# Christianity in Tamil Nadu

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Christianity in the state of Tamil Nadu, India is the second largest religion in the state. According to tradition, St. Thomas, one of the twelve apostles, landed in Malabar Coast (modern day Kerala) in AD 52. 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 6% of the total population. Christians are mainly concentrated in the southern districts of Tamil Nadu - Kanyakumari (47.7% of the population, 2011), 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 including the Archdiocese of Madras and Mylapore and the Archdiocese of Madurai, 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

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

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.

## Christianity In Kanyakumari District

One of the disciples of Jesus Christ, St. Thomas introduced Christianity in Kanyakumari. He built a church in Thiruvithamcode in 63 AD. In the first half of the 16th century, thousands of fishermen converted to Catholicism due to the efforts of Francis Xavier. He built a church in Kottar, Nagercoil. In the 18th century (1806) European missionary William Tobias Ringeltaube established Protestant churches and propagated Christianity in Kanyakumari district and South Travancore. He built a first Protestant Church in mylaudy.

## Demographics

Christians in Tamil Nadu :
| Year | Number | Percentage |
| 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 | 3,785,060 | 6.06 |
| 2011 | 4,418,331 | 6.12 |

### Population by districts

Districts with significant percentage of Christians as per 2001 census :
| District | Christian (numbers) | Christian (%) |
| Tamil Nadu | 37,85,060 | 6.02 |
| Kanyakumari | 7,45,406 | 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 Nadu | 44,18,336 | 6.12 |
| Kanyakumari | 8,76,299 | 46.85 |
| Thoothukudi | 2,91,908 | 16.68 |
| The Nilgiris | 84,610 | 11.51 |
| Tirunelveli | 3,42,254 | 11.12 |
| Tiruchirappalli | 2,46,156 | 9.04 |
| Dindigul | 1,69,945 | 7.87 |
| Chennai | 3,58,662 | 7.72 |
| Ramanathapuram | 91,139 | 6.73 |
| Kanchipuram | 2,56,762 | 6.42 |
| Tiruvallur | 2,33,633 | 6.27 |
| Sivaganga | 75,481 | 5.64 |
| Thanjavur | 1,33,971 | 5.57 |
| Coimbatore | 1,90,314 | 5.50 |
| Ariyalur | 37,403 | 4.95 |
| Pudukkottai | 72,850 | 4.50 |
| Viluppuram | 1,38,279 | 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 | 1,11,390 | 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
### San Thome Basilica

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.

### Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health,Velankanni

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.
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," is one of the most important Christian religious sites frequented by Christians in India.

### 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

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.

## Popular Church of South India (CSI) churches in Tamil Nadu

* Holy Trinity Cathedral Palayamkottai, Tirunelveli Diocese
* St. George's Cathedral, Chennai Madras Diocese
* St. Mary's Church, Chennai oldest Anglican church in India
* Holy Trinity C.S.I.Church in Pragasapuram, Thoothukudi - Nazareth Diocese
* St. John's C.S.I.Cathedral, Nazareth Thoothukudi - Nazareth Diocese
* St Michael and all Angels C.S.I. Church, Mudalur Thoothukudi - Nazareth Diocese
* St. John's C.S.I. Church, Adayal Mudalur
* St. Paul Church in Mela Ilandaikulam, Tirunelveli Diocese
* St. John's Church in Vellore Fort, Vellore Diocese
* Ringeltaube Vethamonikam Memorial Church, Mylaudy, (cathedral) Kanyakumari Diocese

## Contributions to literature

Christians of Tamil Nadu who have made concrete contributions to Tamil language and Tamil literature are
* Vedanayagam Sastriar (1774–1864)
* Samuel Vedanayagam Pillai (1826–1889)
* Henry Alfred Krishnapillai (1827–1900)
* Dr. Abraham Pandithar (1859–1919)
* Xavier Thaninayagam (1913–1980)
Christians who had been born in Europe, but were adopted to Tamil culture and made major contributions to Tamil language and literature are
* Roberto de Nobili, also known as Thaththuva Bothagar
* Constanzo Beschi / Constantine Joseph Beschi, also known as Veeramaa Munivar
* Bartholomaeus Ziegenbalg
* Robert Caldwell
* George Uglow Pope
* Fred Goodwill

## Christian pilgrimages

* St. Thomas Cathedral Basilica, Chennai
* Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health, Velankanni
* St. Thomas Mount in Chennai
* Poondi Madha Basilica
* Our Lady of Snows Basilica, Thoothukudi
* St. Antony's Church at Uvari
* St. Francis Xavier's Cathedral, Kottar
* Our Lady of Ransom Church, Kanyakumari.
* Church of Maria Bambina Kangeyam.
* St. Mary's Orthodox Church, Thiruvithamcode, Kanyakumari
* New Jerusalem Church, Tranquebar
* St. John de Britto Church, Oriyur, Sivagangai
* Amy Carmichael, Dohnavur Fellowship Mission
* Our lady of Holy Rosary basilica Karumathampatti, Coimbatore

## List of denominations

* Roman Catholic
Apostolic Christian Assembly
* Apostolic Church
* Assemblies of God
* Advent Christian Church
* Anglican Church of India
* Arise and Shine Missionary Diocese
* Arcot Lutheran Church (ALC)
* Brethren Church
* Bible Believing Churches in India
* Bible Crusade Missionary Society
* Church of Christ (Non-Instrumental)
* Church of South India (CSI)
* Tamil Evangelical Lutheran Church (TELC)
* Church of North India (CNI)
* Dohnavur Fellowship
* Eternal Light Ministries
* Evangelical Christian Church of India
* Fort English Church by Rev. Dr. I. Ratnampaul (Tirunelveli)
* Good News Church (Ramanathapuram)
* India Gospel League
* Indian National Apostolic Diocese
* Indian Pentecostal Church (ipc)
* Madras Pentecostal Assembly Church
* Maranatha Full Gospel Churches
* Prince of Peace Church
* Tamil Baptist Churches
* The Pentecostal Mission
* Good Shepherd mission church
* The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
* Rehobtoh Church, Sankarankovil
* Madras Pentecostal Faith Church, Mylapore
* Evangelical Church of India
* Church of Mahanaim Ministries
* The Salvation Army Church
* [Indian Pentecostal church (ipc)]
* Christian Revival Church (CRC)
* Syrian Malankara catholic & Marthoama kanyakumari dist borders of Kerala

## List of Tamil Christians

* Vijay (actor)
* Madhuri Devi
* Vikram (actor)
* S.J. Suryah
* Harris Jayaraj
* D. Imman
* Vijay Antony
* J. Livingston
* Prameela
* James Vasanthan
* John Vijay
* Alexander Babu
* L. R. Eswari
* Chandrababu
* Vedanayagam Sastriar
* Samuel Vedanayagam Pillai
* Vincent Asokan
* Henry Alfred Krishnapillai
* Dr.Abraham Pandithar
* S.A. Ashokan
* Xavier Thaninayagam
* Arun Alexander
* Mahendran
* Nelson Dilipkumar
* George Maryan
* Imman Annachi
* Joseph John (minister)
* Andrea Jeremiah
* Nivedita Louis