Christianity in Maharashtra - History

History

Christianity was brought to the North Konkan region of Maharashtra by St. Bartholomew, one of the twelve Apostles of Christ. Pantaneus visited India about AD 180 and there he found a Gospel of Matthew written in Hebrew language, left with the Christians there by St. Barthlomew. This is mentioned by Roman historian Eusebius, and by St. Jerome in one of his letters. A flourishing Christian Community in the 6th Century was mentioned by Kosmos Indicopleustes and Jordanus, who worked among the Christians in Thana and Sopara areas in the 13th Century. The French Dominican friar, Jordanus Catalani of Severac (in south-western France) started evangelizing activities in Thana and Sopara was the first work of Rome in North Konkan.

Most history of the Church in India was lost between the 9th and the 14th Century, as Persia went over to the Nestorianism in 800 AD. Since the provision of Church offices and all the apparatus of public worship was looked to a foreign source, the Indian Christians were reduced to "nominal" Christians when this foreign aid was withdrawn. When Dominican and Franciscan Missionaries arrived in the 1300s with the intention of preaching the Gospel, they were surprised to find a small Christian community already in existence. Protestant Missionaries first arrived in Maharashtra from England and America in 1813.