Christianity in Kerala
Christianity is the third-most practised religion in Kerala, accounting for 18% of the population according to the Indian census.[1] Although a minority, the Christian population of Kerala is proportionally much larger than that of India as a whole. A significant portion of the Indian Christian population resides in the state.[2][3]
History
The tradition of origin among Saint Thomas Christians relates to the arrival of Saint Thomas, one of the 12 disciples of Jesus at the ancient seaport Muziris on the Kerala coast in AD 52[4] which is in the present day Kodungalloor, Kerala.[5]
The Saint Thomas Christian tradition has historically been, as recorded by scholars, that Thomas converted 12-13, in some accounts 32, Brahmin families/clans including Pattamukkil near St.Mary's Church, Niranam,Pakalomattom, Sankarapuri, Kaliyankal, Kalli, Kalikay, Kottakali, from which many Saint Thomas Christians, particularly those from prominent families, have traditionally claimed descent. The Thomma Parvam further narrates St Thomas's mission in South India and states that before his martyrdom at Mylapore in present-day Chennai, Tamil Nadu, he had converted 6,850 Brahmans, 2,800 Kshatriyas, 5,750 Vaishiyas, and 1,250 Shudras.
The families Pattamukkil near St.Mary's Church, Niranam, Sankarapuri, Pakalomattam, Kalli, and Kaliyankal were considered particularly preeminent, and historically the most aristocratic Syriac Christian families tended to claim descent from these families.
There is no contemporary evidence showing that Thomas had been in the subcontinent, but it was possible for an Aramaic-speaking Jew from Galilee to make such a trip to Kerala in the 1st century. The Cochin Jews are known to have existed in Kerala around that time. The earliest known source connecting the apostle to India is the Acts of Thomas, likely written in the early 3rd century, perhaps in Edessa.
The text describes Thomas' adventures in bringing Christianity to India, a tradition later expanded upon in early Indian sources such as the "Thomma Parvam" ("Song of Thomas"). Generally he is described as arriving in or around Maliankara and founding Seven Churches, or Ezharapallikal: Kodungallur, Kollam, Niranam, Nilackal (Chayal), Kokkamangalam, Kottakkavu, Palayoor and Thiruvithamcode Arappally (a "half church"). A number of 3rd- and 4th-century Roman writers also mention Thomas' trip to India, including Ambrose of Milan, Gregory of Nazianzus, Jerome, and Ephrem the Syrian, while Eusebius of Caesarea records that his teacher Pantaenus visited a Christian community in India in the 2nd century.There came existence Christian community who were mainly merchants. Other main places where churches were built are Angamaly(now), AD300 Ambhazhakkad (a place near chalakudy) and other parts of kerala.
While some historians have contended that there was no significant Brahmin presence in Kerala in the first century A.D. and have disputed the historicity of the Brahmin conversion tradition, there is evidence that some St Thomas Christians observed Brahmin customs and were granted privileges usually reserved for Brahmins in the Middle Ages, i.e. after the 9th century A.D., including the wearing of the sacred thread and having a kudumi.
The medieval historian Pius Malekandathil believes these were customs adopted and privileges won during the beginning of the Brahmin dominance of medieval Kerala. He argues that the St Thomas Christians, integrated with Persian Christian migrant merchants in the 9th century, had become a powerful trading community by this time and were granted the privileges by the Brahmins and the Hindu rulers to promote revenue generation and to undermine Buddhist and Jain traders who rivalled the Hindus for religious and political hegemony in Kerala at the time.
Some writers believe that the original converts would have included the Jews already present in Kerala at that time.[29] Indeed, a version of the Songs of Thomas or Thomma Parvam, written in 1601, is believed to be a summary of a larger and older work, narrate the conversion of 40 Jews along with the Brahmins and the local King at Kodungallur by St Thomas, - it claims numbered around the Hindus converted 3000. The Thomma Parvam further narrates St Thomas's mission in South India and states that before his martyrdom at Mylapore in present-day Chennai, Tamil Nadu, he had converted 6,850 Brahmans, 2,800 Kshatriyas, 3,750 Vaishiyas, and 4,250 Shudras.
The tradition of the coming of a foreigner by the name 'Thoman' who debated with the Brahmins and converted many 'prominent people' including a King is part of Nambudiri Brahmin folklore and is found in the important Nambudiri Brahmin 17th century tract the Keralolpathi.
Denominations
The 6.141 million Christians in the 2011 census consists of 3.744 million Catholics (61.0 percent of the total Christians), 977,000 Jacobite/ Orthodox Syrians (15.9 percent), 405,000 Mar Thoma Syrians (6.6 percent), 274,000 Church of South India (CSI) adherents (4.5 percent), 214, 000 Pentecost/ Church of God members (3.5 percent) and 160,000 Dalit Christians (2.6 percent) [citation needed]. The most numerous among the Christian denominations in Kerala today are the Syro-Malabar Catholics, numbering about 2,346,000 in 2011. The Latin Catholics, who numbered about 933,000 in 2011, are the second most numerous Christian denominations. The Jacobite Syrian Christian community has a membership of 483,000 and the Orthodox Syrian community has a membership of 494,000; together they number 977,000. The Mar Thoma denomination numbers about 405,000 [citation needed].
- Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church[7]
- Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church[8]
- Malankara Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church
- Believers Eastern Church[9]
- Malabar Independent Syrian Church
- Syro-Malankara Catholic Church
- Latin Catholic Church
Kottayam Cheriapally 1835 pencil drawing
- Baptists
- Seventh-day Adventists
- Assemblies of God
- Church of God (Full Gospel) in India
- The Pentecostal Mission
- The Indian Pentecostal Church of God
- Karisma Fire Ministries
- Kerala Brethren
- Local Churches
- Ceylon Pentecostal Mission
- {WME Church of God (Pentecostal)}
- St. Thomas Evangelical Church of India
- Salvation Army
- Sharon Fellowship Church
- Yuyomaya Sabha
- Heavenly Feast
- Covenant People's Ministries
- world mission evangelism, kariamplave, ranni, pathanamthitta. *independent gospel baptist church and associated missions, kangazha, kottayam. *biblical baptist church ministiries, pampady, kottayam. *assemblies of christian churches, kottankudy, mallapalli.
Independent
Pilgrimage sites
- Mar Thoma Pontifical Shrine, Azhikode, Kodungalloor, Thrissur- first of the Ezharappallikal and contains St. Thomas' right arm's bone.
- St. Mary's Church, Niranam, Pathanamthitta- one of the oldest churches in India and founded by St. Thomas.
- St. Mary's Cathedral, Kundara, Kollam- contains a Holy Girdle believed to be dropped from the sky by the Virgin Mary to St. Thomas.
- Our Lady of Dolours Basilica, Thrissur, Thrissur- commonly known as 'Puthanpally' ('new church') and the third-tallest church in Asia.
- St. Antony's Forane Church, Ollur, Thrissur- a well-known church, site of the famous 'Malakhayude Perunnal'.
- St Mary's Forane Church, Koratty, Thrissur- site of the famous Korattymuthy and burial site of Christian warrior Kavalakkadan Kochuvareeth.
- St. Joseph's Parish Shrine, Pavaratty - contains Holy Relic of Holy Cross (Thiruseshippu) and Holy Relic of St.Joseph (Thiruseshippu).
- St. Peter and St.Paul's Church, Parumala, Pathanamthitta- important to Malankara Orthodox Christians as the burial site of St. Geevarghese Mar Gregorios.
- St. Mary's Soonoro Cathedral Angamaly, first church in Angamaly and seat of power of St Thomas Christians till 16th century.
- Basilica of St. George, Angamaly, Ernakulam- largest of its kind in India and the second church in Angamaly, which was a former "Kurishu Palli" of St Mary's Jacobite church, Angamaly.
- Potta Ashram, Potta, Thrissur- a famous Catholic charismatic renewal centre in Kerala.
- St. George's Syro-Malabar Catholic Forane Church, Erattupetta, Kottayam- first church built in the Pala Eparchy and has a cross laid down by St. Thomas.
- St. Mary's Cathedral, Manarcad, Kottayam- contains part of the Holy Girdle and was the site of the Jacobite ritual of the Holy Mooron in 1982 by the Patriarch of Antioch Ignatius Zakka I Iwas.
- Divine Retreat Centre, Muringoor, Thrissur- a famous retreat centre with a rehabilitation centre, retirement home and other centres.
- Orthodox Theological Seminary, Kottayam- first seminary in Kerala for the old Malankara Church and currently owned by the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church.
- St. Mary's Orthodox Cathedral, Kumbazha, Pathanamthitta- foundation laid by St. Geevarghese Mar Gregorios and the site of the 'Marthoma Pilgrimage Site'.
- St. Thomas Church, Malayattoor, Ernakulam- an international shrine and the site of St. Thomas' footprints and knee-prints, along with other historical sites.
- Manjinikkara Dayara, Omallur, Pathanamthitta- Syriac Orthodox monastery and contains the tombs of St. Ignatius Elias III and Mor Yulios Elias Qoro.
- Martha Mariam Orthodox Syrian Church, Thevalakkara, Kollam- one of the leading churches in the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church and the burial site of Mar Sabor and Mar Proth.
- St. George Church, Edappally, Ernakulam- foundation laid by Pope John Paul II and the site of the 'offering of fowls' during the Feast of St. George.
- St. George Orthodox Church, Puthuppally, Kottayam- commonly called the 'Puthuppally Valiyappally' and contains a shrine declared as the 'Georgian Pilgrim Centre of the East'.
- St. Thomas Orthodox Cathedral, Kadampanad, Pathanamthitta- contains the tomb of Mar Thoma III and declared as a 'Marthoman Pilgrim Centre'.
- St. Peter and St. Paul's Church, Kolenchery, Ernakulam- contains the tomb of Mar Thoma VII and reopened recently for both Malankara Orthodox Christians and Jacobite Orthodox Christians.
- St. Thomas Church, Kothamangalam, Ernakulam- contains the tomb of St. Baselios Yeldo.
- St. Mary's Jacobite Church, Thamarachal, Ernakulam- pilgrim centre of St. Mary and famous for its 'Ettunombu'.
- St Thomas Jacobite Syrian Church, North Paravur, Ernakulam- established by St. Thomas and the burial site of Mar Gregorios Abdal Jaleel Bawa).
- St. George Orthodox Church, Chadanapally, Pathanamthitta- contained the relics of St. George for a while and site of the well-known 'Chembuduppu' annual ritual.
- St. George Orthodox Church, Cheppad, Alappuzha- contains the tomb of Mar Dionysius IV and a 600-year-old mural.
- St. Francis Church, Fort Kochi, Ernakulam- oldest European church and currently under control of the CSI.
- St. John Nepumsian's Forane Church Parappukkara, Thrissur- a rare pilgrim centre of St. John Nepumsian and contains a granite cross given by St. Francis Xavier.
- St. Jude's Shrine, Koothattukulam, Ernakulam- contains a relic of St. Jude and the world's biggest bronze oil lamp.
- St. Joseph's Church, Mannanam, Kottayam- constructed by St. Kuriakose Elias Chavara and contains his tomb.
- St. Mary's Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, Bharananganam, Kottayam - contains the tomb of St. Alphonsa.
- Basilica of Our Lady of Ransom, Vallarpadam, Ernakulam- a National Pilgrim Centre and contains a privileged altar.
- St. Mary's Forane Church, Thankey, Alappuzha- founded by Jesuits and contains a miraculous life-size statue of Jesus.
- St. George Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, Edathua, Alappuzha- contains a famous and miraculous shrine of St. George
- St. Antony's Church, Kaloor, Ernakulam- contains one of the biggest and shrines of St. Antony, which is believed to be miraculous.
- St. Mary's Jacobite Syrian Church, Kattachira, Alappuzha- declared as a Global Marian Pilgrim Centre and contains an icon of St. Mary with tears of aromatic oil flowing from the eyes.
- St. Antony and St. Joseph's Latin Catholic Shrine, Kannamaly, Ernakulam- contains a miraculous shrine of St. Antony and St. Joseph.
- Chapel of the Holy Cross, Mattancherry, Ernakulam- site of an improvised cross where the Coonan Cross Oath was held.
- Marth Mariam Forane Church, Arakuzha, Ernakulam- one of the oldest churches in Kerala and where Mar Varghese Payyappilly Palakkappilly served as a parish priest.
- Major Archiepiscopal Marth Mariam Archdeacon Pilgrim Church, Kuravilangad, Kottayam- site of the famous 'Kuravilangadmuthy' and contains one of the oldest church bells.This church is the Major Archiepiscopal Pilgrim Center of Syro Malabar Catholic Church
- St. Mary's Syro-Malabar Catholic Forane Church, Athirampuzha, Kottayam- a world-renowned pilgrim centre of St. Sebastian and one of the oldest churches in Kerala.
- Jerusalem Retreat Center, Thalore, Thrissur- a famous Catholic charismatic renewal centre in Kerala.
- Madre De Deus Church, Vettukad, Thiruvananthapuram - a major Christian pilgrim centre in south Kerala under the Latin catholic Arch Diocese of Trivandrum renowned among pilgrims and tourists for the Feast of Christ The King celebration. The church bears tradition of more than 500 years.
References
- ^ "Census of India". Retrieved 2009-04-12.
- ^ "Christianity in India". Members.tripod.com. Retrieved 2013-12-16.
- ^ Compiled by Robert Eric Frykenberg (2005-07-01). "Timeline". Ctlibrary.com. Retrieved 2013-12-16.
- ^ The Encyclopedia of Christianity, Volume 5 by Erwin Fahlbusch. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing - 2008. p. 285. ISBN 978-0-8028-2417-2.
- ^ "National: Pattanam richest Indo-Roman site on Indian Ocean rim". The Hindu. 2009-05-03. Retrieved 2016-02-25.
- ^ World Christian Encyclopedia , Second edition, 2001 Volume 1, p. 368-371
- ^ "Malankara Orthodox Church - Kottayam Seminary". Malankaraorthodoxchurch.in. Retrieved 2013-12-16.
- ^ "Mar Thoma Syrian Church of Malabar". Marthoma.in. Retrieved 2013-12-16.
- ^ "About - Believers Eastern Church". www.believerschurch.com. Retrieved 2018-04-25.
Further reading
- George K.M.,`Christianity in India Through the Centuries`,Authentic Books, Secunderabad,2007,2009.(ISBN 978-81-7362-786-6).
- Benedict Vadakkekara,`Origin of Christianity in India`,Media House, Delhi,2007.ISBN 81-7495-258-6.
- Agur C.M.,`Church History of Travancore`,Madras,1903 Reprint:Asian Educational Services, New Delhi,1990. (ISBN 81-206-0594-2).
- Visvanathan Susan,`The Christians of Kerala`,Oxford University Press, Delhi1993,1999.(ISBN 0195647998)
- George Menachery,`The St. Thomas Christian Encyclopaedia of India`,SARAS,Ed.Prof. George Menachery, Ollur,Vol.I 1982, Vol.II 1973, Vol. III 2009.
- George Menachery,`Indian Church History Classics`,SARAS,Ed.Prof. George Menachery, Ollur,Vol.I The Nazranies 1998.
C. I. Issac, The Evolution of Christian Church in India, ISBN 978 81 7255 056 12014, Soorygatha Publishers, PB No 3517, Kochi 682 035