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a persecution in their homeland. From the fifth century onwards the Syro-
19
Malabar Christians received their bishops from the East-Syrian Church.
The Persian presence on Indian soil resulted in mixed consequences
in the Indian Church. The Malabar Church has followed the Chaldean Rite
20
with some adaptations of externals to the culture of the land. Although the
East-Syrian bishops introduced many liturgical and disciplinary elements
21
into the Indian Church, the latter retained its distinct identity.
3.3.2.2 The Indian Influence

India is predominantly Hindu, so much so that Indian culture is
equated with Hindu culture. It was against this cultural and religious
background that Christianity was born in India. The Hindu kings and rulers
gave a cordial welcome to this new religion, and under their protection it
slowly began to grow and flourish. Despite its foreign origin, this new faith
was regarded as indigenous, and the Church of India found herself at home
in a Hindu land. It possessed not merely the rights of a guest but the rights
22
of a native. The primary concern of the St. Thomas Christians was to live
in harmony, respect and toleration, as shown to them by the Hindu kings
and princes. A cultural assimilation on the part of the St. Thomas Christians,
as they were a minority, was necessary and, in a way, essential. They
succeeded in this by conforming themselves to the existing traditions and
customs of the society in which they lived, and by adopting the dress and
habits of the natives. They were Christian, in belief, but Indian in everything
23
else. Without any doubt, the Hindu religion and its religious practices have
influenced the Christians in India. But this influence did not compromise the
essential doctrines of the Christian Faith.

As in any religion or culture, in Hinduism, too, marriage and family
has its special socio-religious importance. Certainly the marriage rituals and
traditions of Christians are influenced by the marriage customs of the Hindu
natives. For Hindus, the institution of marriage is not merely a human

19
Cf. PALLATH, P., The Catholic Church in India, Mar Thoma Yogam, Roma, 2003, pp.
112-114.
20
Cf. PATHIKULANGARA, V., Indo-Chaldean Liturgy, OIRS Publications, Kottayam,
1979, pp. 38-45.
21
Cf. MUNDADAN, A. M., The Syro-Malabar Church an Overview, Rajagiri, Kerala,
1995, pp. 24-26.
22
Cf. VADEKKEKARA, B., Origin of India’s St. Thomas Christians, Media House, Delhi,
1995, p. 117.
23
Cf. Ibid., pp. 120-130.

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