Christians of St. Thomas
The first Christian Community in South East Asia established in India (in the southern Indian state of Kerala). An ancient tradition relates that the Apostle Thomas went to India around the year 52, and there baptized the first Indian Christians, who call themselves (even today) “Christians of St. Thomas”. In Madras, the alleged tomb of the apostle Thomas is greatly venerated. This tradition finds support in the historical records concerning a group of about 400 Syrian Christians , who, in the year 345, settled in that region of India and found a number of “Christians of St. Thomas”, who, after centuries, were still practicing their faith. The State of Kerala has remained the place where the majority of Indian Catholics live or trace their origin from. Many Christian communities in Kerala keep their ancient liturgies. Today there are around 6 million.
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