Church in India - Syrian Orthodox Church of India - Roman Catholic Church

Introduction

The Christian Community of Kerala (India) traces back its origin to the advent of St.Thomas, the Apostle to India, who reached the Cragnanore Port in AD 52 and its subsequent spiritual stabilization and growth.

It is believed that the Apostle started his gospel mission in India, from a small town called "Malayankara" on the sea coast of 'Paravur' Taluk in Kerala, at a short distance away from Cranganore Port. It is thus that, when about 400 Christian Settlers from Syria came over in AD 345 under the leadership of Thomas Kana, they, for want of anything better, started referring to all their surroundings as "Malankara" (Phonetically similar to 'Malayankara'). In course of time, as the settlers spread out, all of the Malayalam speaking area together become 'Malankara' (Rhymes well with the local language, Malayalam too). This has been recorded in the writings of Mor Youseph, an emissary of the Holy See of Antioch, sent over to administer the needs of the Syrian Christian settlers.

With the coming of these Christian missionaries from Syria in AD.345, the entire Malankara Christian community adopted the rites & liturgies of the Syrian Church of Antioch and became a part of that ancient Patriarchal See; thus the early Christian converts (St.Thomas Christians) as well as the new Christian settlers (Knanaya Christians) came to be known as 'Syrian Christians'.

From such small beginnings, the Christian Community of Kerala grew up to its present stature against heavy odds aided, among other providential factors, by the continued tolerance and hospitality of many a neighborhood, the good will of the local rulers and chieftains and others. In due course, for various reasons, the Church in Kerala founded by St. Thomas, split into different denominations. Except for the origin of Christianity, all the Churches now have a different perspective on the history and faith of the Malankara Church.

In this website, the history of the JACOBITE SYRIAN CHRISTIAN CHURCH of Malankara, an off-soot of the most ancient Church in Christendom, the SYRIAC ORTHODOX CHURCH OF ANTIOCH & ALL THE EAST, is reproduced here (click the link); the brief section is compiled from the Church histories written by various authors. A detailed history of the evolution of Malankara Church and its faith with ample proof and evidences, that to be published soon, is currently under construction.

Christian population in Kerala

As per the latest census (2001), 1/4 th of the Christians in India are from its southern most state of Kerala. Of the total 32 million people in the province of Kerala, the Christians constitutes around 20 % ie; 6.2 million. A few more thousands of Kerala Christians are residing outside the state. The 'Syrian Christians' numbering about 5 million, spread across various denominations is the largest ethnic group among the Malankara (Kerala) Christians. A recent survey of the Christian population in Kerala is given below.

Approximate membership of the Christian denominations in Kerala

1.	Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Churches	17,50,000
2.	Roman Catholic Churches	31,20,000
3.	Other Episcopal & Protestant Churches	13,00,000

I. SYRIAN JACOBITE ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN CHURCHES

{A} Jacobite - {B} Knanaya - {C} Malankara

Total Membership- 17.50 lakhs

A. Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church

JACOBITE SYRIAN CHRISTIAN CHURCH

{administered by the 'CATHOLICOSE OF INDIA' - functions under the spiritual supremacy of the Syrian Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch & all the East ---> Regional Church H.Q. at Puthencuriz, Kochi}

800,000

Syrian Orthodox congregations within the jurisdiction of the Patriarch of Antioch

{Comprises of the Simhasana Churches; Archdiocese of Greater India (excluding the dioceses in Kerala); Evangelical Association of the East; & St.Antony's Mission, Mangalore}

75,000

Total

875,000

B. Knanaya Jacobite Syrian Church

KNANAYA JACOBITE SYRIAN CHURCH

(administered by the 'CHIEF METROPOLITAN OF THE EAST' - functions under spiritual supremacy of the Syrian Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch & all the East --> Church H.Q. at Chingavanam, Kottayam)

75,000

Total

75,000

C. Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church

MALANKARA ORTHODOX SYRIAN CHURCH

(administered by an independent 'CATHOLICOSE OF EAST' whose constitutional supreme head is the Syrian Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch & all the East --> Church H.Q.at Kottayam)

800,000

Total

800,000

II. ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCHES

{A} Roman - {B} Syrian - {C} Knanaya - {D} Latin churches

Total Membership- 31.20 lakhs

A. Roman Catholic Churches with Syriac tradition

1.	SYRO-MALABAR CHURCH (East Syriac tradition) Church H.Q.at Kochi	1,700,000
2.	SYRO-MALANKARA CHURCH (West Syriac tradition) Church H.Q.at Thiruvanathapuram	200,000
3.	KNANAYA SYRIAN CATHOLIC CHRISTIANS Church H.Q.at Kottayam	120,000
	Total		2,020,000

B. Latin Catholic Church

LATIN CATHOLIC CHRISTIANS

(in Kerala)

1,100,000

Total

1,100,000

III. OTHER EPISCOPAL & PROTESTANT CHRISTIAN CHURCHES

{Marthoma Syrian - Thoziyoor - Assyrian - CSI - Protestant Churches}

Total Membership- 13.00 lakhs

A. Episcopal Churches with Syriac traditions

MALABAR INDEPENDENT SYRIAN CHURCH (Thoziyoor Church)

( West Syriac traditions, Church H.Q. - Kunnamkulam)

10,000

ASSYRIAN CHURCH OF EAST

(Chaldeans - East Syriac traditions, Local H.Q. - Trichur)

30,000

Total

40,000

B. Protestant Churches with Syriac traditions

MARTHOMA SYRIAN CHURCH

(Protestant faith - West Syriac traditions, Church HQ. - Thiruvalla)

550,000

ST. THOMAS EVANGELICAL CHURCH

(Evolved from the MarThoma Syrian Church)

10,000

Total

560,000

C. Anglican & Other Protestant Christian Churches

CHURCH OF SOUTH INDIA & other Protestant Christian congregations

(in Kerala)

800,000

Total

700,000

Church History of

THE SYRIAC ORTHODOX

JACOBITE CHRISTIANS OF MALANKARA - INDIA