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Christianity in Tamil Nadu

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San Thome Basilica, Chennai is built over the site where St. Thomas is believed to be originally interred
Church at Yercaud
Thiruvithamcode Arappally in Kanyakumari district under Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church is believed to be built by Thomas the Apostle
Our Lady of Lourdes Latin Catholic Church in Tiruchirappalli
St. Sebastian's Church in Coimbatore
Sacred Heart Cathedral, Ooty

Christianity is the second largest religion in the state of Tamil Nadu in India. According to tradition, St. Thomas, one of the twelve apostles of Jesus, sailed to the Malabar Coast in AD 52.[1][2] In the colonial age many Portuguese, Dutch, British and Italian Christians came to Tamil Nadu. Priests accompanied them not only to minister the colonisers but also to spread the Christian faith among the non-Christians in Tamil Nadu. Currently, Christians are a minority community comprising approximately 6% of the total population.[3] Christians are mainly concentrated in the southern districts of Tamil Nadu – Kanyakumari (47.7% of the population, 2011[3]), Thoothukudi (19%, 2011) and Tirunelveli (15%, 2011).

The Catholic Church (including the Latin Church, Syro-Malabar Church and Syro-Malankara Catholic Church), the Church of South India, the Pentecostals, The Salvation Army Church, the Jacobite Syrian Christian Church, the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, the Evangelical Church of India, the Apostolics and other evangelical denominations constitute the Christian population in Tamil Nadu. The Latin Church of the Catholic Church has 18 dioceses and has a homogeneous presence throughout the state. The second-largest church by the number of members is the Church of South India with eight dioceses in Tamil Nadu. They are Coimbatore Diocese, Kanyakumari Diocese, Madras Diocese, Madurai-Ramnad Diocese, Thoothukudi – Nazareth Diocese, Tirunelveli Diocese, Trichy-Tanjore Diocese and the Vellore Diocese. Church of South India Synod, the highest administrative body of the Church of South India is in Chennai. The vast majority of Christians in Tamil Nadu are either Latin Catholics or members of the Church of South India. The Pentecostal Mission (TPM) is headquartered in Chennai. The Congregational churches were a small group called The London Missionary Society (LMS) run under Travancore Church Council (TCC) with its headquarters in Nagercoil. The London Mission Congregational churches date back to 1795 when British missionaries were sent to 19th century Tamil Nadu and Kerala States of South India.

Salvation Army in Tamil Nadu

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The Salvation Army is an International Christian Church and charitable organisation. There are six territories in India; Eastern, Western, Northern, Central, South Eastern and South Western Territory. Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry come under the Central and South Eastern Territory. There are more than 1000 churches over Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry. School, colleges, homes, shelters, and medical services are provided here. The Salvation Army does missionary, medical, educational, emergency disaster, and social services.

The Salvation Army operation commenced on 27 May 1892 as a result of the vision received by Major Deva Sundaram at "Medicine Hill" near Nagercoil in Kanyakumari District. He had been praying and fasting with three officers in South Tamil Nadu. As the Army experienced rapid growth in South India, the territory was separated from Southern Territory on 1 October 1970. States included in the territory: Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry. 'The Salvation Army' in Tamil: Ratchaniya Senai in Malayalam: Raksha Sainyam. Languages in which the gospel is preached: English, Malayalam, Tamil. Periodicals: Chiruveeran (Tamil), Home League Quarterly, Poresatham (Tamil), The Officer (Tamil)

Saint Thomas Christian denominations

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In 1996, the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church created its first `Diocese of Thuckalay` in Kanyakumari district, (which was under the Syro-Malabar Catholic Archdiocese of Changanassery in Kerala till then), of Tamil Nadu. The same year the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church has also newly established the `Diocese of Marthandam` (bifurcated from its Archdiocese of Trivandrum) in Kanyakumari district. The Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church established its first diocese Chennai Diocese in the year 1979. St. Thomas Mount in Chennai, the place where St. Thomas, one of the disciples of Jesus Christ, was believed to have been martyred, is an important pilgrimage site for Indian Christians. The Santhome Basilica, supposedly built atop the tomb of St. Thomas, and the Vailankanni Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health – revered churches by India's Roman Catholics – are good examples of majestic church architectures in Tamil Nadu.

In Kanyakumari district

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Kanyakumari District has the highest number of christians, both in absolute numbers and as a percentage, among the districts of Tamilnadu and is one of the districts with the highest concentration of Christians in India.[4]

One of the disciples of Jesus Christ, St. Thomas, introduced Christianity in the areas of what is now Kanyakumari District. He built a church in Thiruvithamcode in 63 AD.[5][6][7][8][9] The church is considered to be one of the oldest churches in the world that still has daily prayers, and the oldest church in Tamilnadu.[10]

In the 16th century, thousands of people in the coastal areas converted to Catholicism due to the efforts of St. Francis Xavier and Portuguese missionaries.[11] St. Francis Xavier primarily resided at Kottar, Nagercoil during his missionary work in the region.[11] During this time there was already a chapel at Kottar dedicated to Mary, the Mother of Jesus.[12] St. Xavier celebrated Mass and prayed at this Church during his stay.[12] The chapel is now part of the St. Francis Xavier's Cathedral, Kottar.[13] St. Francis Xavier's Cathedral, Kottar is believed to be the first church dedicated to the great missionary-saint in the world.[12] As per church records, it was dedicated to the saint in the year 1605.[12]

A native of the district, Devasahayam Pillai, who was martyred in the 18th century, was canonized and made a Catholic saint by Pope Francis in 2022.[14] He is the first layman-saint in India.

In the 18th century (1806) European missionary William Tobias Ringeltaube established Protestant churches and propagated Christianity in Kanyakumari district and South Travancore.[15][16] He built the first Protestant Church in Mylaudy.[17][18][19]

Demographics

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Christians in Tamil Nadu
YearNumberPercentage
1951 1,427,382 4.74
1961 1,762,954 5.23
1971 2,367,749 5.75
1981 2,798,048 5.78
1991 3,179,410 5.69
2001[20] 3,785,060 6.06
2011[21] 4,418,331 6.12

Population by districts

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Districts with significant percentage of Christians as per 2001 census
District Christian (numbers) Christian (%)
Tamil Nadu37,85,0606.02
Kanyakumari 745,406 44.47
Thoothukudi 262,718 16.71
The Nilgiris 87,272 11.45
Tirunelveli 296,578 10.89
Tiruchirappalli 218,033 9.02
Chennai 331,261 7.63
Dindigul 145,265 7.55
Ramanathapuram 84,092 7.13
Tiruvallur 169,719 6.16
Kanchipuram 170,416 5.92
Sivaganga 67,739 5.86
Thanjavur 124,945 5.64
Ariyalur 36,261 5.21
Pudukkottai 66,432 4.55
Coimbatore 185,737 4.35
Viluppuram 115,745 3.91
Virudhunagar 68,295 3.90
Madurai 86,352 3.35
Cuddalore 73,611 3.22
Theni 33,830 3.09
Nagapattinam 45,780 3.07
Vellore 102,477 2.95
Tiruvarur 31,621 2.70
Tiruvannamalai 55,180 2.52
Erode 55,414 2.15
Perambalur 8,412 1.70
Salem 50,450 1.67
Karur 13,863 1.48
Dharmapuri 39,019 1.37
Namakkal 13,137 0.88
Districts with significant percentage of Christians as per 2011 census
District Christian (numbers) Christian (%)
Tamil Nadu44,18,3366.12
Kanyakumari 876,299 46.85
Thoothukudi 291,908 16.68
The Nilgiris 84,610 11.51
Tirunelveli 342,254 11.12
Tiruchirappalli 246,156 9.04
Dindigul 169,945 7.87
Chennai 358,662 7.72
Ramanathapuram 91,139 6.73
Kanchipuram 256,762 6.42
Tiruvallur 233,633 6.27
Sivaganga 75,481 5.64
Thanjavur 133,971 5.57
Coimbatore 190,314 5.50
Ariyalur 37,403 4.95
Pudukkottai 72,850 4.50
Viluppuram 138,279 4.00
Virudhunagar 67,405 3.47
Madurai 97,711 3.22
Cuddalore 83,334 3.20
Theni 37,574 3.02
Nagapattinam 47,579 2.94
Vellore 111,390 2.83
Tiruppur 70,015 2.82
Tiruvannamalai 66,987 2.72
Tiruvarur 33,621 2.63
Erode 55,899 2.48
Krishnagiri 36,898 1.91
Perambalur 10,310 1.82
Salem 58,450 1.55
Karur 16,863 1.55
Namakkal 16,898 0.98
Dharmapuri 14,089 0.94

Important basilicas

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San Thome Basilica

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Santhome Cathedral built in 1523

San Thome Basilica is a Roman Catholic (Latin Rite) minor basilica and one of the three National Shrines in India located in Santhome, Chennai city (Madras), India. It was built in the 1523 by Portuguese explorers, and rebuilt again with the status of a cathedral by the British in 1893. The British version still stands today. It was designed in Neo-Gothic style, favoured by British architects in the late 19th century. Christian tradition holds that St. Thomas arrived in Kerala & Kanyakumari Dist in 52 AD preached between 52 AD and 72 AD, when he was believed to be martyred on St. Thomas Mount. The basilica is built over the site where he was believed originally to be interred.

San Thome Basilica is the principal church of the Madras-Mylapore Catholic Archdiocese. In 1956, Pope Pius XII raised the church to the status of a Minor Basilica, and on 11 February 2006, it was declared a national shrine by the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India. The San Thome Basilica is a pilgrimage centre for Christians in India. This church is a very important site in the world for Christians. The church also has an attached museum at back.[22]

Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health, Velankanni

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Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health in Velankanni, Tamil Nadu Entrance

The Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health is located in the small town of Velankanni in the state of Tamil Nadu in Southern India. The Roman Catholic basilica is devoted to Our Lady of Good Health. Devotion to Our Lady of Good Health of Velankanni can be traced to the mid-16th century and is attributed to three miracles at different sites around where the basilica currently stands: the apparition of Mary and the Christ Child to a slumbering shepherd boy, the curing of a lame buttermilk vendor, and the rescue of Portuguese sailors from a violent sea storm.[23]

Although all three apparitions ultimately resulted in the erection of a shrine to our Lady, it was the promise of the Portuguese sailors that was the proximate cause of a permanent edifice being built at Velankanni. The chapel was dedicated on the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (8 September), the day of their safe landing. More than 500 years later, the nine-day festival and celebration is still observed and draws nearly 5 million pilgrims each year. The Shrine of Our Lady of Vailankanni, also known as the "Lourdes of the East,"[24] is one of the most important Christian religious sites frequented by Christians in India.

Basilica of Our Lady of Snows, Thoothukudi

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Basilica of Our Lady of Snows, Thoothukudi

Basilica of Our Lady of Snows, Thoothukudi is located at Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu, India. It is one of the Catholic pilgrimage centers in India dedicated to the Our Lady of Snows, a title given to Mother Mary. The Shrine name refers to the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome. The site is known for Portuguese architecture and Portuguese prayers and now it is recognised as a Tamil Nadu notable pilgrim site.

St. Francis Xavier's Cathedral, Kottar

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St. Xavier's Cathedral, Kottar, kanyakumari district

St. Francis Xavier's Cathedral, Kottar, is a Roman Catholic Latin Rite shrine in Kottar, Nagercoil, in the Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu state, India. While Francis Xavier was doing missionary work in Kottar and its neighbourhood, he averted an invasion of Vadugas with the help of the army of Paravars and Padaiyatchis of Kottar, at Vadasery, thus protecting the people of the Venad kingdom from that attack which was appreciated by the king, Unni Kerala Varma, who became closer to the priest and befriended him from then on. In recognition of Xavier's services, the king allotted him a piece of land to construct a Catholic church, as a gesture of goodwill, as per the church records. There was already a small church, in the same place where St. Xavier Church stands at present, dedicated to Mary the Mother of God, since AD 1544. Church records indicate that St. Xavier Church was built in 1600. In 1865, the Shrine of Mary was renovated and enlarged. In 1930, the church was raised to the status of a cathedral. The annual festival is celebrated during November – December, lasting for 10 days.

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Contributions to literature

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Thambiran Vanakkam first Tamil Christian book (1578)
Tamil New Testament (1713)

Christians of Tamil Nadu who have made concrete contributions to Tamil language and Tamil literature are

Christians who had been born in Europe, but were adopted to Tamil culture and made major contributions to Tamil language and literature are

Christian pilgrimages

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List of denominations

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List of Tamil Christians

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Further reading

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  • William Strickland, The Jesuit in India, London/Dublin,1852. Reprint: Asian Educational Services, New Delhi, 2001. (ISBN 81-206-1566-2).

See also

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References

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  1. ↑ Whitehouse, Thomas (1873). Lingerings of light in a dark land: Researches into the Syrian church of Malabar. William Brown and Co. pp. 23–42.
  2. ↑ Neill, Stephen (2004) [1984]. A History of Christianity in India: The Beginnings to AD 1707. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 45. ISBN 9780521548854.
  3. 1 2 "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 5 March 2012. Retrieved 29 June 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  4. ↑ "Religion Data of Census 2011: XXIV Tamil Nadu".
  5. ↑ "History". Payyappilly Palakkappilly Nasrani. Archived from the original on 4 July 2015.
  6. ↑ Fahlbusch et al. 2008, p. 285.
  7. ↑ Slapak 1995, p. 27.
  8. ↑ Medlycott 1905.
  9. ↑ Puthiakunnel 1973.
  10. ↑ "Thiruvithamcode Arappally | Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church". mosc.in.
  11. 1 2 "HISTORY – Diocese of Kottar".
  12. 1 2 3 4 "History – St. Xavier's Cathedral Kottar".
  13. ↑ "A Sacred Pilgrimage". St Francis Xavier's Cathedral Kottar. Retrieved 22 January 2026.
  14. ↑ Devasahayam Pillai
  15. ↑ "Timeline". Mateer Memorial Church. Retrieved 22 January 2026.
  16. ↑ Agur C.M., Church History of Travancore, Madras, 1903. Reprint: Asian Educational Services, New Delhi, 1990, ISBN 81-206-0594-2. Page 208.
  17. ↑ Kent, Eliza F. (2004). Converting Women: Gender and Protestant Christianity in Colonial South India. Oxford University Press. p. 43. ISBN 9780195165074.
  18. ↑ "South Kerala Diocese CSI". Indian Christians United. Retrieved 16 December 2025.
  19. ↑ "Maharasan, Vedamanickam (1763–1827); Chief Catechist". Dictionary of Christian Biography in Asia. Retrieved 16 December 2025.
  20. ↑ "Total population by religious communities". Censusindia.gov.in. Archived from the original on 19 January 2008. Retrieved 20 November 2014.
  21. ↑ "Indian Census 2011". Census Department, Government of India. Archived from the original on 13 September 2015. Retrieved 25 August 2015.
  22. ↑ "Basilica of the National Shrine of St.Thomas". SanThomeChurch.com. Archived from the original on 2 March 2010. Retrieved 20 February 2010.
  23. ↑ "History of Velankanni". Archived from the original on 27 October 2009. Retrieved 12 February 2011.
  24. ↑ "Missing Page Redirect". www.cwnews.com.
  25. ↑ "Thiruvithamcode church to be global pilgrim centre". The Hindu. 7 December 2007. Archived from the original on 9 December 2007. Retrieved 7 October 2012.
  26. ↑ "Amy Carmichael – Dohnavur Fellowship". dohnavurfellowship.org.
  27. ↑ "Church of North India". Archived from the original on 10 April 2022. Retrieved 10 July 2018.
  28. ↑ "Church of South India". Archived from the original on 19 April 2022. Retrieved 10 July 2018.
  29. 1 2 3 4 World Christian Encyclopedia, Second edition, 2001 Volume 1, p. 368
  30. 1 2 3 World Christian Encyclopedia, Second edition, 2001 Volume 1, p. 369
  31. ↑ "Home". Dohnavur Fellowship.
  32. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 World Christian Encyclopedia, Second edition, 2001 Volume 1, p. 370
  33. ↑ World Christian Encyclopedia, Second edition, 2001 Volume 1, p. 371
  34. ↑ "Latest biography news about vijay". www.vikatan.com. 27 December 2021. Archived from the original on 27 December 2021. Retrieved 27 December 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  35. ↑ Daily, Keralakaumudi (21 February 2020). ""I was born as a Christian, my wife is a Hindu": Vijay's father SA Chandrasekhar responds to allegations". Keralakaumudi Daily. Archived from the original on 4 January 2022. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
  36. ↑ "Vijay, Tamil Nadu election results 2026: How a film star won in the Indian state". www.bbc.com. 5 May 2026. Retrieved 5 May 2026.
  37. ↑ "அன்று கண்ட முகம் – மாதுரி தேவி". antrukandamugam.worpress. 16 November 2011. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
  38. ↑ Sreedhar, Sridevi (4 June 2006). "Southern spice". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 2 November 2012. Retrieved 31 July 2011.

Sources

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