84-540: The Bombay East Indians , also called East Indian Catholics or simply East Indians , are an ethno-religious Indian Christian community native to the Seven Islands of Bombay and the neighbouring Mumbai Metropolitan Area of the Konkan division , along the western coast of India . A Dominican missionary by the name Jordanus Catalani, who was either Catalan or Occitan (southern French), began evangelising
168-1055: A Christian community had firmly established in the Malabar region by 600 AD at the latest; the community was composed of Nestorians belonging to the Church of the East in India , who used the East Syriac Rite of worship. Following the discovery of the sea route to India , by the Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama in the 15th century AD, Western Christianity was established in the European colonies of Goa , Tranquebar , Bombay , Madras and Pondicherry ; as in Catholicism (of Latin and Syriac Rites ) and various forms of Protestantism . Conversions also took place through
252-538: A Syriac Christian merchant, brought a group of 72 Christian families from Mesopotamia to Kerala in the 4th century. He was granted copper-plates by the Chera Dynasty , which gave his party and all native Christians socio-economic privileges. The community of Christians that came along with Knai Thoma is called Knanaya Christians. The Saint Thomas Christian community in Kerala was further strengthened by
336-760: A detached bathroom. East Indian Catholics speak the East Indian dialect of Marathi-Konkani , which they retained despite Portuguese rule. The dialect is central to the community's identity. The author of Trans Bomb Geog Soc, 1836–38, Vol I mentions the dialects spoken by the East Indians of Salsette , Mahim , Matunga & Mazgaon ; similar to the dialects spoken by the Kulbis, Kolis, Bhandaris, Palshes, Pathare Prabhus , Somvanshi Kshatriya Pathares ( Panchkalshis ), Kuparis & Vadvals ; this may have been Konkani . Some East Indian upper-class families of
420-697: A local dynastic archdeacon . In the 14th century, the Church of the East declined due to persecution from Tamerlane . The 16th century witnessed the colonial overtures of the Portuguese Padroado aiming to bring St Thomas Christians into the Latin Catholic Church , administered by the Portuguese Padroado Archdiocese of Goa , leading to the first of several rifts in the community. The efforts of
504-518: A millennium, faced considerable persecution from Portuguese evangelists in the 16th century. This later wave of evangelism spread Catholicism more widely along the Konkan coast. The South Indian coastal areas around Kanyakumari were known for pearl fisheries ruled by the Paravars . From 1527, the Paravars, being threatened by Arab fleets offshore who were supported Zamorin of Calicut, sought
588-532: A mixture of Christian religious belief and Hindu caste culture, remains a defining part of the Paravar life today. In the 16th century, the proselytisation of Asia was linked to the Portuguese colonial policy . Missionaries of the different orders including Franciscans , Dominicans , Jesuits , Augustinians arrived with the Portuguese colonisers. The history of Portuguese missionaries in India starts with
672-649: A naval station or a commercial post for the Levante trade. The terms made England send 2,000 foot soldiers and 500 horses to assist Portugal's war against Spain . The treaty, under the marriage provision, also stated that the Infanta and her whole family "shall enjoy the free exercise of the Roman Catholic religion." Over time, however, the acquisition of the two territories came to be regarded as liabilities for England. Charles sold his rights over Bombay to
756-843: A number of such documents in the possession of the Syrian churches of Kerala which include the Thazhekad Sasanam , the Quilon Plates (or the Tharisappalli Chepped s ), Mampally Sasanam and Iraviikothan Chepped , etc. Some of these plates have been dated to around 774 AD. Scholars have studied the inscriptions and produced varying translations. The language used is Old Malayalam in Vattezhuthu script intermingled with some Grantha , Pahlavi , Kufic and Hebrew scripts. The ruler of Venad ( Travancore ) granted
840-619: A separate bull, that reads Venerabili Fratri Jordano , he was appointed the first Bishop of Quilon on 21 August 1329 AD. In 1321, Jordanus Catalani also arrived in Bhatkal , a place near Mangalore, and established a missionary station there converting many locals. He also evangelised in Thana district (Trombay) near Bombay ; the descendants of these converts would later become part of the Bombay East Indian community. Thomas
924-550: A threat to the solidarity of Christian belief. According to Maria Aurora Couto , Jesuit missionary Francis Xavier requested the installation of the Goa Inquisition in a letter dated 16 May 1546 to King John III of Portugal , but the tribunal commenced only in 1560. The Inquisition office persecuted Hindus , Muslims , Bene Israels , New Christians and the Judaizing Nasranis . Crypto-Hindus were
SECTION 10
#17327811334791008-551: Is India's third-largest religion with about 26 million adherents, making up 2.3 percent of the population as of the 2011 census. The written records of St Thomas Christians mention that Christianity was introduced to the Indian subcontinent by Thomas the Apostle , who sailed to the Malabar region (present-day Kerala ) in 52 AD. The Acts of Thomas say that the early Christians were Malabar Jews who had settled in what
1092-520: Is St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Church , located at Palayur in Thrissur district in Kerala. According to Saint Thomas christian tradition, the Syrian church was established between 52 and 54 AD by St Thomas , where he performed the first baptism in India. This church is therefore considered an Apostolic See credited to the apostolate of St. Thomas . Although little is known of the immediate growth of
1176-470: Is believed to be one of the oldest churches in India. The church was founded by St. Thomas in AD 54. On his way from Kollam in the northeast direction, he arrived at Niranam "Thrikpapaleswaram" by sea. The church was reconstructed several times with some parts dating back to a reconstruction in 1259. The architecture of the church bears a striking similarity to ancient temple architecture . Another ancient church
1260-641: Is further substantiated by the records acknowledging the work of Saint Severus of Vienne , a 5th-century missionary of Indian origin who evangelised in Vienne , France. India had a flourishing trade with Central Asia, the Mediterranean , and the Middle East, both along mountain passes in the north and sea routes down the western and southern coast, well before the advent of the Christian era, and it
1344-460: Is known as the Great Oath of Bent Cross. There are various versions about the wording of oath, one version being that the oath was directed against the Portuguese, another that it was directed against Jesuits, yet another version that it was directed against the authority of Church of Rome . Those who were not able to touch the cross tied ropes on the cross, held the rope in their hands and made
1428-657: Is likely that Christian merchants from these lands settled in Indian cities along these trading routes. The colony of Syrian Christians established at Muziris (present-day Kodungallur ) may be the first Christian community in South India for which there is a continuous written record. The Chronicle of Seert describes an evangelical mission to India by Bishop David of Basra around the year 300, who reportedly made many conversions, and it has been speculated that his mission took in areas of southern India. Knai Thoma ,
1512-459: Is present-day Kerala before the birth of Christ . St Thomas, an Aramaic -speaking Jew from Galilee (present-day Israel) and one of the disciples of Jesus Christ , came to India in search of Indian Jews . After years of evangelism , Thomas was martyred and then buried at St Thomas Mount , in the Mylapore neighbourhood of Madras (Chennai) . There is the scholarly consensus that
1596-450: Is the lugra . For men, traditional wear consists of khaki shorts and a white banian . A Koli Christian bridegroom usually wears an older Portuguese admiral's uniform, which is preserved and lent out for such occasions. East Indian women wore a blouse and cotton lugra, with the back pleats tucked into the waist; women did not use the upper portion of the sari (covering the head and breast) until they were married. This mode of wearing
1680-495: The Bombay East Indian Christians who are predominantly Roman Catholics and inhabitants of the north Konkan region. In Portuguese Bombay and Bassein missionary work progressed on a large scale and with great success along the western coasts, chiefly at Chaul, Bombay, Salsette, Bassein, Damao, and Diu; and on the eastern coasts at San Thome of Mylapore, and as far as Bengal etc. In the southern districts
1764-794: The East India Company . Tangier was maintained until it was evacuated by 1684 under constant pressure from surrounding Moorish forces. It also became a source of political controversy in England since Whigs suggested that the garrison, which had a large number of Irish Catholics, was designed to be brought over to Britain to impose royal absolutism . In accordance with the agreement, a force of British and Irish troops under Frederick Schomberg were raised to serve in Portugal's ongoing war against Spain. Portugal secured its independence in 1668. Charles and Catherine were unable to conceive
SECTION 20
#17327811334791848-483: The Goan Inquisition , with the oppression of Hindus and the destruction of mandirs . Christian missionaries introduced the western educational system to the Indian subcontinent, to preach Christianity and campaign for Hindu social reforms . However, the convents & charities of missionaries are being targeted these days, specifically by banning them from getting foreign aid through
1932-577: The Gospel of Matthew with "Hebrew letters, a mixture of culture." This is a plausible reference to the earliest Indian churches which are known to have used the Syriac New Testament ; Syriac being a dialect of the Aramaic language spoken by Jesus and his disciples. Pantaenus ' evidence thus indicates that early Christians from the Middle East had already evangelised parts of India by
2016-777: The Latin Church of the Catholic Church. Following the Synod, Menezes consecrated Francis Ros, S. J. as Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Angamalé for the Saint Thomas Christians; thus created another suffragan see to Archdiocese of Goa and Latinisation of St Thomas Christians started. The Saint Thomas Christians were pressured to acknowledge the authority of the Pope and most of them eventually accepted
2100-756: The Malabar Coast in the late 15th century, came Portuguese missionaries who made contact with the St Thomas Christians in Kerala. These Christians were following Eastern Christian practices and under the jurisdiction of Church of the East . The missionaries sought to introduce the Latin liturgical rites among them and unify East Syriac Christians in India under the Holy See . This group, which existed in Kerala relatively peacefully for more than
2184-785: The Modi administration . Nearly two-thirds (65 percent) of India's Christians are found in South India , Goa & Bombay. The oldest known Christian group in North India are the Bettiah Christians of Bihar, formed in the early 1700s. The Church of North India and the Church of South India are a United Protestant denomination; which resulted from the evangelism and ecumenism of Anglicans , Calvinists , Methodists and other Protestant groups who flourished in colonial India . Consequently, these churches are part of
2268-571: The Nasrani people by referring to them by the name Essanis . The embassy of King Alfred in 883 AD sent presents to St. Thomas Christians. Marco Polo who visited in 1292, mentioned that there were Christians in the Malabar coast. The French or Catalan Dominican missionary Jordanus Catalani was the first Catholic European missionary to arrive in India. He landed in Surat in around 1320. By
2352-788: The Portuguese East Indies ; their main aims were to capitalise on the spice trade and promotion of Christian missions to convert indigenous peoples , for which the Primate of the East Indies was founded. Although Brahmins and other higher castes were ceremoniously converted by the Portuguese Church , and were treated with favour and distinction, most of them continued to engage in agriculture, fishing, and other rural occupations handed down by their ancestors, and received neither secular nor religious education. Among
2436-764: The Portuguese conquest of Goa in 1510. Due to the Christianisation of Goa , over 90% of the Goans in the Velhas Conquistas became Catholic by the 1700s. The Portuguese government supported the missionaries. At the same time many New Christians from Portugal emigrated to India as a result of the Portuguese Inquisition . Many of them were suspected of being Crypto-Jews and Crypto-Muslims , converted Jews and Muslims who were secretly practising their old religions. Both were considered
2520-534: The Raja of Cochin . He allowed four priests to do apostolic work among the early Christian communities scattered in and around Cochin. Thus Portuguese missionaries established Portuguese Mission in 1500. Dom Francisco de Almeida , the first Portuguese Viceroy got permission from the Kochi Raja to build two churches – namely Santa Cruz Basilica (1505) and St. Francis Church (1506) using stones and mortar, which
2604-516: The Sackings of Goa and Bombay-Bassein and to escape the persecution of the Goan Inquisition . The Franciscans spearheaded the evangelisation of the "Province of the North" ( Província do Norte ) headquartered at Fort San Sebastian of Bassein (close to present day Mumbai ), but the fort's officials were subordinate to the viceroy in the capital of Velha Goa . From 1534 to 1552, a priest by
Bombay East Indians - Misplaced Pages Continue
2688-538: The VHP & the BJP . Various groups of Hindu militants have also caused the demolitions of churches in certain states and territories of India , except in Kerala (the Malabar region). Eusebius of Caesarea 's Ecclesiastical History (5:10) states that Bartholomew, a disciple of Jesus, went on a missionary tour to India, where he left behind a copy of the Gospel of Matthew . One tradition holds that he preached
2772-645: The fall of Constantinople to the Sunni Islamic Ottoman Caliphate marked the end of the Byzantine (Eastern Roman Empire) , and severed European trade links by land with Asia. This massive blow to Christendom spurred the Age of Discovery as Europeans started seeking alternative routes east by sea along with the goal of forging alliances with pre-existing Christian nations. Along with Portuguese long-distance maritime travelers that reached
2856-453: The 1960s, the Archdiocese of Bombay estimated that there were 92,000 East Indians in Bombay: 76,000 in suburban Bombay and 16,000 in the city . A typical Koli house consists of a veranda ( oli ), used for repairing nets and receiving visitors; a sitting-room ( angan ), used by women for household work; a kitchen, a central apartment, a bedroom, a devotional room ( devaghar ) and
2940-574: The Apostle is credited by tradition for founding the Indian Church in 52 AD. This church developed contacts with the Church of the East religious authorities based in Edessa, Mesopotamia at the time. Historically, this community was organised as the Province of India of the Church of the East by Patriarch of Babylon Timothy I (780–823 AD) in the eighth century, served by bishops and
3024-588: The British takeover of Surat (allegedly as part of Catherine's dowry to Charles). A weakened Portugal, no longer a part of the Crown of Spain, had to oblige. Nevertheless, parts of present-day Bombay (such as Bandra, Thane and Vasai) remained Portuguese well into the first third of the 18th century. Since the early days of the English East India Company , there were no other Indian Christians in
3108-646: The Bull Quequem Reputamus, raised Funchal as an archdiocese and Goa as its suffragan , deputing the whole of India under the diocese of Goa . This created an episcopal see – suffragan to Funchal , with a jurisdiction extending potentially over all past and future conquests from the Cape of Good Hope to China. The first converts to Christianity in Goa were native Goan women who married Portuguese men that arrived with Afonso de Albuquerque during
3192-551: The Catholic Church and later became autonomous eastern catholic church named Syro Malabar Church (suriyani malabar sabha). Following the synod, the Indian Church was governed by Portuguese prelates. They were generally unwilling to respect the integrity of the local church. This resulted in disaffection which led to a general revolt in 1653 known as the " Coonan Cross Oath ". Under the leadership of Archdeacon Thomas , Nazranis around Cochin gathered at Mattancherry church on Friday, 24 January 1653 (M.E. 828 Makaram 3) and made an oath that
3276-472: The Catholic faith, but a part of them switched to West Syriac Rite . Resentment of these measures led to some part of the community to join the Archdeacon , Thomas , in swearing never to submit to the Portuguese Jesuits in the Coonan Cross Oath in 1653. Those who accepted the West Syriac theological and liturgical tradition of Gregorios became known as Jacobites . The others who continued with East Syriac theological and liturgical tradition stayed faithful to
3360-416: The Church. These events led to the gradual and lasting schism among the Saint Thomas Christians of India, leading to the formation of Puthenkūr (New allegiance) and Pazhayakūr (Old allegiance) factions. The Pazhayakūr comprise the present day Syro-Malabar Catholic Church and Chaldean Syrian Church which continue to employ the East Syriac Rite. The Puthenkūr , who entered into a new communion with
3444-407: The Danish settlement of Tranquebar. They translated the Bible into the local Tamil language , and afterwards into Hindustani . They made little progress at first, but gradually the mission spread to Madras , Cuddalore and Tanjore . The Bishop of Tranquebar is still the official title of the bishop of the Tamil Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tamil Nadu which was founded in 1919 as a result of
Bombay East Indians - Misplaced Pages Continue
3528-500: The German Lutheran Leipzig Mission and Church of Sweden Mission, the successors of Bartholomäus Ziegenbalg and Heinrich Plütschau . The seat of the bishop, the cathedral and its church house, the Tranquebar House are in Tiruchirappalli . German missionary Johann Phillip Fabricius , who arrived in South India in 1740, published the first Tamil to English dictionary and refined the Tamil Bible translation. Marriage Treaty The Marriage Treaty , or Anglo-Portuguese Treaty ,
3612-514: The Gospel in India, prior to his travels to Armenia , while others hold that Bartholomew travelled as a missionary in Ethiopia , Mesopotamia , Parthia , and Lycaonia . According to the tradition of Saint Thomas Christians , Thomas the Apostle landed in Kodungallur in the present day Indian state of Kerala in AD 52, and established the Ezharappallikal in or near ancient Jewish colonies by preaching among local Jews and Brahmins . After years of evangelization in South India, Saint Thomas
3696-449: The Jesuit mission in Madura was the most famous. It extended to the Krishna river, with a number of outlying stations beyond it. The mission of Cochin, on the Malabar Coast, was also one of the most fruitful. Several missions were also established in the interior northwards that of Agra and Lahore in 1570 and that of Tibet in 1624. Still, even with these efforts, and many vast tracts of the interior northwards were practically unreached. With
3780-487: The Khatri ward at Thana district used to speak Bombay Portuguese . At least 110 Portuguese lexical items are found in Maharashtra sponsored Marathi. Many of the characters in the book Bloodline Bandra by Godfrey Joseph Pereira (2014) are East Indian. The book is set in the 1950s in Pali Village . Although the East Indians have preserved their pre-Christian Marathi-Konkani culture and traditions, many Portuguese influences have been absorbed. Traditional dress for women
3864-1108: The Kolovery Welfare Association founded the Maharashtra Swaraj Party (MSP), to give voice to the community's concerns. The party, which represents the East Indian community, was expected to support five candidates from Mumbai's suburbs in the 13th Maharashtra Legislative Assembly elections. Christianity in India Saint Thomas Christian denominations Syro-Malabar Catholic , Syro-Malankara Catholic , Latin Catholic Malankara Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church , Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church Malabar Independent Syrian Church Chaldean Syrian Mar Thoma Syrian , St. Thomas Evangelical Protestant denominations Andhra Evangelical Lutheran , Assemblies Jehovah Shammah , Christian Revival Church , Church of North India , Church of South India , Garo Baptist , Indian Brethren , Indian Pentecostal Church of God , Church of God (Full Gospel) , North Bank Baptist Christian , Northern Evangelical Lutheran , Methodist Church , Presbyterian , The Pentecostal Mission , Seventh-day Adventist , United Evangelical Lutheran Christianity
3948-414: The North Konkan except the East Indian Catholics. Employment intended for Christians was monopolised by the East Indians. With railways and steamships came immigrants from Goa who were also called "Portuguese Christians". For Queen Victoria 's Golden Jubilee, the Christians of North Konkan changed their name from "Portuguese Christians" to "East Indians" to impress upon the British in Bombay, that they were
4032-430: The Portuguese clergy who reached Kappad near Kozhikode on 20 May 1498, along with the Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama who was seeking to form anti-Islamic alliances with pre-existing Christian nations. The lucrative spice trade was further temptation for the Portuguese crown. When he and the Portuguese missionaries arrived, they found Christians in the country in Malabar known as St. Thomas Christians who belonged to
4116-404: The Portuguese culminated in the Synod of Diamper , formally subjugating them and their whole Archdiocese of Angamaly as a suffragan see to the Archdiocese of Goa administered by Roman Catholic Padroado missionaries. The death of the last metropolitan bishop – Archbishop Abraham of the Saint Thomas Christians , an ancient body formerly part of the Church of the East in 1597 gave
4200-440: The Saint Thomas Christians seventy-two rights and privileges which were usually granted only to high dignitaries. These rights included exemption from import duties, sales tax and the slave tax. A copper plate grant dated 1225 AD further enhanced the rights and privileges of Nasranis . Other references to Saint Thomas Christians include the South Indian epic of Manimekalai , written between 2nd and 3rd century AD, which mentions
4284-466: The Syriac Orthodox Church of Antioch, an Oriental Orthodox church, inherited from them the West Syriac Rite, replacing the old East Syriac Rite liturgy. Puthenkūr is the body from which present day Jacobite Syrian Christian Church , Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church , CSI Syrian Christians , Mar Thoma Syrian Church , St. Thomas Evangelical Church of India , Syro-Malankara Catholic Church and Malabar Independent Syrian Church originate. In 1453,
SECTION 50
#17327811334794368-411: The Thomas Christians back. Carmelites could convince the majority that the local church needs bishops and the consecration of the Archdeacon Thomas was invalid because the consecration was conducted not by a bishop, but by priests. Many leaders of the community rejoined the missionaries. But in 1663, Dutch conquered Cochin supplanting the Portuguese on the Malabar coast. Portuguese Missionaries had to leave
4452-504: The arrival of various waves of Syriac Christians from the Middle East. This also resulted in the establishment of Knanaya colonies in Kerala during the 4th century. Babylonian Christians settled on the Malabar coast in the 4th century. Mar Sabor and Mar Proth arrived in Kollam in the 9th century. Saint Thomas Christians seem to have enjoyed various rights and privileges as well as a high status as recorded on copper plates, also known as Cheppeds, Royal Grants, Sasanam, etc. There are
4536-526: The church in the northwestern regions of India, Bar-Daisan (154–223 AD) reports that in his time there were Christian tribes in North India that claimed to have been converted by Thomas and had books and relics to prove it. It is believed that by the time of the establishment of the Sassanid Empire around 226 AD, there were bishops of the Church of the East in northwest India, Afghanistan and Baluchistan , with laymen and clergy alike engaging in missionary activity. The existence of Early Christians in India
4620-454: The converts were a number of descendants of the Ancient Indian Christian community reportedly founded by Bartholomew the Apostle . They coalesced into a community under Portuguese rule known as Norteiros and later as "Portuguese Christians" or "Bombay Portuguese" in British Bombay. The Franciscans spearheaded the evangelisation of the "Province of the North" ( Província do Norte ) headquartered at Fort San Sebastian of Bassein , but
4704-432: The country and they consecrated Palliveettil Chandy kathanaar as the bishop for the Catholic Thomas Christians on 1 February 1663. Meanwhile, Thoma I appealed to several eastern Christian churches for regularizing his consecration. The Syriac Orthodox Patriarch responded and sent metropolitan Gregorios Abdul Jaleel of Jerusalem to India in 1665. He confirmed Thoma I as a bishop and worked together with him to organize
4788-504: The decline of the Portuguese power, other colonial powers namely the Dutch and British gained influence, paving the way for the arrival of Protestantism. Beginning in about 1700, Protestant missionaries began working throughout India; this led to the establishment of different Christian communities across the Indian Subcontinent. The first Protestant missionaries to set foot in India were two Lutherans from Germany, Bartholomäus Ziegenbalg and Heinrich Plütschau , who began work in 1705 in
4872-480: The earliest British subjects in India, and were entitled to certain natural rights and privileges in comparison with immigrants. The Bombay East Indian Association was founded on 26 May 1887 to advance the education, employment, rights and economic development of the East Indians. P F Gomes, who was knighted by Pope Leo XIII in 1888, was its first president and J L Britto its first secretary. D G D'Almeida donated ₹ 100,000 to establish an education fund. During
4956-464: The entire community had declared itself to be Christian. The Portuguese navy destroyed the Arab fleet at Vedalai on 27 June 1538. Francis Xavier , a Jesuit, began a mission to the lower classes of Tamil society in 1542. A further 30,000 Paravars were baptised. Xavier appointed catechists in the Paravar villages up and down the 100 miles (160 km) coastline to spread and reinforce his teachings. Paravar Christianity, with its own identity based on
5040-434: The eve of the phool dongri feast in May at Holy Cross Church . The East Indians were recognised as OBC (other backward Class) status by the Government of Maharashtra on 1 March 2006 by the way of official gazette. In Sept 2014, local non-governmental organisations such as the Watchdog Foundation, Mobai Gaothan Panchayat, the Bombay East Indian Association , Vakola Advanced Locality Management, Kalina Civic Forum&
5124-462: The fort's officials were subordinate to the viceroy in the capital of Velha Goa . From 1534 to 1552, a priest by the name António do Porto converted over 10,000 people, built a dozen churches, convents, and a number of orphanages hospitals and seminaries. Prominent among the converts were two yogis from the Kanheri Caves who became known as Paulo Raposo and Francisco de Santa Maria. They introduced Christianity to their fellow yogis, converting many in
SECTION 60
#17327811334795208-404: The late 2nd century AD. Another church tradition concerning the birth of Jesus holds that Gaspar , one of the three Biblical Magi , travelled from India to find the infant Jesus along with Melchior of Persia and Balthazar of Arabia . An early 3rd-century AD Syriac work known as the Acts of Thomas connects the tradition of the Apostle Thomas' Indian ministry with two kings, one in
5292-402: The locals in Sopara , Thana & Kalyan-Dombivli towns of north Konkan in around 1323 AD. Sopara was an ancient port and an international trading center. After ushering in the Age of Discovery , Portuguese Armadas under the command of Vasco Da Gama found their way to India in 1498 via the Cape Route . In the next few years they acquired many colonial possessions in what would become
5376-414: The name António do Porto converted over 10,000 people, built a dozen churches, convents, and a number of orphanages hospitals and seminaries. Prominent among the converts were two yogis from the Kanheri Caves who became known as Paulo Raposo and Francisco de Santa Maria. They introduced Christianity to their fellow yogis, converting many in the process. The descendants of these Christians are today known as
5460-417: The north and the other in the south. The year of his arrival is widely disputed due to lack of credible records. According to one of the legends in the Acts of Thomas , Thomas was at first reluctant to accept this mission, but Jesus over-ruled him by ordering circumstances so compelling that he was forced to accompany an Indian merchant, Abbanes, to his native place in northwest India, where he found himself in
5544-405: The oath. Because of the weight it is believed by the followers that the cross bent a little and so it is known as "Oath of the bent cross" (Coonen Kurisu Sathyam). This demanded administrative autonomy for the local church. A few months, later Archdeacon Thomas was ordained as bishop by twelve priests with the title Thoma I . At this time, Rome intervened and Carmelite Missionaries were sent to win
5628-483: The prelacy of Mozambique (1612), Peking (1609) and Nanking (1609) in China. A significant portion of the crew on Portuguese ships were Indian Christians. The Portuguese were however unable to establish their presence in Mangalore as a result of the conquests of the Vijayanagara ruler Krishnadevaraya and Abbakka Rani of Ullal , the Bednore Queen of Mangalore. Most of Mangalorean Catholics were not originally from Mangalore but from Goa , which they fled during
5712-404: The primary target of the 250 years of persecution and punishment for their faith by the Catholic prosecutors. Most affected were the Shudras (12.5%) and farmers (35.5%). In 1557, Goa was made an independent archbishopric, and its first suffragan sees were erected at Cochin and Malacca . The whole of the East came under the jurisdiction of Goa and its boundaries extended to almost half of
5796-675: The process. Another notable convert during this period was the Brahmin astrologer Parashuram Joshi, who was baptized on 8 September 1565 with the name Henrique da Cunha. Joshi's conversion was followed by that of 250 Hindus, including over 50 Brahmins. In Salsette, the priest Manuel Gomes converted over 6,000 Hindus in Bandra and was known as the Apostle of Salsette. In 1573, 1,600 people were converted. Beginning in 1548, Jesuits in Bassein (Baçaim) and Bandra converted many upper-caste Hindus; Bassein recorded 9,400 baptisms in 1588. The Jesuit superior Gonçalo Rodrigues baptised between 5,000 and 6,000 Hindus in Thane (Tana), many of whom were orphans or
5880-429: The protection of the Portuguese who had moved into the area. The protection was granted on the condition that the leaders were immediately baptised as Christians and that they would encourage their people also to convert to Christianity. The Portuguese in turn wanted to gain a strategic foothold and control of the pearl fisheries. The deal was agreed and some months later 20,000 Paravars were baptised en masse, and by 1537
5964-427: The sari is known as sakacch nesane . Gol nesane , a cylindrical style, is popular with young girls and women. The film Tu Maza Jeev , in the East Indian language , was released on Maharashtra Day in 2009. East Indians organise singing competitions in their own language . The competition is primarily held in the evening of important village occasions; for example, Kurla has an annual competition on
6048-533: The service of the Indo-Parthian king, Gondophares . The apostle's ministry reputedly resulted in many conversions throughout this northern kingdom, including the king and his brother. The Acts of Thomas identifies his second mission in India with a kingdom ruled by a certain King named Mahadwa belonging to a 1st-century dynasty in southern India. Niranam Pally also known as St Mary's Orthodox Syrian Church
6132-654: The subcontinent. Christians were involved in the Indian National Congress (INC) and the Indian independence movement , the All India Conference of Indian Christians advocated for swaraj (self rule) & opposed the partition of India . There are reports of crypto-Christians who keep their faith in secret or hiding, due to the fear of persecution by Hindu extremists . Some Christians have gone through forced conversion to Hinduism by political parties , such as Shiv Sena ,
6216-529: The then Archbishop of Goa Menezes an opportunity to bring the native church under the authority of the Roman Catholic Church. He was able to secure the submission of Archdeacon George , the highest remaining representative of the native church hierarchy. Menezes convened the Synod of Diamper between 20 and 26 June 1599, which introduced a number of reforms to the church and brought it fully into
6300-465: The then-largest Christian church within India. The Christians were friendly to Portuguese missionaries at first; there was an exchange of gifts between them, and these groups were delighted at their common faith. During the second expedition, the Portuguese fleet comprising 13 ships and 18 priests, under Captain Pedro Álvares Cabral , anchored at Cochin on 26 November 1500. Cabral soon won the goodwill of
6384-620: The thrones of England, Scotland and Ireland and had been lobbied by both Portugal and the Spanish , which pushed rival candidates as a potential wife. Although Charles had been allied to Spain through the Treaty of Brussels , his relations with Madrid had become increasingly strained. Spain demanded the return of possessions taken by the English Republic , notably Jamaica , which Charles accepted. Charles's decision to marry Catherine
6468-763: The world: from the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa, to Burma, China and Japan in East Asia. In 1576, the suffragan See of Macao (China) was added; and in 1588, that of Funai in Japan. The Diocese of Angamaly was transferred to Diocese of Craganore in 1605, while, in 1606 a sixth suffragan see to Goa was established at San Thome, Mylapore, near the modern Madras, and the site of the National Shrine of St. Thomas Basilica. The suffragan sees added later to Goa. were
6552-597: The worldwide Anglican Communion , World Communion of Reformed Churches and World Methodist Council . Christianity is the largest religion in parts of Northeast India , specifically in Nagaland , Mizoram & Meghalaya . It also is a significant religion in Arunachal , where about 30 percent of the state is Christian. Along with native Christians, small numbers of mixed Eurasian peoples such as Anglo-Indians , Luso-Indians and Armenian Indians also existed in
6636-615: The young children of lower-caste Hindus who were sold by their parents. In 1634, Bassein had sixty-three friars, thirty Franciscans, fifteen Jesuits, ten Dominicans, and eight Augustines. By the end of the 16th century the Catholic population of the Portuguese Province of the North was 10,000 to 15,000, centered mainly in and around Bassein. After the Province of the North came under Maratha occupation in 1739 and Catholicism
6720-476: Was a treaty of alliance that was agreed between the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Portugal and concluded on 23 June 1661. It led to the marriage of Charles II of England and Catherine of Braganza , the daughter of John IV of Portugal . It was a marriage of state , as was common in the era. The treaty also renewed the medieval Anglo-Portuguese Alliance . Charles had recently been restored to
6804-461: Was attributed to the advice of the influential English statesman Edward Hyde , the 1st Earl of Clarendon. The Portuguese match also received strong support from Charles's Irish ally James Butler, the 1st Duke of Ormonde . As well as a cash payment, Catherine's dowry also brought with it the settlements of Bombay . England also gained Tangier , in North Africa , and so could use the port as
6888-512: Was killed at St. Thomas Mount in Chennai in AD 72. The neo-Gothic Cathedral Basilica of San Thome now stands on the site of his martyrdom and burial. A historically more likely claim by Eusebius of Caesarea is that Pantaenus , the head of the Christian exegetical school in Alexandria, Egypt went to India in AD 190 and found Christians already living in India using a version of
6972-747: Was under severe threat from the Brahmin Peshwas , the native East Indian clergy under the Vicar General at Kurla managed and nursed the community back to a flourishing population in British Bombay . Changes occurred under British rule. On 11 May 1661, the Marriage Treaty of Charles Stuart II of England and Catherine de Braganza , daughter of John IV of Portugal gave Bombay to the British Empire as intended, since
7056-470: Was unheard of at that time, as the local prejudices were against such a structure for any purpose other than a royal palace or a temple. In the beginning of the 16th century, the whole of the east was under the jurisdiction of the Archdiocese of Lisbon . On 12 June 1514, Cochin and Goa became two prominent mission stations under the newly created Diocese of Funchal in Madeira . In 1534, Pope Paul III by
#478521