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fact, and these two traditions, namely, Eastern and Western, are two
6
important and integral parts of the Christianity.
3.2 The Church in India

The Apostle Thomas founded the Church in India. “According to the
vigorous, living and constant Indian tradition, the Apostle Thomas, who
confirmed his faith in the Risen Lord proclaiming Him Lord and God (Jn
20, 28), reached South India in the middle of the first century and
disseminated the Christian faith here. Tradition holds that the Apostle
landed on the Malabar Cost near the ancient port of Muziris (Cranganore).
He converted several thousands to Christ and founded seven Christian
communities, namely in Cranganore, Palayur, Kottakkavu (Parur),
Kokkamangalam, Niranam, Quilon and Nilackal. Afterwords, Thomas died
a martyr at Mylapore near Madras in the present federal state of Tamil
7
Nadu, where his tomb is venerated even today”.
This fact of the apostolic origin of the Malabar Church is also
8
accepted and narrated by non-Christian historians and sociologists. The
strong and living tradition is connected with definite places and families,
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and this is shared even by the Hindus. In earlier times the Malabar
10
Christians had been known as the Thomas Christians.
3.3 The Syro-Malabar Church and Its Heritage
The Church, generally known as Syro-Malabar today, is not distinct
from the most ancient “Indian Church of the Christians of St.Thomas”. Now
it is very common to use both names to identify the same Church. For a long
time, the Syro-Malabar Church was forced to remain relegated to the middle
of Malabar, the southwest coast of India. Since it followed the Chaldean or
the East Syrian liturgy, the Syro-Malabar Church was Indo-Chaldean or

6
Cf. ZOGHBY, E., Eastern and Western Tradition in the One Church, in HANS KÙNG &
CO. (ed.), Council Speeches of Vatican II, Deus Books, New Jersey, 1964, p. 52.
7
PALLATH, P., The Catholic Church in India,Mar Thoma Yogam, Roma, 2003, p. 3.
8 Cf. MENON, P., History of Kerala, Asian Educational Services, New Delhi, 1983, p. 44.
9
Cf. PODIPARA, P. J., “Malabar Rite”, in New Catholic Encyclopaedia, vol. 9, Mc Graw-
Hill Book Company, New York, 1967, p. 92.
10
Cf. AIYA, N., The Travancore State Manual II, Trivandrum, 1906, p. 122.

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