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

Introduction

The Christian Community of Kerala (in Southern 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 and liturgies of the Syriac 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 'Syriac 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-shoot of the most ancient Church in the 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 on 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), a quarter of the Christians in India are from its southern most state of Kerala alone. Of the total 32 million people in the province of Kerala, the Christians constitutes around 20 % ie; 6.5 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.

CHRISTIAN DENOMINATIONS in the Indian State of KERALA

1.	Syriac Orthodox Christianity (following the Antiochean liturgy of the Jacobite/Syrian Church of Antioch )	1,500,000
2.	Roman Catholic Christianity (following Latin, Chaldean & Antiochean liturgies of the Roman Catholic Church)	3,000,000
3.	Other Episcopal & Protestant Christianity	1,360,000

I. SYRIAC ORTHODOX CHRISTIANITY

Churches following the Antiochean Liturgy of the Jacobite/Syrian Church of Antioch - West Syriac

Total Membership - ~ 1.5 million*

{A}. Jacobite Syrian Christian Church of India (part of Universal Syriac Orthodox Church of Antioch & All the East)

Population

JACOBITE SYRIAN CHRISTIAN CHURCH

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

600,000 - 700,000

Total

700,000

{B}. Syrian Orthodox Congregations (under the jurisdiction of the Syrian Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch & All the East )

SYRIAN ORTHODOX CONGREGATIONS (under the direct jurisdiction of the Patriarch of Antioch & All the East)

{Comprises of the Simhasana Churches, Evangelical Association of the East & St.Antony's (Honvar) Mission, Mangalore}

~ 15,000

KNANAYA JACOBITE SYRIAN COMMUNITY of INDIA

(Headed by an ARCHBISHOP - functions under spiritual supremacy of the Syrian Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch & all the East

---> Church H.Q. at Chingavanam, Kottayam)

~ 60,000

Total

75,000

{C}. Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church (also referred as 'Indian Orthodox' or 'Malankara Orthodox' )

MALANKARA ORTHODOX SYRIAN CHURCH (Independent from the Syrian Orthodox Church since 1912)

(administered under an autocephalous 'CATHOLICOS OF EAST' ---> Church H.Q. at Kottayam)

600,000 - 700,000

Total

700,000

II. ROMAN CATHOLIC CHRISTIANITY

Churches following the Latin, Chaldean & Antiochean Liturgies of the Roman Catholic Church

Total Membership - ~ 3.0 million*

{A}. Roman Catholic Churches with Syriac tradition

1.	SYRO-MALABAR CHURCH (East Syriac tradition - Church H.Q. at Kochi )	~ 1,650,000
2.	SYRO-MALANKARA CHURCH (West Syriac tradition - Church H.Q. at Thiruvanathapuram)	~ 200,000
3.	KNANAYA SYRIAN CATHOLIC CHRISTIANS (East Syriac tradition - Church H.Q. at Kottayam)	~ 150,000
	Total		2,000,000

{B}. Latin Catholic Church

LATIN CATHOLIC CHURCH (Latin liturgy - under the direct jurisdiction of the Holy See of Rome)

~ 1,000,000

Total

1,000,000

III. OTHER EPISCOPAL & PROTESTANT CHRISTIAN CHURCHES

Total Membership - ~ 1.35 million*

{A}. Episcopal Churches with Syriac traditions

MALABAR INDEPENDENT SYRIAN CHURCH (Thoziyoor Church)

(follows West Syriac / Antiochean liturgy of the Syriac Orthodox Church - Church H.Q. at Anjoor, Kunnamkulam)

~ 10,000

ASSYRIAN CHURCH OF EAST (Chaldeans of India)

(follows East Syriac / Nestorian liturgy of the Church of the East - Local H.Q. at Trichur)

~ 30,000

Total

40,000

{B}. Protestant Churches with Syriac traditions

MARTHOMA SYRIAN CHURCH

(Episcopal Church that partly follows West Syriac traditions, Church HQ. at Thiruvalla)

~ 600,000

ST. THOMAS EVANGELICAL CHURCH

(Evolved from the MarThoma Syrian Church - follows fully protestant views)

~ 10,000

Total

610,000

{C}. Anglican & Other Protestant Christian Churches in Kerala

CHURCH OF SOUTH INDIA & other Protestant Christian congregations

~ 800,000

(Includes Syrian Christians separated from Episcopal churches & others )

Total

700,000

* figures given above are only approximate

Church History of the

SYRIAC ORTHODOX (JACOBITE) CHRISTIANS OF MALANKARA (INDIA)