The Latin Church is spread all over the world, and represents all but a little of the Roman Catholic Church's population.
Of the nearly 1.1 billion (110 crore or 1100 million) Roman Catholics, the Latin Church's strength is more than 90 percent or above 1 billion.
The next two largest churches are the Ukrainian Church with a population of about 4.5 million and the Syro-Malabar Church with a strength of nearly 4 million. Both these churches are Oriental (Eastern Rite) in worship and traditions.
Latin Christianity in India
The present Latin Church in India had its origin from the missionary work of the Western missionaries. In 1534, the diocese of Goa was established. St Francis Xavier, Robert De Nobili, and Constant Lievens were a few dominant missionaries. In 1886, the Indian Latin hierarchy was established.
The Christian mission among the Tribals, Dalits, and backward classes of India is one of the main factors for their awakening and the formation of political movements and organizations to fight for their legitimate rights and justice.
Population in India (Approximate figures)
Total Christian population - 28 million
Latin Catholics - 14 million
Latin Catholics in Kerala - 2 million
{Oriental Catholics in India (Kerala) - More than 4 million}
Dioceses and Archdioceses
Latin : 118 (22 Archdioceses)
The first Latin diocese in Kerala was established in 1330 as the Diocese of Kollam.
In 1534, Diocese of Goa was established.
1558: Diocese of Cochin
1542: Francis Xavier, one of the famous European missionaries, arrived in Goa.
The main centres for Latin Catholics in the 16th century were Kochi, Kannur, and Kozhikkode.
Latin Catholic and Syrian Catholic are misnomers now. Latin is not used in LC churches and Syriac is not used in SC churches. Both Latin and Syriac Christians were converted from lower castes, although Syrians may claim Nambudiri conversion. There were no Nambudiris to be converted when St. Thomas came. In the subsequent centuries also Kerala history does not say about Nambudiri, Nair or Jewish conversion. So Syrian Christians also belong to lower castes. In these circumstances, instead of being known as Latin Catholics and Syrian Catholics, it will be wise to call all as Kerala Catholics.
ReplyDeleteit is mentioned on the following page http://historyofcatholicchurche.blogspot.in/2011/12/syrian-christians-brahmin-ancestors-and.html
DeleteJerome has mentioned a website, but there are many websites with wrong information.
DeleteThe claim of Syrian Christians that they are the descendants of Brahmins converted by Thomas is completely baseless. These false and manipulated stories are being circulated to appropriate Brahmin status for Christian converts. There were no Nambudiris in 1st century AD and their arrival in 8th century begins with the introduction of Sanskrit in Kerala dispensing with Vattezhuthu which was in use till then. .
Their claim of Jewish descent is also fallacious, for the very presence of Thomas of Cana is doubted by Church historians. Like the fake Brahmin claim, Jewish claim has been propagated even by some Church establishments. Only the Believers Church has denounced such false claims in its Bulletin. The copper plate granting Thomas of cana certain privileges was also a false propaganda. Historians believe that it was to claim that Christians enjoyed superior caste privileges, a story was circulated about the granting of this plate with a long list of privileges , although there was no such plate. The dream of the Bishop is another invented story because no such dream is mentioned in the archives or tradition of Assyrian church in Edessa,Chaldea or Damascus Research scholars highly doubt the arrival of Thomas of Cana.. In those days, how could he bring women on ships? Did he marry a lower caste woman which led to division in his family and later division among Christians as Southists and Northists? Who was the authority in the Eastern church to depute Bishops to Kerala? Why no Assyrian or Chaldean Bishop was seen when the Portuguese came to Kerala?.Buchanan tried his best to trace the alleged copper plate given to Thomas of cana,, but failed, although other copper plates given to the Jews were found. Later some fake plates called chepped were artificially produced without any authentic source regarding their origin. These fake claims linking the poor converts to Brahmins and Jews began in the 18th century after the Portuguese, during their 150 year-old rule, elevated this labour class to the status of army, police officers, traders, political agents, brokers, butlers and messengers. Mixed marriages between Portuguese and Hindu women( who were converted to christianity )gave them white colour and good features to remove the untouchable past. The Portuguese also made them wealthy by giving estates for cultivation and made them cultured by educationg them. This new status made them produce false family histories like Niranam granthavali, folksongs like margamkali and fables claiming Brahmin and Jewish pedigree. Now they are disowning Nambudiri pedigree because Kerala historians, especially Elangulam Kunjan Pillai, have pointed out there were no Nambudiris when St.Thomas came to India. So they have switched over to Jewish and now Assyrian pedigree. Jewish descent is also unsubstantiated because Kerala history records the existence of only Black Jews and White Jews, not Christin Jews. If Thomas of Cana had established 72 Christian Jewish settlements, as claimed by Kanai Syrian Christians, it would have been known to Kerala Jews, and there is absolutely no reference to Christian Jews in the chronicles of Kerala Jews, prepared by Koder. There is also no reference to Christian Jews in Kerala in the annals of international Jews. . Thomas of Cana was not a Jew and he is a fictitious figure. When the fake claims of Nambudiri and Jewish claims are exposed, the present trend is to claim Assyrian descent. Local converts of Kerala Christians have nothing to do with Assyrian Christians. The Assyrians of the Middle East , also known as Syriacs, Chaldeans, and Aramenians, are a distinct ethnic group whose origins lie in ancient Mesopotamia. They are Semitic people, who speak and write distinct dialects of Eastern Aramaic exclusive to Mesopotamia and its immediate surroundings. When they were persecuted, they took asylum in Turkey, Syria, Iraq and Persia. There was no Assyrian exodus to Kerala.
Looks like Pattom Radhakrishnan is jealous of the Syrian Christians for some reason. Well, i see this as the typical 'Nair' jealousy for the Syrians, as they supplanted the Nairs and rose to socioeconomic prominence in Kerala by the early decades of the 20th century.
DeleteSyrian christians are orginated from Jews, Syrians and Indian castes..
DeleteAll these syrians looks like pucca malayalees. None of them are syrians Or Jews don't spread lies.
DeleteI would like to expose the lies propagated by Pattom Radhakrishnan, not only in this blog, but on almost all websites that discuss the origins of the Syrian Christians. Firstly, Pattom is a Hindu propagandist, who clearly seems to be jealous of the Syrian Christians of Kerala, because of the obvious reason that they are superior to the so called 'caste hindus' such as the Nairs and the Nampoothiris in terms of socioeconomic aspects like education, Per capita ownership of land, per capita income, life expectancy, Human development index etc. The only way he can find to malign the reputation of the community is to spread fabricated stories regarding their origins.
ReplyDeleteThe 'Brahmin conversion' origin of the Syrian Christians is clearly false, as there were'nt any Brahmins in Kerala in the 1st century AD. It was the Portuguese missionaries who propagated such stories among the Syrian Christians, in order to conceal their past connections (genetic, cultural and liturgical) with the Assyrian Church of the East in Persia. This was really unfortunate. But Pattom Radhakrishnan should understand that the refutation of the 'Brahmin conversion theory' DOES NOT mean that the Syrian Christians are converts from the lower castes!!
There are ample proofs for the Syrian Christians being the direct descendants of Mediterranean traders (Persians, Assyrians, Chaldeans, Armenians, Jews etc) who settled in the Malabar coast for trade, in the 1st millennium. Let me list a few of them:
1. Genetic proofs - Genetic tests have been conducted on the Syrian Christians that pointed to Mediterranean ancestry for many of the Syrian Christians. The strong presence of J2 Haplotype in the Syrian Christian Y Chromosomal DNA clearly indicates that they have descended from Mediterranean traders.
2. Historic proofs - There are records and extant documents testifying to the migration of Christian Persian/Assyrian traders and refugees to the Malabar coast. Authentic Copper plates such as 'Tarissapally Chepped' issued by the ruler of Venad in the 9nth century, and many other plates speak of Nestorian Christian traders in Kerala, and the privileges and rights conferred by the rulers. Apart from these, there are external evidences such as early writings of foreign travelers such as Cosmas Indecoplaestus (AD 6th century), Portuguese and other European missionaries etc that indicate the present of 'Persian/East Syrian Christians' on the Malabar coast.
3. Cultural elements - The Syrian Christians have a distinct culture, covering the fields of clothing, cuisine, prayers and liturgy, lifestyle, language, architecture, art forms, etc The Syrian Christian women wore a distinct dress called Chatta and Mundu, and wore large circular earrings called 'Kunukku'. They had their own style of cooking with extensive usage of meat and fish. Dishes such as Kallappam, Paalappam etc have evident Mediterranean origins. The Syrian Christians followed the East Syrian liturgy for many centuries, and used Syriac language in their worship.
Nairkum namboodirikum undayath anenkil thirich athilek thanne poykude nthina ithra kashtapett christiani ayi thudarunne. Nighal ethenkilum onn urapich parayanam nair ano namboodiri ano undakith atho 2 perum koodi orumich ano undakith.
DeleteThe Syrian Christians were tradesmen who were greatly favored by the Hindu rulers for their expertise in trade and commerce. From Sthaanu ravi Varman's issuing of the Tarissapally Cheppedu in the 9nth century, to the relocation of many Syrian families to Thrissur by Sakthan Thampuran in the late 18nth century, there are many examples for the high privileges the Syrians enjoyed under the local rulers. Many Syrian churches in the inlands were built on the 'tax free' land donated by the rulers of the region, as testified by the authentic documents maintained by old Syrian churches and also some royal families. So there's absolutely no question of the Syrian Christians being converts from the low castes or being a 'labour class' as falsely alleged by Pattom Radhakrishnan. Instead, the Syrians were treated as a 'clean caste' by the Hindus, and they were, in many places, placed equal to the Nairs in the caste hierarchy, though Non hindus were technically excluded from the caste system. The Syrians used the Pulayas, Parayas and the Ezhavas for labour in their fields, and this trend continues up to this day! And today, many Nairs also work under Syrian Christian landlords as caretakers, superintendents and laborers, especially in the Kottayam-Pala-Kanjirapally area!
ReplyDeleteNo Portuguese intermarried local Hindus and mixed with the Syrian Christian caste, as there's absolutely no proof for such cases. This is a cheap Hindu conspiracy to defame the rich heritage of the Syrian Christians. The so called 'Caste' Hindus should not forget their own history of 'Sambandhams' that produced generations of fatherless beings who were yet proud of their 'rich' heritage! (Very strange, that is!) The Syrian Christians were a strictly endogamous lot, who took great pride in their tradition and heritage. They hated the Portuguese for their interference with the Syrian Christian affairs, and there's absolutely no question of the Nasranis mingling with the Portuguese. Pattom should know that the Syrians instead revolted against the Portuguese missionaries in 1653 (Coonen Kurish oath) and vowed to never obey them.
The Syrians were never educated by the Portuguese. The Potuguese didn't even set up schools/educational institutions anywhere in Kerala. They were only interested in exploiting our land's resources. The British were the first ones to set up educational institutions in the state, where both the Syrian Christians and the Nairs were provided education. The British later appointed people from these to communities as administrative officers, judges, teachers, engineers, doctors etc. So, the Hindus (Nairs) were equally favored by the British as the Syrian Christians in the field of education, if not more!
So what, if nair and namboodiri had not been converted to christians, do we need to be ashamed of that? let this peoole outside chriatianity..
Deletejacob j is telling the truth and i wish him all the support.
ReplyDeleteThe common morphological features of most Syrian catholics is a sure shot link of Jewish people with this Syrian catholics. Skin color itself reveals this connection. But there is no such relationship can be assumed with nair or namboodiri castes.
ReplyDeleteThe common morphological features of most Syrian catholics is a sure shot link of Jewish people with this Syrian catholics. Skin color itself reveals this connection. But there is no such relationship can be assumed with nair or namboodiri castes.
ReplyDeleteThere is problem.Those who are converted by Europeans want to erase kerala Christian history before that.Islam and Christianity took root in kerala when it originated in West Asia. There were movement of people from Arabia Rome Persia Greece syria somalia ethopia to kerala for trade and for migration.It is more than 3000 yes old.
ReplyDeleteThere is problem.Those who are converted by Europeans want to erase kerala Christian history before that.Islam and Christianity took root in kerala when it originated in West Asia. There were movement of people from Arabia Rome Persia Greece syria somalia ethopia to kerala for trade and for migration.It is more than 3000 yes old.
ReplyDeleteI casually stumbled upon this old conversation. I have no discomfort in Syrian Christians being the descendants of Brahmins or Jews or anybody. But what dismays is the obstinate 'claim' of this community being the offspring of upper caste ancestors. You see, there is a psychological difference in one being truly 'great' and obstinately claiming that greatness. If you are really satisfied you are great, and if you are comfortable with such greatness tag, why should you go on 'insisting' you are great? why don't you accept your greatness as natural and leave the matter there? Or, perhaps you have doubts about it in your innermost heart?
ReplyDeleteI see a great paradox in the situation troubling my mind.
Jesus himself didn't suffer from any caste bias. For him Jew and Samaritan were the same. For Paul, Jew and 'Gentile' were the same. Jesus himself was the son of an ordinary carpenter. His disciples, most of them, were fishermen. Disciples Peter, Andrew, James, John, Thomas and Nathanael were fishermen as explicitly stated in the Gospels. (Those who doubt about Thomas and Nathanael as fishermen, may pl see see Gospel of John Chapter 21, verse 2.) Matthew as tax collector working among the lowly fishermen catching fish in the small lake called the 'Sea' of Galilee, was not like the great Zachaeus who was the Chief Tax Collector of the great city of Jericho. So, Matthew could be treated as a lowly person of the stature of fishermen. Then comes Philip. He was a close friend of fisherman Nathanael and could be counted in the same rank. So, out of 12 disciples, 8 could be counted in the rank of fishermen. The remaining 4, we don't know, except Judas Iscariot.
So, Christanity was started by a lowly carpenter who was born in a lowly manger assisted by his lowly fishermen friends. That being so, how come the fisherman called Thomas braved the perilous Erythrean Sea and came all the way from Palestine to a small corner of the world now known as Kerala in order to pick and choose upper caste people for salvation by ignoring lower caste people like himself?
To me this is an utter contradiction. Can any one come forward to help me understand this conundrum? But don't bring in solutions that are childish, or solutions that are more complicated than the problem itself.
Also, 'catholic' means 'universal', ie, caste-less, socially secular. Remember, all Christian churches are catholic, all of them as catholic as the Roman Church, according to the Apostles Creed. The Roman church as adopted the name catholic to emphasize its catholicity. So, let us say, the Roman Church has a capital C, while others has small c. In Roman Chucrch, 'Catholic' is a noun, while in all other churches 'catholic' is an attribute.
DeleteThat being so, the alacrity of the Syrian churches in Kerala to present themselves as of upper caste is certainly unchristian.
Also, 'catholic' means 'universal', ie, caste-less, socially secular. Remember, all Christian churches are catholic, all of them as catholic as the Roman Church, according to the Apostles Creed. The Roman church as adopted the name catholic to emphasize its catholicity. So, let us say, the Roman Church has a capital C, while others has small c. In Roman Chucrch, 'Catholic' is a noun, while in all other churches 'catholic' is an attribute.
DeleteThat being so, the alacrity of the Syrian churches in Kerala to present themselves as of upper caste is certainly unchristian.
In indian roman-latin catholics called as latin catholics and syro-malabar catholics called as roman catholics. Not sure why ?
ReplyDeleteRoman Catholic and Latin Catholic are same. Latin is the liturgy of Roman Catholics that is why they are known as Latin. In kerala the Syro malabar Christians started to change there SSLC certificate from Syrian Christians to RCSC. Now they deliberately writing in their certificate as RC because new generation does not want the old peoples identity as Suriyani Christiani. So they are deliberately high jacking the identity of Roman Catholics. Syro malabar Church is a different church they are only communion with Rome. There pop is Mar George Alencgerry.but person from syro malabar church can be a priest or nun in Roman congregation. You could meet many Syro malabar priest in Don Bosco, Jesuits, Cappuchins etc. .
DeleteOk....Leave all the above opinions and all the comments provided underlines one thing that the Latin and Syrian catholics already had/have highest socio econonomic indexes as mentioned here for centuries.With ' a tiny level of jealousy' ( True I am reflecting my mind ) let me ask you a small question and I like to get justification/answer from you. Historically the above Christians enjoyed highest socio-economic-educational-cultural status in compliments with the highest level of contributions(Both economic and educationaland religious) received from foreign missionaries also.still they are asking for Reservation in jobs, monopoly for conducting educational institutions( This is the only business area in India where laissez faire is accepted and for regulators ,the economic irregularities in this zone is still dark). Using the article 30 of the Indian constitution which is categorized as Fundamental rights and any violation of the same will be questioned in courts and may be even writ petition will be entertained by courts here.Normally as per my understanding, the reservations in jobs and education to be endowed to the category of people who has not been given/ awarded the opportunity to come to so called mainstream of life because of various historical reasons ranging from casteism,untouchability to lack of economic soverignity. The respected Christian community in India including all catholic groups( Latin,Syro-Malabar,Syro Malankara, Thozhiyur Sabha), Orthodox churches ( Malankara Syrian Jacobite Orthodox,Malankara Syrian Orthodox, MarThoma Syrian Orthodox churches ) and all Protestant churches in episcopal, evangelical versions ranging from CSI to Pntecoastal, Btretern and methodist group should come forward and should request GOI to have a constitutional amendment to repeal the rights endowed this community as per article 30 the fundamental rights. Because they were/are already socially,educationally, economically forward community in comparison with any other community in India. Recently I found a Pastoral letter asking the believers to demand for the reservation for the Converted Christians in India and seeking to have the same level of reservation as that of SC/STs...
ReplyDeleteBrtain prmarily a protestant Christian country ruled India for 250 years and please note that it is only 70 years now after getting independence..So Christian community were almost absolute power in India for more than 250 years and relatively high level of power more than 70 years ....I like to receive comments
Discussions on such issues often get entangled in emotions of jingoism on the one hand and jealousy on the other. That is unfortunate.
DeleteSome Christians, especially the "syrians" have the habit of extolling their own past, present and future, often in a puerile manner. Such behaviour often ignites reactions from others in the form of anger and jealousy. Here I think it was Jacob J who introduced jealousy in the discussion. I wish he had avoided it.
Now Mr Madhusudan has inserted politics into the subject which may further vitiate the matter. I wish he too had avoided it.
I only wish to comment on his last para, which reads as under:
"Brtain prmarily a protestant Christian country ruled India for 250 years and please note that it is only 70 years now after getting independence..So Christian community were almost absolute power in India for more than 250 years and relatively high level of power more than 70 years ....I like to receive comments"
Britian ruled India for nearly two centuries. But they ruled India as "British" and not as "Christians". So, it would be a travesty of fact to state that Christian community of India ruled India during the period. It is by such distortions of history that we spread misinformation and divisiveness. Try to avoid such mistakes.
# Jithin Xavier
ReplyDeleteThe so-called Syrian Christians used Syriac liturgy for their prayers. And before the advent of the Europeans in India, they were known merely as Christians or Nazaraanis.
When the Westerners came in they found these Christians using Syriac language for their formal prayers (like Hindus using Sanskrit without knowing the meaning of their prayers). So, they named them Syrian Christians.
Those old Christians who followed the Portuguese and those who were converted by the Portuguese used the Roman liturgy which was in Latin. To distinguish the old Christians from the new, the former were called Syrian Christians and the latter Latin Christians.
Today both are using the vernacular for their formal prayers; yet the liturgies (prayer structures) are slightly different.
And the names Syrian Christians and the Latin Christians have since become community names, irrespective of the local language used in their prayers.
Trist J Xavier is convinced.
There were christians in india especially kerala before europeans. Malabar was trading with greece rome and west asia. Similarly there were muslims before it reached outside arabia.
ReplyDeleteSo? Does it prove anything? In fact it was the Arabs who were trading with Malabar. They bought Malabar products (spices) from Malabar and sold them to Romans. Some Jews migrated to Malabar after the destruction of their second temple (AD 70) when all the Jews had to flee from Palestine. Before that it is not clear if there were any Jews in Malabar except, maybe, a handful of them might have migrated along with the Arab merchants. Here, Arab means people of Mesopotamia and Levant (Iraq, Syria, Lebanon etc), and not necessarily from what we call now as the Arabian peninsula.
DeleteBy the way, the destruction of the First Temple (the original Temple constructed by Solomon) was destroyed by the Babylonians under their king Nebucchadnezzar in BC 586 or 587.
Does Mr Jose have any specific question?
History of Muslims and Christians are similar in kerala. There is nothing to be ashamed of to be christians being converted by Europeans. There were migration from anscient egypt greece rome Lavant and arabia to south india, it is a fact.
ReplyDeleteMost of the Muslims of Malabar area are descendents of converts forcibly converted by Tippu sultan. He has ruled Malabar for 18 yerars. Convert or die was the option given. Christians were not converted forcefully. For one thing the caste system created a very unjust society. An escape from this was an inducemnt for lower caste peoplke to convert to Christianity. But these people were never treated equally in the christian Community. Unity among the christian communities is very low, so much so today there are around 350 different, distinct and unique groups of Christians in Keralam.
DeleteHistory of Muslims and Christians are similar in kerala. There is nothing to be ashamed of to be christians being converted by Europeans. There were migration from anscient egypt greece rome Lavant and arabia to south india, it is a fact.
ReplyDelete"Second, a noteworthy point about Catholic demography in India is the disproportionate share of Dalits, or untouchables. Estimates are that somewhere between 60 and 75 percent of Indian Catholics are Dalits, who often see Christianity as a means of protesting the caste system and of affiliating with a social network to buffer its effects. Beginning in the 1970s, the Catholic Church took up the Dalit cause in Indian society. Recently, India's Catholic leaders have backed efforts to repeal laws that provide protection to Hindu Dalits but not those of other religious backgrounds". .
ReplyDeletehttps://www.ncronline.org/blogs/ncr-today/india-rising-catholic-power-too
Kerala Latheen community Living standard is worst and Bad• These Land Less pupils are before and after has no own land and good jobs•• Good % Are working at Construction and Fishing sector, but Good % are now Facing threat of job loss with Other state migrant work force• Good % are living Rented houses and Road sides of Towns• Ex• Lot are Living Road side purrambokku at Kizhakkambalam, Edathala panchayaths• Latheen comminty are facing threats since with dr.Manmohan singh made Economic reforms with grredy private educare and Private Healthcare••Latheen bishops and clergy are owning shopping malls+ Luxury hospitals+ hospitals+ ICSE+CBSE+schools+ colleges+ And more• But Real latheen community has no gain thier Private educare and Health care•
ReplyDeleteGovernment should be grand Own houses+ or 25 cent Free land to land less communittees of Kerala•• Should be ensure good Government hospitals+ schools at coastal area and all places•• Should be Reserve 30% vacancies in to our Coast guard + Naval forces from coastal area pupils•• Try to call our construction workers for domestic purpose••
Hello Everybody,
ReplyDeleteMy name is Mrs Cynthia Corvin. I live in USA and i am a happy woman today? and i told my self that any lender that rescue my family from our poor situation, i will refer any person that is looking for loan to him, he gave me happiness to me and my family, i was in need of a loan of S$250,000.00 to start my life all over as i am a single mother with 2 kids I met this honest and GOD fearing man loan lender that help me with a loan of usd$250,000.00 . Dollar, he is a GOD fearing man, if you are in need of loan and you will pay back the loan please contact him tell him that is Mrs Cynthia that refer you to him. contact Mr. Isa Mohammed ,via email:(asialoanfirms2020@gmail.com) Thank you.