Rachel Evans
India is officially a secular country, but it is one of the most publicly religious countries in the world. While the majority of the population is Hindu, India is extremely pluralistic, and its religious vibrancy is evident in all forms. Christianity is India's third-largest religion, with around 24 million followers, and Catholics number some 20 million. Christians are found all across India, with the majority in parts of South India, the Konkan coast, and northeastern India. The ancient Saint Thomas Christians of Kerala have a distinct culture compared to Christians in other parts of the country, with historical ties to the Church of the East and a unique blend of indigenous and Syrian Christian traditions. The Catholic Church in India has been influenced by various missionary efforts, including pre-Portuguese missions from Rome and the later arrival of the Portuguese, who occupied Goa in 1510 and made it their base for Christian missions in Asia. The majority of Indian Catholics belong to the Latin Church, with the rest following the Syrian Catholic tradition.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Population of Christians in India | 24 million |
| Percentage of Christians in India | 2.4% |
| Number of Catholic dioceses in India | 174 |
| Number of Latin Catholic dioceses | 132 |
| Number of Syro-Malabar Catholic dioceses | 31 |
| Number of Syro-Malankara Catholic dioceses | 11 |
| Percentage of Latin Church members | 78.3% |
| Percentage of Syrian Catholic Christians | 21.7% (19.7% Syro-Malabar and 2% Syro-Malankara) |
| Percentage of Christians who are against interreligious marriage for women | 37% |
| Percentage of Christians who are against interreligious marriage for men | 35% |
| Percentage of Christians who voted for the Indian National Congress in 2019 | 30% |
| Percentage of Christians who voted for the Bharatiya Janata Party in 2019 | 10% |
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What You'll Learn
Portuguese influence
India is officially a secular country, but it is one of the most publicly religious countries in the world. While nearly 80% of the population is Hindu, India is extremely pluralistic, and its religious vibrancy is visible in vivid colour.
Organised Catholic missions in India began with the arrival of the Portuguese after Vasco da Gama discovered the sea route to India in 1498. The Portuguese occupied Goa in 1510, making it their base for Christian missions in Asia. Goa became the centre of Portuguese colonial possessions in India and activities in other parts of Asia. It also served as a lucrative trading centre between the Portuguese and the Hindu Vijayanagara Empire and the Muslim Bijapur Sultanate.
The arrival of the Portuguese in India was marked by the Goa Inquisition, which was established in 1560 to enforce Catholic orthodoxy and allegiance to the Apostolic See of the Pontifex. The Portuguese used forced conversion to spread Catholicism, and the resulting crypto-Hinduism was viewed as a challenge to the Church's absolute religious control. The Jesuit missionaries were especially careful to help local charitable institutions by tending to the sick, both spiritually and physically, and performing other works of mercy. The Jesuits' educational institutions have left a prestigious impact through their schools.
In the southern districts, the Jesuit mission in Madura was the most famous, extending to the Krishna River with several outlying stations beyond it. The mission of Cochin in the Malabar region of South India was also very fruitful until the persecution of Catholic Christians by Dutch Calvinists in former Portuguese lands began. Several missions were also established in the interior, for example, in Agra and Lahore in 1570 and Tibet in 1624.
The aesthetics of Goan Catholicism are much more traditionally European than in most of South India. Portuguese last names and European Christian first names remain the norm among Catholics in Goa. Goa has a rich history dating back millennia, and its merchants traded as far as Africa and Southeast Asia. The transformation of Goa into the state that we know today began when Portuguese explorers landed in 1498, searching for a port that could provide a foothold for the Portuguese-led spice trade in the East. With some local Hindu support, the Portuguese defeated Goa's Muslim rulers, razed the city, and built a new city in its place.
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Catholic charitable efforts
Catholicism is a minority religion in India, with around 20 million followers. It is practised particularly in southwestern India, in the state of Karnataka, and in parts of South India, the Konkan coast, and northeastern India.
Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is the international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. CRS began working in India in 1946 to help provide food to people affected by the war and supported child feeding programs and assistance to families in Calcutta in collaboration with Mother Teresa. Over the years, CRS expanded its work in India, supporting dioceses and health clinics with feeding programs and implementing education, health, agriculture, and emergency programs. CRS continues to work with partners in India to address issues such as poverty, social justice, resource access, and living conditions among marginalized groups.
Caritas India, founded in 1962, is the official development arm of the Catholic Church in India. Steered by the Gospel principles of love and compassion, Caritas India works to alleviate human suffering and uphold human rights and social justice. They have supported thousands of development projects across the country, focusing on emergency and disaster risk reduction, climate-adaptive agriculture, sustainable livelihoods, tribal development, child protection, and more. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Caritas India played a crucial role in responding to the crisis and raising awareness to protect vulnerable children from human trafficking, abuse, and exploitation.
In addition to these large organizations, Indian Christians have also contributed significantly to nation-building, especially in education and healthcare. They are well-represented in various spheres of public life and have left a lasting impact on Indian society.
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Saint Thomas Christians
The Saint Thomas Christian community is divided into two ethnic groups: the majority Vadakkumbhagar or Northist and the minority Tekkumbhagar or Southist. The origin of these ethno-geographical epithets is traced to the city of Kodungallur, the historic capital of the medieval Chera dynasty. The early converts of Saint Thomas the Apostle and those who later joined the faith in India are believed to have initially resided on the northern side of the city of Kodungallur and thus became known as Vadakkumbhagar or Northist. In either the 4th or 8th century, the Syriac Christian merchant magnate Knai Thoma arrived and settled in southern Kodungallur with a cohort of merchants and clergymen. Because they dwelled on the southern side, the descendants of Thoma's migration became known as Tekkumbhagar or Southist.
The Saint Thomas Christians first encountered the Portuguese in 1498 during the expedition of Vasco da Gama. At the time, the community was thriving in the spice trade and was protected by its own militia, but they were under pressure from the rajas of Calicut and Cochin and other small kingdoms in the area. The Saint Thomas Christians and the Portuguese formed an alliance, as the Portuguese had a keen interest in implanting themselves in the spice trade and in spreading their version of Christianity. The Portuguese occupied Goa in 1510 and made it their base for Christian mission in Asia. In 1561, the Thomas Christians were branded heretics by the Goa Inquisition, which had been established under Portuguese rule.
The Saint Thomas Christians had been historically a part of the hierarchy of the Church of the East but are now divided into several different Eastern Catholic, Oriental Orthodox, Protestant, and independent bodies, each with their own liturgies and traditions. They are based in Kerala and speak Malayalam. They follow Syriac liturgical patterns, employing the Eastern and Western liturgical rites of Syriac Christianity.
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Catholic worship in India
India is officially a secular country, but it is one of the most publicly religious countries in the world. While nearly 80% of the population is Hindu, India is extremely pluralistic, and its religious vibrancy is evident in the public sphere.
Christianity is the third-largest religion in India, with about 28 million adherents as of the 2011 census, making up 2.3% of the population. Nearly two-thirds of India's Christians are found in South India, Goa, and Bombay (Mumbai). Christians are found all across India, with the majority in parts of South India, the Konkan coast, and northeastern India.
The roots of Christianity in India go back to ancient times. The Saint Thomas Christians or Syrian Christians are mentioned in the South Indian epic of Manimekalai, written between the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD. The earliest noteworthy account of the Coromandel coast by a Western European is from John of Monte Corvino, who travelled from Persia to the Madras region or "Country of St. Thomas" in 1291 and preached there for thirteen months. The Mar Thoma Syro-Malabar Catholic Church at Muziris is believed to be the first Christian church built in India, circa 52 AD. The Diocese of Quilon, headquartered at Kollam, is the first Roman Catholic diocese in India, erected in 1329.
Christianity spread further in India under the colonial regimes of the Dutch, Danish, French, and English from the early 17th century to 1947. The arrival of Vasco da Gama and the commencement of Portuguese rule in 1510 led to the development of distinct patterns of Christian art and architecture, especially along the coasts of the peninsula. The Portuguese commissioned monumental buildings and promoted architecture, with St. Francis Church in Kochi being the first European place of worship in the country.
Catholic life in India is oriented towards devotional practice, drawing from Hindu, Syrian, colonial Portuguese, and contemporary Catholic traditions. For example, in Kerala, South Indian believers look to saints for blessing and healing, with a devotion to St. Sebastian as a powerful intercessor. Indian Catholics have also been influenced by charismatic Catholicism, a movement that has gained popularity in the country.
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Catholic political leanings
Catholicism is a minority religion in India, with around 20 million followers. Christians are found across India, but they are mostly concentrated in parts of South India, the Konkan coast, and north-eastern India. The states of Karnataka, Kerala, and Goa, in particular, have significant Catholic populations.
Historically, the Catholic Church in India has mediated the relationship between individuals and the state, especially among the fishing communities of South India. The Church's dominant position among these communities and its minority status within India have influenced its secular and radical political stance. The Church often mirrors the state in drawing on tropes of development, nationalism, and upliftment.
Catholic social teaching, as endorsed by Pope Leo XIII, promotes a form of democracy that benefits the lower classes, works for the common good, and rejects individualism and capitalism. This form of democracy values the protection of human dignity and moral law over individualism. This stance is also reflected in the charitable efforts of Catholics in India, who believe that salvation comes from faith in God, dedication to good works, and acts of charity.
Catholics in India have contributed significantly to nation-building, particularly in education and healthcare. They are well-represented in various spheres of public life. However, they have also faced restrictions on their religious practices and persecution by other religious groups.
In terms of political leanings, Catholicism in India tends to be associated with conservatism and the right-wing due to its stance on issues like abortion, traditional values, and religious education. However, its emphasis on economic equality, criticism of capitalism, and promotion of the common good of mankind can also be interpreted as left-leaning.
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Frequently asked questions
There are three rites of Catholics in India: the Latin rite, and the two oriental rites of Syro-Malabar and Syro-Malankara.
The majority, about 78.3%, of Indian Catholics belong to the Latin Church. The Syro-Malabar Church makes up around 19.7% of Indian Catholics, while the Syro-Malankara Church accounts for approximately 2.0%.
The Eastern Catholic communities are primarily based in the Malabar region (present-day state of Kerala). The Latin rite was introduced by European missionaries. The Syro-Malabar and Syro-Malankara rites follow Syriac liturgical patterns.
