THE FEAST OF THE MIRACULOUS CROSS OF MYLAPORE
CHRIST, THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE
Feast: December 18
Gospel Reading: Jn 14:1–6
Introduction
The Syro-Malabar Church and other communities of St. Thomas Christians celebrate the Feast of the Miraculous Cross of Mylapore, traditionally called the Mylapore Sleeva, on December 18. The celebration connects the Church in India with the apostolic ministry and martyrdom of Saint Thomas and with the ancient cross preserved at Saint Thomas Mount near Mylapore, Chennai.
According to the living tradition of the Church in India, Saint Thomas preached the Gospel in India and was martyred at Mylapore around AD 72. Saint Thomas Mount, formerly known as Periamala, is venerated as the place where the apostle prayed before receiving the crown of martyrdom. His body was buried in Mylapore, at the site now associated with Santhome Basilica.
The feast also recalls the discovery of an ancient stone cross at Saint Thomas Mount in 1547 and the tradition that it miraculously sweated blood during the celebration of Holy Mass on December 18, 1558. The repeated association of the phenomenon with December 18 helped establish that date as the annual commemoration of the Mylapore Sleeva.
The Gospel reading presents Thomas asking Jesus, “Master, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?” Jesus replies with one of the most important revelations in John’s Gospel: “I am the way and the truth and the life” (Jn 14:5–6).
The apostle who once asked to be shown the way eventually followed that Way to India. He proclaimed the Truth, received divine Life, and sealed his witness with his blood. The Mylapore Cross stands as a visible summary of that apostolic journey.
Bible Passage (Jn 14:1–6)
Jesus tells his disciples not to allow their hearts to be troubled. They are to believe in God and also in him. He assures them that there are many dwelling places in his Father’s house and that he is going to prepare a place for them.
Jesus promises to return and take his disciples to himself so that they may be where he is. He tells them that they know the way to the place where he is going.
Thomas replies:
“Master, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?”
Jesus answers:
“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (Jn 14:5–6).
Background of the Gospel
Jn 14 belongs to the farewell discourse of Jesus at the Last Supper. The atmosphere is filled with uncertainty. Judas has departed to betray Jesus, Peter’s denial has been predicted, and Jesus has spoken about his approaching departure.
The disciples are troubled because the future appears uncertain. Jesus does not promise that they will avoid suffering. He calls them to trust him within their suffering.
He speaks about going to the Father and preparing a dwelling place for them. His “departure” refers to the Paschal journey through suffering, death, Resurrection, and Ascension. The Cross is not an accidental interruption of his mission. It is the way by which he returns to the Father and opens eternal life to humanity.
Thomas honestly admits that he does not understand. His question allows Jesus to reveal that the Christian way is not primarily a road, rule, philosophy, or religious system. Jesus himself is the Way. He is also the Truth who reveals the Father and the Life who conquers death.
Opening Life Connection
Human beings continually search for the right way. We seek guidance in family life, vocation, ministry, relationships, suffering, illness, and moral decisions. Many voices claim to know the path to happiness.
Some propose wealth as the way, personal opinion as the truth, and pleasure as the meaning of life. Yet none of these can answer the deepest questions of the human heart. They cannot conquer sin, heal guilt, defeat death, or bring us into communion with the Father.
Thomas asked the question that every sincere believer eventually asks: “How can we know the way?” Jesus did not give him a set of directions. He gave Thomas himself.
The Mylapore Sleeva reminds us that following the Way involves the Cross. Knowing the Truth demands witness. Receiving divine Life calls us to live in the hope of the Resurrection.
Meaning of Mylapore Sleeva
Sleeva is the Syriac word for “cross.” The expression Mylapore Sleeva means the Cross of Mylapore.
For the St. Thomas Christians, the Sleeva is not simply a decoration or historical symbol. It proclaims the whole Paschal Mystery of Jesus Christ: his Passion, death, burial, Resurrection, Ascension, and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
The Mylapore Sleeva does not depict the body of the crucified Jesus. Its empty form, flourishing ends, descending dove, and lotus-like base proclaim that the crucified Christ has risen and become the source of new life.
The Cross remains central, but it is viewed in the light of Easter.
Saint Thomas and India
The St. Thomas Christian tradition holds that the Apostle Thomas arrived on the Malabar Coast in AD 52. He proclaimed the Gospel, baptized believers, formed Christian communities, and established the foundations of ecclesial life.
Thomas did not come as a representative of a political power or commercial empire. He came as one sent by the risen Lord. His mission fulfilled Christ’s command to make disciples of all nations (Mt 28:19–20).
The apostle eventually traveled to the eastern coast of India and ministered in the region associated with Mylapore. According to tradition, his preaching and conversions provoked opposition.
Thomas’ missionary journey reveals the universal scope of the Gospel. Jesus Christ belongs not to one nation, language, or culture but to the whole human family.
Martyrdom of Saint Thomas at Mylapore
According to the ancient tradition, Saint Thomas was praying before a stone cross on Periamala, now Saint Thomas Mount, when he was attacked and wounded with a spear or lance. He later died from his wounds, traditionally dated to AD 72.
Some traditions hold that Thomas himself carved the cross before which he prayed. This detail belongs to the devotional tradition surrounding the apostle and cannot be independently demonstrated through surviving historical evidence.
The essential spiritual truth remains clear: Thomas died as a witness to the Jesus whom he had confessed as “My Lord and my God” (Jn 20:28).
The Greek word martyria means witness. From it comes the word martyr. Thomas bore witness through his preaching and ultimately through the shedding of his blood.
Saint Thomas Mount thus became the apostle’s Calvary. The nearby Santhome area became the place traditionally associated with his burial.
The Discovery of the Ancient Cross
In 1547, Portuguese builders were working on Saint Thomas Mount in preparation for a new church. During excavation, they discovered an ancient granite bas-relief cross.
The cross bore dark-colored marks and an inscription in Pahlavi, an ancient Middle Persian script. Its form differed from the crosses familiar to the Portuguese and reflected the ancient Christian traditions of Persia, India, and the East Syriac world.
The cross was given a place of honor in the church on the Mount. Its Pahlavi inscription and distinctive artistic style testify to the ancient connections between the St. Thomas Christians and the East Syriac Churches.
The precise date of the cross continues to be studied. It should not automatically be identified as an object personally carved by Saint Thomas. Nevertheless, it is an ancient witness to the Christian tradition associated with the apostle and Mylapore.
The Miracle of Sweating Blood
According to the shrine’s historical tradition, Father Gaspar Coelho celebrated Holy Mass before the cross on December 18, 1558. During the proclamation of the Gospel, the stone cross reportedly changed color and appeared to perspire drops resembling blood.
The phenomenon was reported to have recurred at different intervals. The accounts state that it occurred more frequently in the earlier years and later at longer intervals. The last recorded occurrence is traditionally dated to 1704. History of Saint Thomas Mount Shrine
The reported phenomenon led the faithful to call it the Bleeding Cross or Miraculous Cross. The annual feast on December 18 commemorates this devotional tradition together with the martyrdom of Saint Thomas.
The spiritual meaning is more important than curiosity about the extraordinary phenomenon. The reported blood upon the stone directs us toward the Blood of Christ poured out for the forgiveness of sins and toward the blood of Saint Thomas shed in faithful witness.
Miraculous signs are not ends in themselves. They should lead to repentance, deeper faith, participation in the sacraments, and commitment to Christian discipleship.
The Pahlavi Inscription
The Mylapore Sleeva contains an inscription in Pahlavi, a language and script associated with ancient Persia. The inscription is difficult to interpret, and scholars have proposed different readings.
The proposed translations generally connect the Cross with Christ’s suffering, divine mercy, and saving victory. The inscription indicates that the cross belongs within the wider Persian and East Syriac Christian heritage.
Christianity reached different parts of Asia through networks of trade, migration, ecclesial communion, and missionary activity. The Christians of India maintained relationships with the East Syriac Churches for many centuries.
The Pahlavi inscription therefore reflects the historical communion of the Indian Church with the Christian East while the cross itself remains rooted in the apostolic memory of Saint Thomas.
Jewish, East Syriac, and Catholic Background
The iconography of the Mylapore Sleeva brings together biblical faith, East Syriac theology, and Indian cultural symbolism.
Judaism strongly rejected the worship of created images and guarded the transcendence of God. Early Jewish-Christian and Syriac forms of worship therefore often favored symbolic proclamation rather than highly naturalistic representation.
The empty cross should not, however, be attributed exclusively to Jewish influence. It belongs especially to the early Christian and East Syriac proclamation of the Cross in the light of the Resurrection.
Catholic tradition embraces both the crucifix, which emphasizes Christ’s saving Passion, and the empty cross, which emphasizes his victory over death. These expressions are complementary rather than contradictory.
The Aniconic or Empty Cross
The Mylapore Sleeva does not contain a corpus, or representation of Christ’s body. It is therefore sometimes called an aniconic cross.
The empty cross does not deny the reality of the Crucifixion. It proclaims that the One who was crucified is no longer held by death.
The angel’s announcement at the empty tomb gives the key to its interpretation:
“He is not here, for he has been raised” (Mt 28:6).
The empty cross holds together Good Friday and Easter Sunday. It is the cross of the crucified Lord, but it is seen from the perspective of his Resurrection.
The Cross as the Tree of Life
In Genesis, humanity loses access to the tree of life because of sin. Christian tradition sees the Cross as the new Tree of Life.
The tree associated with disobedience and death is overcome by the tree of Christ’s obedience. From the Cross flow forgiveness, healing, reconciliation, and eternal life.
The decorative and flourishing form of the Mylapore Cross presents it not as dead wood but as a living and fruitful tree.
Christ transforms the instrument of Roman execution into the source of salvation.
The Lotus Foundation
The cross rises from a stylized lotus-like base. The lotus is an important symbol in Indian culture. It grows from muddy water yet opens as a flower of purity and beauty.
Within the Christian interpretation of the Mylapore Sleeva, the lotus can signify creation redeemed from the corruption of sin. It may also represent the Gospel taking root and flowering within Indian culture.
The lotus does not change the identity of the Cross. Instead, it expresses the mystery of Christ through a form familiar in India.
The Cross rising from the lotus proclaims that Christianity in India is not merely a foreign cultural import. The Gospel entered Indian soil, took root, and produced an authentically Indian Christian heritage.
The Descending Dove
A dove appears above the cross, descending toward it. The dove represents the Holy Spirit.
The symbol recalls the baptism of Jesus, when the Spirit descended upon him like a dove (Mt 3:16). It also expresses the role of the Spirit in the Paschal Mystery.
Saint Paul teaches that the Spirit of the One who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in believers and will give life to their mortal bodies (Rom 8:11).
The dove above the empty cross therefore proclaims that the crucified Jesus has been raised through the power of God and that the same Spirit communicates resurrection life to the Church.
In the Holy Qurbana, the Church invokes the Holy Spirit upon the gifts and the worshipping community. The Eucharistic sacrifice and the work of the Spirit remain inseparably united.
Floral Buds at the Ends of the Cross
The ends of the Mylapore Cross contain forms resembling buds, leaves, or flowers. These images suggest life emerging from death.
Jesus compared his death to a grain of wheat that must fall into the earth and die in order to produce abundant fruit (Jn 12:24).
The Cross appears to destroy life, but through Christ it becomes fruitful. From his sacrifice comes the new people of God, the sacraments, forgiveness, holiness, and the hope of resurrection.
The budding cross teaches that no sacrifice made in union with Christ is spiritually barren.
The Decorative Arch
The cross is framed by a decorative arch. The arch may be understood as a sign of glory, sacred space, and the heavenly destiny opened through Christ.
The Cross stands as the doorway between death and life. Christ passes through death and opens the entrance into the Father’s house.
The arch also gives the image a liturgical character. The cross is not merely an instrument from the past; it stands within the worshipping life of the Church.
The Steps Beneath the Cross
The steps beneath the Sleeva may symbolize spiritual ascent. Humanity is called to rise from sin toward holiness and from death toward eternal life.
The steps can also evoke the altar. The Cross is the altar upon which Christ offered himself to the Father, and the Eucharistic altar makes his one sacrifice sacramentally present.
The Christian journey therefore moves through repentance, Baptism, Eucharistic communion, charity, and faithful witness toward the Father’s house.
The Paschal Theology of the Mylapore Sleeva
The iconography of the cross presents the Paschal Mystery as one saving event.
The Cross recalls Christ’s suffering and death.
The empty form proclaims his Resurrection.
The dove signifies the life-giving Holy Spirit.
The floral ends proclaim new life.
The lotus signifies creation and culture redeemed.
The steps point toward the believer’s ascent.
The arch suggests heavenly glory.
The Mylapore Sleeva is thus not simply a representation of a past execution. It is a proclamation of the crucified, risen, glorified, and life-giving Lord.
Thomas the Seeker
Thomas frequently appears in John’s Gospel as a sincere disciple who speaks openly.
When Jesus decides to return to Judea despite danger, Thomas tells the other disciples:
“Let us also go to die with him” (Jn 11:16).
At the Last Supper, Thomas admits that he does not know the way (Jn 14:5).
After the Resurrection, he refuses to claim a faith he does not yet possess. When the risen Jesus encounters him, Thomas responds with the greatest confession of faith in John’s Gospel:
“My Lord and my God!” (Jn 20:28).
Thomas moves from courage mixed with misunderstanding, through questioning and doubt, to mature faith and missionary witness. His journey assures us that honest questions can become pathways toward deeper faith when brought to Jesus.
Verse-by-Verse / Phrase-by-Phrase Reflection
“Do not let your hearts be troubled”
Jesus speaks to disciples facing fear, confusion, and impending loss. He does not shame them for being troubled. He calls them to trust.
The Cross at Mylapore speaks to hearts troubled by illness, persecution, family problems, uncertainty, and death. It does not promise the removal of every suffering. It reveals that Christ remains present within suffering.
“You have faith in God; have faith also in me”
Jesus places faith in himself alongside faith in God. This reveals his divine identity and his unique relationship with the Father.
Christian faith is not merely belief in a distant divine power. It is personal trust in Jesus Christ.
Saint Thomas eventually entrusted his entire life to Jesus. That faith carried him beyond familiar lands and sustained him until martyrdom.
“In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places”
The Father’s house represents eternal communion with God. Jesus assures the disciples that his departure will prepare a place for them.
The Cross opens the Father’s house because through it Jesus removes the barrier of sin.
The promise offers hope to all who face death. The final destiny of the faithful is not the tomb but life with Christ.
“I am going to prepare a place for you”
Jesus prepares the place through his Passion, death, Resurrection, and Ascension. He goes before us as the pioneer of salvation.
The road into the Father’s house passes through the Cross. Jesus does not avoid death; he enters it and conquers it.
The Mylapore Sleeva proclaims this victorious passage.
“I will come back again and take you to myself”
Jesus promises more than a heavenly location. He promises communion with himself.
Heaven is to be with Christ forever. The deepest Christian hope is not simply escape from suffering but eternal union with the Lord.
This hope enabled Saint Thomas to accept martyrdom.
“Where I am going you know the way”
The disciples know the way because they know Jesus, although they do not yet understand the full meaning of his Paschal journey.
Faith often precedes complete understanding. We begin by trusting Christ and gradually discover where he is leading us.
“Master, we do not know where you are going”
Thomas refuses to hide his uncertainty behind impressive religious language. His honesty becomes the occasion for revelation.
The Church should welcome sincere questions and guide people patiently toward Christ. Suppressed doubts can weaken faith, while honestly expressed questions can deepen it.
“How can we know the way?”
Thomas imagines that Jesus is speaking about a geographical road. Jesus reveals that the Way is personal.
Christianity is not merely a list of commandments, customs, devotions, or doctrines considered separately. It is communion with Jesus, who gives meaning to all Christian teaching and practice.
“I am the way”
Jesus does not merely point toward the way. He is the Way because he comes from the Father and leads humanity back to the Father.
For Thomas, following the Way led to missionary service in India and eventually to martyrdom at Mylapore.
The cross shows that the Way involves self-giving love, obedience, and sacrifice.
“I am the truth”
Jesus is the full revelation of God. In him, the Father’s love, mercy, holiness, and saving purpose become visible.
Thomas sealed his testimony to this Truth with his blood. His martyrdom transformed spoken proclamation into the witness of his whole life.
Christians cannot claim Jesus as the Truth while living in dishonesty, corruption, or hypocrisy.
“I am the life”
Jesus possesses divine life and communicates it to believers. His Resurrection reveals that sin and death do not have the final word.
The empty Sleeva proclaims the risen Life. The Cross is not the conclusion of the story but the passage into resurrection.
“No one comes to the Father except through me”
Jesus is the unique mediator between God and humanity. Salvation comes through him alone, even when his grace operates in ways known fully only to God.
This teaching does not justify disrespect toward people of other religions. It calls Christians to witness to Christ with conviction, humility, charity, and reverence for human freedom.
Thomas did not travel to India to proclaim himself. He came to proclaim Jesus.
The Cross as the Way
The Cross is the way because Christ reconciles humanity with the Father through his self-offering.
For the Christian, the Cross means choosing faithful love when selfishness appears easier. It means forgiving when resentment seems justified, serving when recognition is absent, and remaining truthful when dishonesty offers an advantage.
Saint Thomas walked this way by leaving his homeland, proclaiming the Gospel, accepting opposition, and offering his life.
The Cross as the Truth
The Cross reveals the truth about God: God loves humanity with a self-emptying love.
It reveals the truth about sin: sin is destructive and cannot be treated lightly.
It reveals the truth about humanity: every person possesses such dignity that the Son of God offered himself for our salvation.
It reveals the truth about power: the greatest power is sacrificial love rather than domination.
Thomas became a martyr because he refused to deny this Truth.
The Cross as the Life
The Cross becomes life-giving because the crucified Jesus has risen.
The absence of a corpus on the Mylapore Sleeva emphasizes this Paschal transition. The suffering servant has become the glorified Lord.
The Holy Spirit, represented by the dove, communicates the life of the risen Christ to believers.
Those who die with Christ will also live with him (Rom 6:8).
Historical and Cultural Context
The Indian Ocean connected India with Arabia, Persia, and the Mediterranean world through trade and migration. Such connections made apostolic and later Christian travel to India historically possible.
The St. Thomas Christians developed as an Indian ecclesial community while maintaining relationships with East Syriac Christianity. Bishops, clergy, liturgical books, and theological traditions came to India through these connections.
The Pahlavi inscription and artistic form of the Mylapore Cross reflect this interaction between India and the Christian East.
Related Saint Thomas Crosses are preserved in Kerala and elsewhere. Together they witness to a distinctive Christian culture shaped by apostolic memory, East Syriac faith, and Indian artistic expression.
Catholic Tradition and Teaching
The Catholic Church teaches that the Cross is the unique sacrifice of Christ, who offered himself once for all for the salvation of humanity.
The Cross and Resurrection cannot be separated. The One who was crucified is the One whom the Father raised and exalted.
Veneration of a cross is not worship of stone or wood. The honor given to a sacred image passes to Christ, whose saving mystery it represents.
The Church also distinguishes between the essential truths of faith and devotional traditions. The Gospel, Apostolic Tradition, and sacramental life remain the foundation of Christian faith. Extraordinary signs are evaluated according to whether they lead believers toward Christ and produce good spiritual fruit.
Historical or Saintly Illustration
Saint John Paul II visited Saint Thomas Mount during his apostolic journey to India in February 1986. His visit honored the apostolic heritage connected with Saint Thomas and encouraged Indian Christians to continue the mission they had received.
The visit of the successor of Saint Peter to a shrine associated with Saint Thomas was a sign of apostolic communion. Peter and Thomas received different missions, but both belonged to the one Church of Christ.
The event also reminded the St. Thomas Christians that apostolic heritage is more than an honor. It is a missionary responsibility.
Lessons from the Feast
1. Doubt can become a path to deeper faith
Thomas brought his uncertainty directly to Jesus. Honest questions should lead us toward Christ rather than away from him.
2. Jesus is the Way
Christianity is first a relationship with Christ. Rules, devotions, and traditions receive meaning from him.
3. Jesus is the Truth
The disciple must reject falsehood, corruption, and hypocrisy and bear witness to the truth with charity.
4. Jesus is the Life
Because Christ has risen, suffering and death do not have the final word.
5. The Cross leads to resurrection
The empty Sleeva teaches us to view sacrifice through the light of Easter.
6. Faith must become mission
Thomas crossed cultural and geographical boundaries. Every baptized person is sent to make Christ known.
7. The Gospel can be expressed through every culture
The lotus and East Syriac form of the cross show how Christian faith can take root within Indian culture.
8. Miracles should lead to conversion
Devotion becomes spiritually empty if it produces curiosity without repentance, charity, or sacramental participation.
9. The Holy Spirit gives life
The descending dove reminds us that Christian witness depends upon the power of the Spirit.
10. Apostolic heritage creates responsibility
The Church that received the faith through an apostle must preserve, live, and transmit it.
Application to Christian Life Today
Many people experience troubled hearts because of illness, grief, family conflict, financial difficulty, migration, persecution, or fear of death. Jesus does not promise that disciples will never suffer. He promises to remain with them and lead them toward the Father.
Families follow Christ the Way through prayer, forgiveness, fidelity, and sacrificial love. Christians witness to Christ the Truth through honesty and moral courage. The suffering cling to Christ the Life through hope in the Resurrection.
The feast also challenges St. Thomas Christians to move beyond pride in an ancient heritage. Honoring the apostle requires imitating his courage.
Parishes faithful to Saint Thomas should proclaim Scripture, form disciples, celebrate the sacraments reverently, serve the poor, support missionary vocations, and communicate the Gospel through contemporary means.
Eucharistic Connection
The miracle associated with the Mylapore Cross reportedly occurred during the celebration of the Holy Eucharist. This directs attention toward the sacramental presence of Christ’s sacrifice.
In the Holy Qurbana, the Church does not repeat Calvary. The one sacrifice of Christ is made sacramentally present. The Body received in Holy Communion is the Body offered on the Cross, and the Blood in the chalice is the Blood poured out for the forgiveness of sins.
The Eucharist is also a pledge of the Father’s house. Jesus, who prepares a place for us, comes to dwell within us and nourish us for our pilgrimage.
The Mylapore Sleeva and the Eucharistic altar proclaim one mystery: through the crucified and risen Christ, in the power of the Holy Spirit, we journey to the Father.
Conclusion
The Feast of the Miraculous Cross of Mylapore on December 18 unites the Syro-Malabar Church with the apostolic faith and martyrdom of Saint Thomas. It commemorates the ancient Mylapore Sleeva, its discovery in 1547, and the tradition of its miraculous manifestation during Holy Mass on December 18, 1558.
The Sleeva proclaims the complete Paschal Mystery. The empty cross announces the Resurrection; the dove signifies the Holy Spirit; the floral buds proclaim new life; and the lotus reveals the Gospel taking root in India.
Saint Thomas asked Jesus to show him the way. Jesus revealed himself as the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Thomas then followed that Way to India, proclaimed that Truth, received that Life, and sealed his faith through martyrdom.
The feast calls us to make the same journey—from questions to faith, from faith to mission, and from the Cross to the hope of resurrection.
Messages / Call to Conversion
- Bring honest questions and troubled hearts directly to Jesus.
- Follow Christ as the Way through obedience and sacrificial love.
- Witness to Christ as the Truth through integrity and courage.
- Receive Christ as the Life through faith and the sacraments.
- View suffering and death in the light of the Resurrection.
- Allow devotion to the Cross to lead to repentance and conversion.
- Preserve the apostolic and East Syriac heritage of the St. Thomas Christians.
- Express the Gospel through the authentic values of local culture.
- Depend upon the Holy Spirit for courage and missionary witness.
- Receive the Eucharist as nourishment for the journey to the Father.
Outline for Preachers
- Feast of the Mylapore Sleeva on December 18
- Saint Thomas’ mission to India
- Periamala and the tradition of his martyrdom
- Discovery of the granite cross in 1547
- Reported miracle during Holy Mass in 1558
- Pahlavi inscription and East Syriac connections
- Distinction between established history and devotional tradition
- Meaning of the Syriac word Sleeva
- Aniconic cross and Resurrection faith
- Cross as the new Tree of Life
- Lotus foundation and Indian inculturation
- Dove and the life-giving Holy Spirit
- Floral buds and new life from the Paschal Mystery
- Thomas as an honest seeker
- Last Supper setting of Jn 14
- Christ as the Way to the Father
- Martyrdom as witness to Christ the Truth
- Empty Cross as the proclamation of Christ the Life
- Eucharistic connection of Cross, sacrifice, and resurrection
- Apostolic heritage as a missionary responsibility
- Call to faith, courage, conversion, and hope
