History of the Church in India
India is home to one of the oldest Christian communities in the world, tracing its origins to the Apostle Thomas himself in 52 AD. Across nearly two millennia, the Catholic Church in India has woven together apostolic tradition, Eastern and Western liturgical heritage, and the rich tapestry of Indian civilization into a vibrant, living faith.
Timeline of Indian Christianity
Christianity in India predates its arrival in most of Europe. The following timeline traces the major milestones across two thousand years of Catholic presence on the Indian subcontinent.
~52 AD — St. Thomas Arrives at Kodungallur
According to ancient and unbroken tradition, the Apostle Thomas landed at Cranganore (Kodungallur) on the Malabar Coast of Kerala, making India one of the first lands to receive the Gospel. He evangelized both Jewish merchant communities and Hindu Brahmin families, establishing what would become one of the most enduring Christian communities in Asia.
345 AD — Thomas of Cana Migration
A group of 72 Christian families from Persia, led by the merchant Thomas of Cana (also known as Knai Thoma), migrated to Malabar. Their arrival reinforced the East Syriac liturgical and ecclesiastical ties of the Thomas Christian community and brought fresh vitality to Indian Christianity. Hindu rulers granted them land and trading privileges, recorded on celebrated copper plates.
1498 — Vasco da Gama Reaches India
The Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama landed at Calicut on May 20, 1498, inaugurating a new era of European contact. Portugal soon established colonial rule in Goa and brought Latin Rite Catholicism, new religious orders, and the complex Padroado system of royal ecclesiastical patronage that would shape the Church in India for centuries.
1542–1552 — St. Francis Xavier's Mission
The great Jesuit missionary Francis Xavier arrived in Goa on May 6, 1542, and spent a decade evangelizing across India, Southeast Asia, and Japan. His tireless work among the Parava fisher communities on the Fishery Coast, his journeys through Travancore and Mylapore, and his boundless zeal earned him the title “Apostle of the Indies.” His incorrupt body rests at the Basilica of Bom Jesus in Old Goa.
1599 — Synod of Diamper
Held June 20–26 at Udayamperoor (Diamper), this Portuguese-convened synod under Archbishop Aleixo de Menezes imposed Latin customs on the Thomas Christians, suppressed East Syriac liturgical books, and placed the Malabar community under Latin jurisdiction. Though it brought administrative order, it was deeply traumatic and remains controversial to this day.
1653 — Coonan Cross Oath
Outraged by Portuguese interference and the arrest of a visiting Eastern bishop, thousands of Thomas Christians gathered at Mattancherry and swore on a cross that they would never submit to Portuguese Jesuit authority. This watershed event permanently split the ancient community into two major branches, whose descendants form today's diverse Indian Christian denominations.
1886 — Pope Leo XIII Establishes the Indian Hierarchy
With the apostolic constitution Humanae Salutis Auctor, Pope Leo XIII established a proper Catholic hierarchy in India, creating eight dioceses and organizing metropolitan provinces. This momentous act freed much of the Indian Church from the entangled Padroado-Propaganda Fide dual jurisdiction and set the stage for the growth of a truly indigenous hierarchy.
1944/1966 — CBCI Established
The Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI) was informally established in 1944 and formally constituted in 1966, becoming the apex body uniting all three rites — Latin, Syro-Malabar, and Syro-Malankara — under one national conference. Headquartered in New Delhi, the CBCI coordinates the Church's pastoral, educational, and social mission across India.
1964 — Pope Paul VI Visits India
In December 1964, Pope Paul VI became the first reigning pope to visit India, attending the 38th International Eucharistic Congress in Bombay (Mumbai). His visit was a powerful symbol of the universal Church's recognition of Indian Catholicism and of interreligious dialogue in the spirit of the Second Vatican Council.
2022 — Devasahayam Pillai Canonized
On May 15, 2022, Pope Francis canonized Blessed Devasahayam Pillai (Lazarus, born Neelakanda Pillai), making him the first Indian-born layperson to be declared a saint. A Hindu convert from the Nair caste in Travancore, he was martyred in 1752 for his steadfast faith. His canonization was a landmark moment for the Indian Church.
The Three Rites in India Today
India is unique in the Catholic world for having three distinct ritual churches, each with its own hierarchy, liturgical tradition, and canon law — all in full communion with the Bishop of Rome. Together they represent the remarkable diversity of Catholic tradition on a single subcontinent.
Latin Rite
~132 dioceses across India
~14.5 million faithful
Under the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI)
The largest rite in India, established through Portuguese and later French, Irish, Italian, and German missionary activity beginning in the 16th century. Concentrated in Goa, the Konkan coast, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and the tribal regions of central and northeastern India.
Syro-Malabar Church
~35 eparchies (including diaspora)
~4.6 million faithful
Major Archiepiscopal Church (sui iuris)
Traces its origins directly to St. Thomas the Apostle. Uses the East Syriac liturgical tradition (Holy Qurbana). The second largest Eastern Catholic Church in the world. Concentrated in Kerala with growing diaspora communities worldwide.
Syro-Malankara Church
~12 eparchies
~500,000 faithful
Major Archiepiscopal Church (sui iuris)
Established through the reunion movement of 1930 under Mar Ivanios. Uses the West Syriac liturgical tradition (Anaphora of St. James). A smaller but vibrant community centered in Kerala with a distinctive Antiochene heritage.
~20 Million
Catholics in India — 2nd largest in Asia
~1.55%
of India's total population
~25,000+
Educational institutions run by the Church
~5,000+
Healthcare facilities across the country
Sources & Further Reading
- Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI), official statistics and annual reports.
- Annuarium Statisticum Ecclesiae, Vatican publications.
- A. M. Mundadan, History of Christianity in India, Vol. I: From the Beginning up to the Middle of the Sixteenth Century (Bangalore: Church History Association of India, 1984).
- Stephen Neill, A History of Christianity in India, 2 vols. (Cambridge University Press, 1984–1985).