Sankarapuri, Pakalomattam, Kalli and Kaliyankal were the main high caste families converted into Christianity. The Apostle appointed two priests for the churches from these families in the beginning. He preached about thirty years in Kerala and then to Mylappoore.
According to St Thomas Christian tradition, Thomas the Apostle did the first baptism in India at St Thomas Syro-Malabar Church, Palayur, this church is therefore considered an Apostolic See credited to the apostolate of Thomas.
The origin of Kerala's Christians dates back to 52 AD, when St. Thomas came to the region landing in the port of Cranganore near Cochin. He visited different parts of Kerala and converted local inhabitants including many from the upper sect known as Namboodiri Brahmins.
Which Hindu caste mostly converted to Christianity?
Hindu Dalits are sometimes referred to as Harijans. About 90 to 95% of Pakistani Christians are Dalits from the Chuhra caste and 9% of Indian Christians are Scheduled Castes, categorised thus by the greater societal practices in various parts of the Indian subcontinent.
The Christians of Kerala, unlike those in other states, are a part of the social and economic elite. Many consider themselves 'upper castes' even though a section of them believe their ancestors were the early Christians who came from the Middle East and settled in Kerala around 2 CE.
The Kerala government grants OBC reservation benefits to Latin Catholics of Kerala, Anglo Indians and Nadar Christians included in South India United Church (SIUC). The Government of Maharashtra grants OBC reservation benefits to East Indian Catholics.
The first followers of Christianity were Jews who had converted to the faith, i.e. Jewish Christians, as well as Phoenicians, i.e. Lebanese Christians.
Rama Varma, the eldest son of Veera Kerala Varma, the Maharaja of Cochin, took a boat from Tripunithura to Fort Cochin. There he was met by his friend Ananthan, a Gowda Saraswat Brahmin. Together they went to St. Francis Church where Rama Varma was baptised and converted to Christianity.
Some Christians might worry that wearing religious symbols of another faith, even if the bindi is more cultural nowadays, could be confusing or even seen as disrespectful. In practice, the Church doesn't have a one-size-fits-all stance on things like this. It's more about personal conviction and context.
Christianity is followed by 18.38% of the population of Kerala. The Christianity in Kerala has long traditions from first century AD many of which is similar to the Malabari Jews, the latter has settled in Kerala since the King Solomon. The visit of St. Thomas is still a matter of dispute among historians.
The Nambudhri Brahmins were top of the caste hierarchy and the Pulayar were at the lowest. According to most travelers, the Nairs were placed below the kings and the Brahmins in Caste hierarchy. The Ambalavasis were kept between the Brahmins and the Nairs.
The Saint Thomas Christians, also called Syrian Christians or Malankara Nasrani or Nasrani Mappila or Nasrani, are an ethnoreligious community of Malayali Syriac Christians from Kerala, India, who trace their origins to the evangelistic activity of Thomas the Apostle in the 1st century.
Even so, in 301, the Kingdom of Armenia became the first nation to adopt Christianity as its state religion, soon followed by Caucasian Albania and the East African Kingdom of Aksum. Christianity, a minority faith in Britain since the second century, began to be displaced by Anglo-Saxon paganism in the fifth century.
Palayur. St. Thomas Church, Palayoor is located at Palayur (also spelled Palayoor), in Thrissur district in Kerala on the west coast of India. According to tradition, it was established in 52 AD by St Thomas, The Apostle.
The Syrian Christians of Kerala are a very conservative community from Kerala which is highly endogamous. They are majorly an aristocratic and trading ethnic group who are considered to be an upper caste in India in accordance with their Brahmin, Jewish and Assyrian ancestory.
The word Hindu is an exonym, and while Hinduism has been called the oldest surviving religion in the world, it has also been described by the modern term Sanātana Dharma ( lit. 'eternal dharma'). Vaidika Dharma ( lit. 'Vedic dharma') and Arya dharma are historical endonyms for Hinduism.
Imad ud–din Lahiz was an Islamic writer, preacher and Quranic translator, who converted to Christianity from Islam. Sake Dean Mahomed was a traveller, surgeon and entrepreneur who converted to Christianity from Sunni Islam.
Which religion is mostly converted to Christianity?
According to a 2021 study by the Pew Research Center, Christianity has grow in India in recent years due to conversion. Most converts are former Hindus, though some are former Muslims.
By the Early Middle Ages (800–1000), faiths referred to as pagan had mostly disappeared in the West through a mixture of peaceful conversion, natural religious change, persecution, and the military conquest of pagan peoples; the Christianization of Lithuania in the 15th century is typically considered to mark the end ...
Christianity grew out of Jewish traditions and was shaped by Roman cultural and political structures for several centuries. To take one lasting example, the head of the Roman Catholic Church—the Pope—takes his title from the old Roman office of pontifex maximus—the high priest.
Basically, Hindus who converted to Christianity had refused to shed their caste identity. Therefore we find today there are Christian Nadars, Mudaliars, Yadavas and Reddiars. This prevalence of the dominant castes and the Dalits within the church establishment, has led to tensions.
The Saint Thomas Christians have also been nicknamed such due to their reverence for Saint Thomas the Apostle, who is said to have brought Christianity to India. The name dates back to the period of Portuguese colonisation. They are also known, especially locally, as Nasrani or Nasrani Mappila.
Highlights: India's Christian community is growing, particularly among marginalized groups, with many drawn to the message of hope and inclusion in Christianity. Additionally, Christianity offers an appealing alternative amid increasing Hindu nationalism.
