- May 24, 2004
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This was sent to me in an e-mail. All I can say is "wow". Wonder why the regular news doesn't mention it?
ANOTHER TSUNAMI 'MIRACLE' AS CATHEDRAL DEDICATED TO ST. THOMAS SURVIVES WAVES
The INDIAN CATHOLIC reports from Chennai that "the tsunami waves
have subsided, but a miracle is being talked about across Chennai.
It is the story of how St. Thomas' miraculous post, as it is known,
kept the invading waves away -- sparing the newly renovated Santhome Cathedral."
As the paper points out, the Cathedral -- the world's second
Basilica built on an apostle's 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," explains Father Raj.
Notes The INDIAN CATHOLIC: "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 meters 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.
According to the publication, the priest watched from the terrace of
the church the angry sea in action, as it surged across the road and
inundated huts in front of St. Thomas' post -- which, it was noted,
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."
Many survivors who have been staying in the church ever since the
tragedy hit them have prayed to thank St. Thomas for saving them through his intercessory prayer. "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.
ANOTHER TSUNAMI 'MIRACLE' AS CATHEDRAL DEDICATED TO ST. THOMAS SURVIVES WAVES
The INDIAN CATHOLIC reports from Chennai that "the tsunami waves
have subsided, but a miracle is being talked about across Chennai.
It is the story of how St. Thomas' miraculous post, as it is known,
kept the invading waves away -- sparing the newly renovated Santhome Cathedral."
As the paper points out, the Cathedral -- the world's second
Basilica built on an apostle's 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," explains Father Raj.
Notes The INDIAN CATHOLIC: "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 meters 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.
According to the publication, the priest watched from the terrace of
the church the angry sea in action, as it surged across the road and
inundated huts in front of St. Thomas' post -- which, it was noted,
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."
Many survivors who have been staying in the church ever since the
tragedy hit them have prayed to thank St. Thomas for saving them through his intercessory prayer. "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.
