Apostolic Origin of the Malankara Church

Introduction
The mission of the Apostles planted the Church of Christ at various places. The Malankara[1] Church was blessed to have an apostolic foundation through the evangelization mission of St. Thomas, one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ. There are a number of testimonies regarding the labour of Apostle Thomas in India and the origin of Christianity.
Jerome says: “…cum Thoma in India, cum Petro in Romae, cum Paulo in Illyrico, cum Tito in Creta, cum Andrea in Achaia, cum singulis Apostolis et Apostolicis, in singulis cunctisque regionibus”.[2]
In this Essay an attempt is made to provide essential information concerning the apostolic origin of the Malankara Church
1. Geographical Sketch of Malankara
In the period of arrival of St.Thomas, the territory of Malankara was from Gokarnam (Ezhimala) to Cape Comorin from north to south; its western border is beaten by the waves of the Arabian Sea, and the eastern part bound by the districts of Coimbatore, Coorg and a part of Mylapore.[3] It now includes most of Kerala[4] state and the coastal region of Karnataka state.[5] Except on the borders of the sea, the major part of the land is beautified by chains of hills and ranges of mountains. Malabar[6] is blessed by streams and streamlets, backwaters, rivers and rivulets, and at intervals we can see the fields of verdure.[7]
2. Jewish Community in Malankara
Many historians agree that before arrival of St.Thomas, a strong Jewish community lived in Kerala[8]. However it is true that, there were Jews in Kerala before Christ. There were Jewish settlements and a synagogue in Cochin. Therefore all these references indicate the presence of Jewish community in Kerala before Christ.[9] After the destruction of Jerusalem temple, a lot of Jews arrived in Kerala and had joined to their brethren who were already living in Kerala.[10] That’s why the survival of Jewish communities in Kerala explains the possibilities of the coming of St. Thomas to Malankara and the spread of Christianity in these regions. Menachery’s St.Thomas Christian Encyclopaedia says:
It is important to take into account the fact that contacts between the West Syrians and West coast of India were geographically easy. The Kerala tradition that St. Thomas sailed from Syrian to Socotra and Malabar is not a fairy story. It is also possible that the nucleus of the Church in Kerala was formed out of a colony of Palestinian Jews in Cranganore who had migrated there the persecutions of Antiochus Epiphanies.[11]
3. Travel Route of St.Thomas
The Possible travel routes that he might have taken on his journey to India were from Alexandria to India.[12] The sea route from Alexandria to India started before the arrival of St.Thomas.[13] There were many Indians in Alexandria[14] and also more than one third of the Alexandrian population was Jews.[15]
According to Farquhar, The Apostle Thomas was attracted to Alexandria because of its Jewish community and was preaching there when he met Habban, who invited him to come to India.[16]
4. Arrival of St.Thomas to India
According to history, in A.D.52, during the time of Chera kings,[17] St.Thomas reached Maliankara, near Kodungaloor, the famous harbour in Kerala.[18] According to the living traditions of India, he came to Mazuris,[19] the famous port of Kerala, India in 52 AD and preached good news and martyred in the year 72 AD in Mylapore.[20] He got a royal reception in Kerala and also the families of Sampury, Pakalomattam, Kalinkavu, etc. converted to Christianity.[21]
Mundadan says:
St.Thomas came by sea, and first landed at Cranganore about the year 52AD.; converted high caste Hindu families in Cranganore, Palayur, Quilon and some other places; visited the Choromandel coast, making conversions;…”[22]
He had established seven Christian communities in Kerala. They are Kodungalloor (Muzaris), Palayur (Palur), Parur (Kottakavil), Kokkamangalam, Niranam, Nilakkal (Chayal), and Quilon. There are strong Christian communities in these places even today. Some of the churches here in these places are centuries old.[23]
5. Sources to the Arrival of the St.Thomas
The evangelisation of the St.Thomas in Kerala is still a question among the historians. But we have some limited sources. These sources are based on some traditions and Early Church Father’s writings.
5.1. The Malankara Tradition
Among the chief local sources we have some ancient songs like, Ramban Pattu (Thoma Parvam)[24], Margam Kali Pattu[25] and Veeradian Pattu.[26] These songs narrate the story that was prevalent that time, concerning the arrival of St. Thomas, foundation of the seven churches as well as about his death and burial.
5.2. Acts of Thomas
The ‘Acts of Thomas’ is an apocryphal New Testament writings, entrusted to the mission of St.Thomas the Apostle, probably written in Syriac in the first half of the third century Gnostic environment which we receive in various versions. The composition is dated from the first half of the third century and was probably composed at Edessa in Ancient Turkey.[27] It describes the St.Thomas’s ministry in India. Originally it was written in Syriac and it was translated a lot of times into Greek. The original text in Syriac was lost and the present one is a translation from Greek only.[28] The ‘Acts of Thomas’ and the Fathers of the Church speak of Jesus selling St.Thomas as a slave who was a carpenter to Habban, the merchant of the Indian King Gudnapher.[29] In this book we can see that St.Thomas came to India, and he had preached in three kingdoms. They are namely Sandruk Mahosa, the Kingdom of Gundaphoras (Gudnapher) and the Kingdom of Mazdai. At these places he worked many miracles and converted many people to Christianity. At last he was martyred in Mazdai.[30]
Vadakkekara writes,
…even though all these was a king with the name of Gondphorous in the North West part of India, there is an apocryphal book Acts of Thomas which speaks about the apostolate of St. Thomas in India. The question of historians is, Are they contemporaries that St.Thomas and king Gondaphoros. These things are still to be studies and find a proper answer. At the same time we can hold on the traditions that St.Thomas has come to India.[31]
5.3. Church Fathers
Some historians deny the arrival of St.Thomas in India.[32] But many early Church Fathers give emphasis to the arrival of St.Thomas in India. He came to India and preached the holy gospel and at last he died in India.[33] Roman Catholic documents issued at different times speak about the apostolicity of the Indian Church.[34]
5.4. Tomb of St. Thomas
Many historians agree that St. Thomas died as a martyr at Mylapore[35] near Madras in South India.[36]
Isidore of Seville writes:
...Hic Evangelium praedicavit Parthis, et Medis, et Persis, Hyrcanisque, ac Bactrianis, et Indis tenentibus Orientalem Plagam, et intima gentium penetrans, ibique praedicationem suam usque ad titulum suae passionis perducens; lanceis enim transfixus occubuit in Calamina civitate Indiae, ubi et sepultus est in honore[37]
Mundadan says about this topic that,
Then he moved to the Choromandel, and suffered martyrdom on or near the Little Mount. His body was brought to the town of Mylapore and was buried in a holy shrine he had erected. Christians, goes the tradition from Malabar, West Asia and even from China, used to go on pilgrimage to Mylapore and venerate the tomb.[38]
It is notable that, there is no other claim of tombs in the name of St.Thomas anywhere else in the world. The tomb at Mylapore was one of the most important pilgrim places of Indian Christians from the very early centuries.[39] Later the relics of St.Thomas were transferred to the church at Edessa, in Turkey.[40]
Conclusion
The history of the Malankara Church begins with the arrival of St.Thomas. As a result of the Apostle's mission, many natives other than the Jews also accepted Christianity. Most of the local converts were said to be from higher castes and this helped St. Thomas to preach the Holy Gospel without much opposition in a later stage.

[1] Malankara (Mal.: മലങ്കര) is another name of Kerala. Malankara is cognate of this name Maliankara. Malankara means the land of hills. So the Christianity of Kerala was also known to be Malankara Church. Many Churches added Malankara to their proper name. It is also known as Church of Malabar or Malabar Church. The words Malabar and Malankara refer to the same reality and place; ‘Malabar’ and ‘Malankara’ are ancient names for the region of modern India where the Syrian Churches lie. Politically most of the territory was contained in the rajahates of Travancore and Cochin. Today the area lies within the modern state of Kerala. Hence the Christians here are known as Malankara Nazarenes , Saint Thomas Christians, Malabar Christians and Malankara Christians. Cfr. JOHN FENWICK, ‘India Syrian Christianity in South’, BDEC, Blackwell Publishers, Oxford, 1999. p.251.
[2] ‘With Thomas in India, with peter at Rome, with Paul in Illyricum, with Titus in Crete, with Andrew in Achaia, with each apostolic man in each and all countries’. JEROME, Epistola LIX. Ad Marcellam, in PL 22, Paris, 1845. p. 586-589.
[3] G. T. K. PANIKKAR, Malabar and Its Flock. A systematic Description of the Social Customs and Institutions of Malabar, G.A Natesan & Co., Madras 1900. p.1-7.
[4] Kerala is a state located in southwestern India. Neighboring states include Karnataka to the north and Tamil Nadu to the south and east; to the west is the Arabian Sea.
[5] JACOB E SAFRA, (Ed.), ‘Malabar Coast’, NEB, Vol.7, 15th Edn. New York, 2002. p.720.
[6] The name is thought to be derived from the Malayalam word ‘Mala’ (Hill) and Persian word ‘Bar’ (Kingdom) or from the Arabic words Mal (rich or property) and Bar (port).
[7] G.T.K. PANIKKAR, Malabar and Its Flock. A systematic Description of the Social Customs and Institutions of Malabar, G.A Natesan & Co., Madras 1900. p. 3-6.
[8] S.S. KODER, Kerala and her Jews, Ernakulam, 1965. p. 2-6.
[9] P.M.JUSSAY, “ The Jews in Kerala”, in B.PUTHUR (ed.), St. Thomas Christians and Namubudiris Jews and Sangam Literature a Historical appraisal, Kochi, 2003. p. 126-137.
[10] P.A.S. MUHAMMAD, Kerala Charitra Veeshanam (Mal.), Kottayam, 1957. p. 29-31.
[11] PAUL VARGHESE, ‘The Church in Kerala at the coming of the Portuguese’, The St.Thomas Christian Encyclopaedia of India, Ed. By GEORGE MENACHERY, Vol.2, Trichur, 1973. p.35.
[12] GEORGE MILNE RAE, The Syrian Church in India, William Blackburn and Sons, Edinburgh, 1892. p.56.
[13] E.H. WARMINGTON, The Commerce Between the Roman Empire and India‎, Cambridge University Press, London, 1928. p.5-9.
[14] THOMAS MCEVILLEY, The shape of ancient thought: Comparative studies in Greek and Indian Philosophies, Allworth Press, New York, 2002. p. 382-384.
[15] J.C.I. GIESELER, Text- Book of Ecclesiastical History, Ed. FRANCIS CUNNINGHAM, Vol. I, Carey, Lea, and Blanchard, Philadelphia, 1836. p. 30.
[16] J.N. FARQUAHAR, “The Apostle Thomas in North India”, in J.Vellian, ed., The Apostle Thomas in India according to the Acts of Thomas ,Kottayam, 1972. p.13.
[17] The Chera Dynasty was a Tamil dynasty that ruled in Southern India from before the Sangam era (300 BC - 250 AD) until the twelfth century AD.
[18] G. VADAKKEKARA, Christianity in India Through the Ages, Kottayam, 1972. p.9.
[19] Mazuris is the old name of Cranganore in the Malabar cost of South India; it was one of the famous trade port of ancient time. This ancient city was known in different names such as Kodungalloor, Masulipattanam, Maliamkara, etc.
[20] G.VADAKKEKARA, Christianity in India Through the Ages, Kottayam, 1972. p. 9.
[21] P.A.S. MUHAMMAD, Kerala Charitra Veeshanam (Mal.), Kottayam, 1957. p. 20.
[22] A.M. MUNDADAN, History and Beyond, Jeevas Publications, Aluva, 1997. p.84.
[23] P. MALEKANDATHIL, “St. Thomas Christians: A Historical analysis of their origin and development up to 9th Century”, in B.PUTHUR (ed.), St. Thomas Christians and Namubudiris Jews and Sangam Literature a Historical appraisal, Kochi, 2003. p. 6-10.
[24] The text of Ramban Pattu(Thoma Parvam) is given by Fr. BERNAD in his book, Marthoma Kristianikal, p.98-109. It is written around 1601. Cfr. BERNAD THOMA ALENCHERY, Marthoma Kristianikal (Mal.), 2nd Edn., Kottayam, 1992. p.98. Through there are different opinions about the authenticity of this song, the strongest is about the installation of the bishops by St.Thomas. This argument appears for the first time in this song. Before 20th century no other historians mentioned St. Thomas ordained a Bishop. Some historians consider that this song had been formed after the 17th century. Cfr. Z .M. PARET, Malankara Nazranikal, Vol.1, Manorama Publishing House, Kottayam, 1965. p.219-222
[25] Margamkali is ancient and the most popular art dance performance prevalent among the Syrian Christians of Kerala. The subject of Margamkali pattu is the arrival of Mar Thoma (St. Thomas) and his life in Kerala. It is enacted by a group of 12 wearing sword and armor. It is a song in which acting and singing have equal importance and it is enacted among a Nilavilakku. It was a usual custom among the Christians to perform it during nights of marriage and festivals.
[26] Veeradian pattu is the song sung by the Hindu believers called veeradians in the Syrian Christian houses in special occasions. The content of this song is the arrival of St.Thomas in Kerala in 52 AD and the establishment of Christu Marga and the special reception of reorganizations from the King Cheraman Perumal. The Christians used to give presents to the Panars who sung these songs. The kings had given special welcome to the Panar to their palaces, because the Panars were blessed with special intellectual and cultural qualities.
[27] PAUL-HUBERT POIRIER , YVES TISSOT, Actes de Thomas in Écrits apocryphes chrétiens, edited by FRANCOIS BOVON et PIERRE GEOLTRAIN, Vol. I, La pLéiade, Gallimard, 1997. p. 1321-1470.
[28] BROWN, L,W., The Indian Christians of St.Thomas, An Account of the Ancient Syrian church of Malabar, University Press, Cambridge, 1956. p.39-45.
[29] L.M. ZALESKI, The apostle St.Thomas in India. History, Tradition and Legend, Mangalore,1912. p.105-189.
[30] A.F.J. KLIJN, The Acts of Thomas, Introduction- Text –Commentary, Leiden, 1962. p.4, 65-154.
[31] B. VADAKKEKARA, Origin of Christianity in India A historiographical Critique, Delhi, 2007. p.187-196.
[32] REGINALD HEBER, Narrative of a Journey through the Upper Provinces of India, From Calcutta to Bomby, 1824-1825 (With Note upon Ceylon), An account of a Journey to Madras and the southern provinces, 1826 And letters written in India, Vol.II, New Edn., John Murray, London, 1849. p.177.
[33] Church Fathers are St.Hippolytus, Bishop of Portus, Jerome, St.Ephraim etc. Cfr. E.M.PHILIP, The Indian Church of St.Thomas, E.P. MATHEW, 1908, Republished Mor Adai Study Centre, KURIAKOSE MOOLAYIL (Ed.) Cheeranchira, 2002. p.47-50.
[34] POPE PIUS XI, Romani Pontifices, 21 December 1992, AAS16, Rome, 1924. p.257-262; POPE JOHN PAUL II, Quae maiori, 16 December 1992, AAS 85, Rome, 1993. p.398-399.
[35] Mylapore is located a few kilometers to the south of Chennai city. It extends from Triplicane and Teynampet in the west up to the sea-coast. It is bounded by Royapettah and the river Coovum to the north. Its southern frontier corresponds roughly with that of River Adyar. It extends for around 4 kilometers from north to south and 2 kilometers from east to west.
[36] Madras’s new name is Chennai.
[37] ‘Therefore this Thomas preached to the Parthians and the Medes, up to the furthest eastern parts, and there preached the Gospel and suffered martyrdom. Indeed, being pierced with a lance, he died at Calamina, a town of India, and was honourably buried there on the twelfth before the Calends of January’; ISIDORE OF SEVILLE, De Ortu et Obitu Patrum LXXIV, in PL LXXXIII, Paris, 1850. p.152.
[38] A.M. MUNDADAN, Hisory and Beyond, Jeevas Publications, Aluva, 1997. p.85.
[39] B.VADAKKEKARA, Origin of Christianity in India A historiographical Critique, Delhi, 2007. p. 66-73, 131-137; A.M. MUNDADAN, History of Christianity in India, Vol. I, Theological Publications of India, Banglore,1984. p. 8-34.
[40] F.A. D’CRUZ, St.Thomas the Apostle in India, An Investigation Based on the Latest Researches in Connection with the Time-honoured Tradition Regarding St.Thomas in Southern India, Madras, 1929. p.33; A.E. MEDLYCOTT, India and Apostle Thomas an Inquiry. With a Critical Analysis of the Acta Thomae, First Edn., David Nutt, 57-59, Long Arce, London, 1905. p.71-72.