Thomas Stephens (Jesuit)

Thomas Stephens, born c.1549 in Bushton (England) and died in 1619 in Salcete, Goa (India), was an English Jesuit priest and missionary in Portuguese India, writer and linguist.

The son of a merchant, Stephens was born in Bushton, Wiltshire, England, and studied in Oxford before becoming a Catholic. He went to Rome where he entered the Society of Jesus in 1575. He did some philosophical studies at the Collegio Romano before departing for Lisbon, en route for Goa which he reached on 24 October 1579, probably the first Englishman to set foot on Indian soil. This is, however, disputed by G. Schurhammer and others. After a few months of theological studies he was ordained priest in 1580. He learned to read and write in Konkani and Marathi.

He was superior of Salcete (1590–1596) and in such capacity had to handle the aftermath of the death of the so-called martyrs of Cuncolim (1583). Except for a year in Vasai (Bassein), Portuguese holding north of Bombay (Mumbai), he spent all his pastoral years in Salcete, being parish priest in Margao, Benaulim, Marmugao, Navelim and several other places. He died in 1619.

It is very likely that Roberto de Nobili, SJ, met Thomas Stephens upon landing in Goa, and before proceeding to the Madurai Mission. Falcao has shown that there are terms common to both these pioneers of inculturation, e.g. jnana-snana (bath of knowledge or enlightenment), a term which Stephens used for baptism, and which de Nobili seems to have borrowed; the term is still current in Tamil Christian usage. Stephens died in Salcete, Goa, aged about 70.

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