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Early Christian Communities in India Before the Portuguese Arrival
Early Christian Communities in India Before the Portuguese Arrival | Indian Christian Heritage
Early Christian Communities in India Before the Portuguese Arrival (Before 1498)
Long before the arrival of Vasco da Gama in 1498 and the beginning of Portuguese colonial influence, Christianity had already flourished in parts of India for many centuries. The story of these early Christian communities is closely connected with ancient maritime trade, the traditions surrounding St. Thomas the Apostle, and centuries of interaction between India, Persia, the Middle East, and the wider Christian world.
While the Portuguese introduced Latin Catholic institutions and established new dioceses along India's western coast, they encountered an already well-established Christian population—particularly in Kerala—with its own liturgy, bishops, traditions, and social identity. These communities formed one of the oldest continuous Christian traditions in Asia.
Christianity Arrives in Ancient India
According to one of India's oldest Christian traditions, St. Thomas the Apostle arrived on the Malabar Coast around AD 52 after traveling through the maritime trade routes that connected the Roman Empire, Arabia, and India.
Although historians continue to debate the historical details, the St. Thomas tradition has been preserved for centuries in Syriac writings, local oral traditions, early Christian literature, and later historical records. It remains central to the identity of the St. Thomas Christians (Nasranis) of Kerala.
Ancient ports such as:
- Muziris (Kodungallur)
- Nelcynda
- Kollam (Quilon)
were among the busiest trading centers of the Indian Ocean and welcomed merchants from the Roman Empire, Arabia, Persia, and East Africa. These international connections created an environment in which Christian merchants and missionaries could establish lasting communities.
Trade Networks and the Spread of Christianity
Unlike many regions where Christianity spread primarily through imperial expansion, early Christianity in India developed largely through commerce and migration.
Merchants from:
- Mesopotamia
- Persia
- Syria
- Arabia
regularly visited the Malabar Coast carrying spices, pearls, ivory, silk, and precious stones. Along with trade came religious ideas, clergy, and Christian families.
By the fourth and fifth centuries, Christian merchant communities had become a familiar part of Kerala's commercial landscape.
The St. Thomas Christians (Nasranis)
The best-known pre-Portuguese Christian community in India is the St. Thomas Christian community.
They became known locally as:
- Nasranis
- Mar Thoma Christians
- Syrian Christians
The name "Nasrani" derives from Nazareth, referring to followers of Jesus of Nazareth.
Over many centuries they developed a distinctive Indian Christian identity that combined:
- Syriac Christian liturgical traditions
- Indian languages
- Local customs
- Indigenous architecture
- Integration into Kerala society
Unlike later missionary communities, these Christians were not viewed as foreigners but had become deeply rooted in the cultural and social life of the region.
Connections with the Church of the East
Beginning around the fourth century, the Indian Church maintained close ecclesiastical ties with the Church of the East, centered in Seleucia-Ctesiphon in Mesopotamia (modern Iraq).
These connections included:
- appointment of bishops from Persia
- Syriac liturgical books
- theological scholarship
- monastic exchanges
- regular maritime communication
The bishops generally provided spiritual leadership, while much of the administration of local churches remained in the hands of respected Indian Christian leaders known as Archdeacons.
This unique arrangement allowed the Indian Church to preserve considerable local autonomy while remaining connected to the broader Christian world.
Syriac as the Language of Worship
One of the defining features of early Indian Christianity was its use of Classical Syriac as the principal liturgical language.
Syriac, a dialect of Aramaic closely related to the language spoken by Jesus, connected Indian Christians with the wider Christian communities of:
- Mesopotamia
- Persia
- Syria
- Central Asia
Even though daily life was conducted in Malayalam and other local languages, Syriac remained the language of:
- Holy Qurbana (Eucharistic liturgy)
- biblical readings
- hymns
- theological writings
- ecclesiastical records
Many ancient Syriac manuscripts remain preserved in churches and libraries in Kerala.
Christian Merchant Communities
Trade played a central role in the prosperity of early Christian communities.
Christian merchants were active in exporting:
- pepper
- cardamom
- cinnamon
- ginger
- pearls
- textiles
These trading families established commercial relationships stretching across:
- the Persian Gulf
- Arabia
- East Africa
- Egypt
- the Byzantine Empire
Their commercial importance often earned them privileges from local rulers.
Royal Grants and Copper Plate Charters
Among the most important historical records relating to early Christians are the famous Copper Plate Charters.
Several rulers of Kerala granted privileges to Christian merchant leaders, including rights relating to:
- land ownership
- taxation
- trade
- military service
- ceremonial honors
The best-known examples include:
- Tharisapalli Copper Plates (849 AD) issued by Ayyanadikal Thiruvadikal to the Christian merchant Maruvan Sapir Iso and the church at Kollam.
- Other medieval copper plate grants traditionally associated with Christian leaders, though some survive only in later copies or references.
These charters demonstrate that Christians occupied an important place in Kerala's commercial and social structure.
Churches Before the Portuguese
Many of India's oldest Christian churches trace their origins to the pre-Portuguese period, although most existing buildings have been rebuilt several times.
Traditions associate St. Thomas with the establishment of the Seven and a Half Churches (Ezharappallikal), including:
- Kodungallur
- Palayur
- Kokkamangalam
- Niranam
- Nilackal
- Kollam
- Kottakkavu (North Paravur)
- Thiruvithamcode (the "half church")
While the dates of the present structures vary, these sites preserve traditions that extend back many centuries.
Christian Communities Beyond Kerala
Although Kerala remained the principal center of early Indian Christianity, historical evidence suggests that Christian merchants and travelers also visited or settled in other regions.
Medieval records mention Christian activity connected with ports along the:
- Coromandel Coast
- Gujarat
- Konkan Coast
Foreign travelers such as Cosmas Indicopleustes (6th century) described Christian communities in both Malabar and Sri Lanka, demonstrating that Christianity formed part of the wider Indian Ocean trading world.
Medieval Travelers' Accounts
Several medieval writers provide valuable evidence for the existence of Indian Christians before the Portuguese.
Cosmas Indicopleustes (6th Century)
The Alexandrian merchant and monk recorded Christian communities in Malabar served by clergy connected with Persia.
Marco Polo (13th Century)
Marco Polo described Christians in southern India and referred to traditions surrounding St. Thomas the Apostle, including pilgrimage to his tomb at Mylapore.
John of Montecorvino and Other Missionaries
Although later medieval missionaries sought to establish contacts with Indian Christians, they generally encountered communities that had existed independently for centuries.
Society and Daily Life
Early Christians were fully integrated into Kerala's society while maintaining their distinctive religious identity.
Their communities included:
- farmers
- merchants
- artisans
- scribes
- soldiers
- local administrators
Many Christian families occupied respected positions within regional kingdoms and participated actively in local governance and commerce.
Rather than existing as isolated settlements, they formed an integral part of Kerala's multicultural society alongside Hindus, Jews, Muslims, and other trading communities.
Worship and Religious Life
The liturgical life of the early Indian Church centered on:
- the Holy Qurbana
- fasting seasons
- feast days
- saints' commemorations
- daily prayer
Churches often served not only as places of worship but also as centers of education, manuscript preservation, charitable work, and community life.
Monastic traditions, scriptoria, and theological learning connected Indian Christianity with the broader Syriac Christian world.
Relations with Other Faith Communities
The Malabar Coast was renowned for its religious diversity.
Christians lived alongside:
- Hindu communities
- Jewish settlers
- Muslim merchants
- Jain and Buddhist traditions in earlier centuries
Commercial cooperation and royal patronage often encouraged peaceful coexistence, allowing these communities to contribute collectively to the prosperity of Kerala's ports.
The Eve of Portuguese Arrival
When the Portuguese reached Calicut in 1498, they expected to discover unknown Christian kingdoms. Instead, they encountered a mature Christian community with:
- centuries of continuous history
- Syriac liturgy
- bishops linked to Persia
- indigenous clergy
- respected local leadership
- established churches
- extensive trade networks
The Portuguese initially welcomed these communities as fellow Christians, but differences in liturgical traditions, ecclesiastical authority, and church governance eventually led to significant tensions. These culminated in events such as the Synod of Diamper (1599), which sought to bring the St. Thomas Christians into conformity with the Latin Church, and later divisions that shaped the diverse St. Thomas Christian churches seen today.
Legacy
The early Christian communities of India stand among the oldest continuously existing Christian traditions in the world. Long before European colonial powers arrived, Indian Christians had developed a vibrant and distinctive heritage rooted in the ancient St. Thomas tradition, sustained by Indian Ocean trade, enriched by Syriac spirituality, and integrated into the social and cultural life of the subcontinent.
Their history demonstrates that Christianity in India is not merely a legacy of European missions but an ancient tradition with deep local roots, enduring institutions, and longstanding connections to the wider Christian world.
References
Primary Sources
Cosmas Indicopleustes. The Christian Topography. Translated by J. W. McCrindle. London: Hakluyt Society, 1897.
The Acts of Thomas. Various translations.
Marco Polo. The Travels of Marco Polo. Various editions.
Books
Brown, Leslie W. The Indian Christians of St. Thomas. Cambridge University Press, 1956.
Frykenberg, Robert Eric. Christianity in India: From Beginnings to the Present. Oxford University Press, 2008.
Menachery, George (ed.). The St. Thomas Christian Encyclopaedia of India. St. Thomas Christian Encyclopaedia of India, 1973.
Mingana, Alphonse. The Early Spread of Christianity in India. Manchester University Press, 1926.
Neill, Stephen. A History of Christianity in India: Volume I. Cambridge University Press, 1984.
Perczel, István. "The Saint Thomas Christians of India." In The Oxford Handbook of Eastern Christianity, Oxford University Press, 2022.
Podipara, Placid J. The Thomas Christians. Darton, Longman & Todd, 1970.
Online Resources
Church of the East and India articles, Gorgias Encyclopedic Dictionary of the Syriac Heritage: https://gedsh.bethmardutho.org
Kerala Council for Historical Research: https://www.kchr.ac.in
UNESCO World Heritage Centre (for the wider Indian Ocean cultural context): https://whc.unesco.org
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Indian Ocean Trade Routes https://www.metmuseum.org
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