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From Persia and Syria it had spread until it had numerous and long established missions in India and China. The majority of the peoples of Turkestan - see glossary , with their rulers, had accepted Christianity, and in the chief centres of Asia the Christian church was to be found along with the heathen temple and the Mohammedan mosque.
In the neighbourhood of the hot salt-lake Issyk-kul, high among the mountains of Russian Turkestan, two cemeteries have been found. * On hundreds of the tombstones are crosses and inscriptions which show that they mark Nestorian graves. They cover the period from the middle of the thirteenth to the middle of the fourteenth century. The names of most of the Christians buried there show them to have been of Tartar - see glossary race, then as now, the prevailing nationality of that country. The inscriptions are in Syriac - see glossary and in Turkish. Among the many natives of the country there are also some Christians from other lands-a Chinese woman, a Mongol, an Indian, a Uigur - see glossary , showing that the believers in the different countries of Central Asia had communications with each other. There are references to the learning and gifts of some and to their devoted service among the churches, often the word "believer" is added to the name, and there are expressions of affection and of hope. Among the inscriptions are the following: "This is the grave of Pasak. The aim of life is Jesus our Redeemer "-"This is the grave of the charming maiden Julia"-"This is the grave of the priest and general, Zuma. A blessed old man, a famous Emir - see glossary , the son of General Giwargis. May our Lord unite his spirit with the spirits of the fathers and saints in eternity"- "This is the grave of the church visitor Pag-Mangku, the humble believer" - "This is the grave of Shliha the celebrated commentator and teacher, who illuminated all the monasteries with light; son of Peter the august commentator of wisdom. His voice rang as high as the sound of a trumpet. May our Lord mix his pure soul with the just men and the fathers. May he participate in all heavenly joys - This is the grave of the priest Take who was very zealous for the church".
{* "Nestorian Missionary Enterprise" by the Rev. John Stewart, M. A., Ph.D (T. & T. Clark, Edinburgh, 1928). A valuable work in itself, and also for the references to authorities given, including Chwolson, the translator of the inscriptions quoted.}
Introduction Home Page Pilgrim Church Index