), ▁there ▁were ▁b ish ops ▁of ▁the ▁Church ▁of ▁the ▁East ▁in ▁north - west ▁India ▁compr ising ▁Afghan istan ▁and ▁Bal uch istan , ▁with ▁lay men ▁and ▁cler gy ▁al ike ▁eng aging ▁in ▁mission ary ▁activity . ▁ ▁The ▁Act s ▁of ▁Thomas ▁ident ifies ▁his ▁second ▁mission ▁in ▁India ▁with ▁a ▁kingdom ▁ruled ▁by ▁King ▁Mah ade va , ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁r ul ers ▁of ▁a ▁ 1 st - century ▁dynast y ▁in ▁southern ▁India . ▁It ▁is ▁most ▁significant ▁that , ▁aside ▁from ▁a ▁small ▁rem nant ▁of ▁the ▁Church ▁of ▁the ▁East ▁in ▁Kur dist an , ▁the ▁only ▁other ▁church ▁to ▁maintain ▁a ▁distinct ive ▁identity ▁is ▁the ▁Mar ▁Th oma ▁or ▁“ Ch urch ▁of ▁Thomas ” ▁con greg ations ▁along ▁the ▁Mal ab ar ▁Coast ▁of ▁Ker ala ▁State ▁in ▁south west ▁India . ▁According ▁to ▁the ▁most ▁ancient ▁tradition ▁of ▁this ▁church , ▁Thomas ▁evangel ized ▁this ▁area ▁and ▁then ▁crossed ▁to ▁the ▁Cor om and el ▁Coast ▁of ▁sout heast ▁India , ▁where , ▁after ▁carrying ▁out ▁a ▁second ▁mission , ▁he ▁died ▁in ▁My lap ore ▁near ▁Mad ras . ▁Through out ▁the ▁period ▁under ▁review , ▁the ▁church ▁in ▁India ▁was ▁under ▁the ▁juris diction ▁of ▁Ed essa , ▁which ▁was ▁then ▁under ▁the ▁Mes op ot am ian ▁patri arch ate ▁at ▁Sele u cia - C tes i phon ▁and ▁later ▁at ▁Bag hd ad ▁and ▁Mos ul . ▁Histor ian ▁Vincent ▁A . ▁Smith