THE ST THOMAS CHRISTIANS OF KERALA, INDIA.

The Saint Thomas Christians of India are a one-of-a-kind community whose roots stretch back to the very dawn of Christianity. Their story is steeped in ancient traditions, blending historical intrigue with cultural adaptation in a way that makes it truly unique.

From the outset, these Christians, known locally as Nasranis (നസ്രാണികൾ from Syriac "Nazarene") or Malankara Orthodox Christians (മലങ്കര), have claimed a direct connection to the Apostle Thomas himself. According to tradition, St. Thomas is believed to have set sail for India from Egypt and arrived on the Malabar Coast of Kerala in 52 AD, armed not with trade goods, but with the Gospel. It’s said he preached, converted locals (who took on the names of the disciples as their lastnames such as John, Mathew, Thomas, and Luke among others) and established seven churches before meeting his martyrdom in Mylapore, near modern-day Chennai, in 72 AD.

Skeptics might raise an eyebrow at such claims, but the discovery of predictable trade winds by Hippalus around AD 47 revolutionized maritime commerce among Africa, Asia Minor, and India.

In the summer, the trade winds, often referred to as monsoons, blow predominantly in one direction. In contrast, during the winter months, these winds shift and blow in the opposite direction. This seasonal reversal of the trade winds facilitates and enhances trade activities.

These winds enabled merchants from the Mediterranean and Near East to sail efficiently to India and beyond, fostering the exchange of goods like spices, silk, and precious metals between Africa, Europe, and Asia. The trade routes between the Mediterranean and India were bustling back then, frequented by merchants and adventurers alike. And let’s not forget Kerala’s ancient Jewish community—a fertile ground for early Christian ideas to take root.

One can imagine Thomas navigating the tropical heat of Kerala while explaining monotheism to a crowd accustomed to a pantheon of gods. His efforts apparently paid off; by the time Pantaenus of Alexandria visited India in the second century, he found Christians already flourishing there.

The Saint Thomas Christians didn’t just stop at adopting Christianity; they made it their own. Refugees from the East Syrian Church fleeing persecution under Persian rulers brought their liturgical traditions and ecclesiastical structures to Kerala in waves from the fourth century onward. By the eighth century, Patriarch Timothy I formally organized them as the Province of India under the Church of the East. This connection brought bishops and texts from Persia and solidified their unique identity as part of an Oriental Christian tradition.

But what truly sets this community apart is how they blended their faith with local customs. Granted high status by Indian rulers—just below Brahmins—they were granted charters and jurisdiction over their people. Their processions rivaled those of royalty in splendor, complete with elephants. They even adopted practices like withdrawing from worldly life at sixty-four to focus on prayer and contemplation—a nod to Hindu traditions.

Many of the accounts of Indian Christians are documented in this book on page 62

Of course, history wasn’t always kind to them. The arrival of Portuguese missionaries in the 16th century brought attempts to Latinize their practices through events like the Synod of Diamper (1599), leading to schisms within the community. The famous Coonan Cross Oath of 1653 marked their defiance against foreign domination and resulted in factions like Puthenkūr (“New Allegiance” പുത്തൻകൂർ) and Paḻayakūr (“Old Allegiance” പഴയകൂർ), each embracing different rites and affiliations.

Today, Saint Thomas Christians are spread across various denominations—Syro-Malabar Catholics, Jacobite Syrians, Mar Thoma Syrians, and more—all tracing their lineage back to that intrepid apostle who dared to venture eastward. Their liturgies are sung in Suriyani Malayalam (a mix of Syriac and Malayalam), reflecting centuries of cultural fusion. They are also referred to as Syrian Christians of Kerala.

In a world where history often divides us, the story of Saint Thomas Christians reminds us that faith can adapt and thrive across boundaries. Apostle Thomas’s journey to India stands as a testament to the enduring power of faith and cultural exchange.

Saint Thomas Christians in Kerala have preserved a unique set of names that are direct adaptations from Hebrew, Greek, and Syriac originals, reflecting their ancient biblical and liturgical heritage: They are used as firstnames, lastnames, or both. Here is a list of such names:

Malayalam Name	Malayalam Script	English Equivalent	Hebrew/Greek/Syriac Origin	Original Script/Transliteration
Yohannan, Ulahannan, Ninan	യോഹന്നാൻ, ഉലഹന്നാൻ, നിനൻ	John	Hebrew	יוֹחָנָן (Yochanan)
Mathai, Mathen, Mathoo, Mathulla	മത്തായി, മത്തൻ, മത്തൂ, മത്തുള്ള	Matthew	Hebrew/Greek	מַתִּתְיָהוּ (Mattityahu), Ματθαῖος (Matthaios)
Thomma, Thampan, Mamman, Oommen	തോമ, തമ്പാൻ, മമ്മൻ, ഉമ്മൻ	Thomas	Aramaic	תְּאוֹמָא (Te’oma)
Varghese, Varkey, Vareed, Gheevarghese	വർഗീസ്, വർക്കി, വറീദ്, ഗീവർഗീസ്	George	Greek	Γεώργιος (Georgios)
Kurian, Kuriakose, Kuruvilla, Korula	കുറിയൻ, കുറിയാക്കോസ്, കുറുവിള, കൊറുള	Cyriac/Cyriacus	Greek	Κυριακός (Kyriakos)
Eapen, Esthappan, Punnoose, Uthup	ഏപ്പൻ, എസ്തപ്പൻ, പുന്നൂസ്, ഉത്തുപ്പ്	Stephen	Greek	Στέφανος (Stephanos)
Cheriyan, Kuncheria, Karia, Scaria	ചെറിയാൻ, കുഞ്ഞേരിയ, കാരിയ, സ്കാരിയ	Zachariah	Hebrew	זְכַרְיָה (Zekharyah)
Annamma	അന്നമ്മ	Anna	Hebrew	חַנָּה (Channah)
Mariamma, Maryamma	മറിയമ്മ, മറിയമ്മ	Mary	Hebrew/Greek	מִרְיָם (Miryam), Μαρία (Maria)
Avira, Avaran, Avarachan	അവിര, അവറാൻ, അവറച്ചൻ	Abraham	Hebrew	אַבְרָהָם (Avraham)
Pranji, Pranju, Porinju	പ്രാഞ്ചി, പ്രാഞ്ചു, പോറിഞ്ചു	Francis	Latin	Franciscus
Lukose, Lookose	ലൂക്കോസ്, ലൂക്കോസ്	Luke	Greek	Λουκᾶς (Loukas)
Markose	മാർക്കോസ്	Mark	Latin/Greek	Marcus/Μᾶρκος (Markos)
Devassy, Devasia, Devasianos	ദേവസ്സി, ദേവാസ്യ, ദേവാസ്യാനോസ്	Sebastian	Latin	Sebastianus
Mani	മണി	Emmanuel	Hebrew	עִמָּנוּאֵל (Immanu'el)
Koshy	കോശി	Jesus	Aramaic/Syriac	ܝܫܘܥ (Yeshu‘/Eeso)
Dummini	ഡുമ്മിനി	Dominic	Latin	Dominicus

These Malayalam-script names are widely used in church records, baptismal certificates, and among the community in Kerala, India.