St. Thomas Evangelical Fellowship of India - Facts and Legends About Christianity in Ancient Tamilakam

Facts and Legends About Christianity in Ancient Tamilakam

Some legends of St. Thomas were created during the Portuguese times. The Portuguese imagined that Namboothiris and Kingdom of Cochin actually supported by the Portuguese in 1503, founding a new dynasty existed in the Jesus Christ's time too. Portuguese imagined that the Syrian immigrants from Babylon at the 9th century AD practising Nestorianism were actually Namboothiri Brahmins converted by St. Thomas himself. Ancient Tamilakam including the presentday Tamil Nadu and Kerala was actually ruled by the Tamil Chera Dynasty not the Kingdom of Cochin. Namboothiris first appeared in the 7th century AD after the invasions of Chalukya dynasty when they migrated from Tulunadu. The Namboothiris migrated to Karnataka during the rule of Kadamba king Mayuravarma from Ahichatra in 345 AD not earlier.Sangam Literature written during the early first millennia never mentioned Christianity.Christianity was not a Known religion in ancient Tamilakam while Jainism and Dravidian Hinduism. Numerous Sangam Literature never mentions Syrian Christians in ancient Kerala.Tharisapalli plates at 825 AD was the first instance when Syrian immigrants signing in Hebrew, Pahlavi and Kufic. Very few Christians existed in Kerala prior to Fr Jordanus a French Dominican monk converted Hindus to Christianity at Quilon increasing the population to thousands.

While the Acts of Saint Thomas written by Jewish poet Bardaisan mentions clearly that Saint Thomas was martyred at Indus Valley or in the adjoining areas of Persia, the legends created during the Portuguese era state that he was martyred at Mylapore. Roman Catholicism was introduced by Europeans and it became the major religion of Kerala during the Portuguese era (1498 AD - 1575 AD). Most of the Kerala Christians were practising Roman Catholicism during that era. All the Portuguese settlements in Kerala and Tamil Nadu such as Mylapore Mattancherry Angamaly and Quilon housed large number of Christians. Vasco da Gama with his 150 Portuguese soldiers could protect the Kingdom of Cochin against Samuthiris. The descendents of Portuguese soldiers completely disappeared from Kerala. Some with physical features of Caucasian race such as fair colour, sharper features, Blue Grey eyes and big build randomly appear at Kerala contrasting with the indigenous dark Dravidian people since then.

The present Kerala State (named Kerala in 1956; "Kerala" means "the land of coconut palms") includes most of the former Travancore, Cochin, and Malabar princely provinces. Then Kodungallore was the main sea port in Kerala. Upon his arrival, St. Thomas was received as a dignitary by the King of Cochin installed by Portuguese in 1503, a sea port in Kerala, India. Cochin was a powerful and prominent princely state at that time. St. Thomas explained his religion, Christianity, to the king. The king was impressed by his words and more by the prospects of expanding business by establishing new trade links. The King of Cochin, as well as the natives in Kerala, were very hospitable and accommodating towards Apostle Thomas and the visitors. Brahmins - the highest among the Hindu castes - were the only people who had any type of education. The communications of the king were carried out by the Brahmins. The legend has it that the King was so enamored with the new religion that he ordered sixty four well-to-do Brahmin families to join the new religion. The king gave prominence to the Christians in his palace and in his kingdom. The two dozen Christian families who had come with St. Thomas along with the local Brahmins constituted the first Church. St.Thomas converted many to Christianity, and eventually went to Madras State (now Tamil Nadu) to preach, and was later murdered by the natives at Mylapore near the city of Madras. He is buried at St. Thomas Mount, near Madras.

Thus the first Church in India was established on the Kerala Coast and became known as the 'Malankara Church.' Kerala is bordered on its north and east by the mountains and on its west and south by the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean. The strip of land - Kerala - lying between these mountains, the sea, and the ocean was known as 'Malankara' in the old days (Mala = Mountain, Kara = Coast). After the British came, they started referring to the region as the 'Malabar Coast' instead of 'Malankara'. Thus the ancient Malankara Church in Kerala was also called the 'Malabar Church'. From the Sun worshipping Brahmins, the ancient church adopted some customs; namely facing to the East (rising sun) when praying, tying Mangalyasutra or Minnu (a necklace with a special cross) and the giving of a Sari - Pudavakoda or Manthrakodi - ("wedding dress") to the bride by the bridegroom at the time of marriage, etc.

As it was started with the Middle Eastern visitors and immigrants, a relationship to the Antioch Church was developed from the early centuries. From the 2nd century onwards, the Churches in Kerala got their Bishops ordained by the Patriarch of Antioch. This system continued for a long period of time. Except for the ordination of Bishops, the Church was independent. For the first three centuries this church had no other contact with Churches outside. Middle easterners, including Christians, Jews, and Muslims kept migrating to the Kerala coast even into the early 20th century.

In 345 AD, one Thomas, a prominent and wealthy Merchant of Cana (Syria - Palestine), came to Cranganore (ancient Muziris) in Travancore (now part of Kerala) with a group of 400 Persian Christian immigrants as their leader. In those days, many Christians left Persia because of the religious persecution of Christians during the reign of Emperor Sapor II of Persia (AD 310-379). Thomas the Merchant and his group were wholeheartedly welcomed by the kings and their subjects in Kerala, and were granted several special privileges. The people in Kerala started referring to Thomas, the Merchant of Cana, as "Syrians' Knaye Thommen". One subsect of the present day Syrians in Syria are still called 'Knanaye Christians' and can trace their origins to this group of immigrants from Persia. The Persian Christians who immigrated with Thomas of Cana joined the Malankara Christians in their Churches for worship. From thence in the 4th century, the 'Malankara Church' became known as the “Syrian Church” or the “Malankara Syrian Church” and its members became known as the "Syrian Christians".