodies, and as he did not wish to cease preaching, he also gained the glorious crown of martyrdom. The Rev. M. D’Sa, Vicar of Cavel, has in a brochure published in 1915 collected all the information available regarding the martyrs. In it there is the interesting statement that the decree of the Sacred Congregation of Rites, dated 24th October 1914, introduced for the first time the office and Mass in honour of Blessed Thomas of Tolentino in the Calendar of the Archdiocese of Goa and the former diocese of Damaun and fixed them for the 9th April, the date of his martyrdom. As the latter diocese has been incorporated in the present Archdiocese of Bombay the celebration of the martyrdom doubtless continues in the Bombay Calendar. The photo reproduced above is from a large painting by a well known Bombay Artist, Mr. B. Roedert, drawn from incidents related in Fäther D’Sa’s phamphlet. (Article by John DeMello in the BEIA Golden Jubilee Sovenir 1937)

The Martyrs of Agashi

From the time of St. Bartholomew and St. Thomas set foot in India (most likely Kalyan), throughout the centuries there was Christianity in some form or the other, along the western coast of India. These early converts are considered the ancestors of the East Indian Catholic community of Bombay (Mobai/Mumbai).

According to oral tradition and historical reconstructions from local accounts and church records, around the year 1500, a group of Christians in Agashi were faced with a brutal ultimatum: renounce their faith or face death. When these Christian villagers refused to abandon their faith, they were subjected to severe torture. Eventually, the perpetrators locked them in a house within the fortified area of Agashi, and set the building on fire, burning them alive.

This tragic event has been preserved in the oral memory of the East Indian Catholic community. Although it may not be widely documented in mainstream colonial or church annals, it holds deep symbolic and spiritual significance for descendants of the East Indian Christians, who regard these individuals as martyrs of the faith.

Martyrs of Dukhtan – Manor

Around 300 Christians were massacred by the Maratha Army around the chapel that stood over a Hillock near Manor which is in Palghar District, about 80 km from Bombay. Due to this massacre the area came to be know at Duhktan.