Christianity in Tamil Nadu

Part of a series on
Christianity
Jesus Christ Nativity Baptism Ministry Crucifixion Resurrection Ascension
Bible Foundations Old Testament New Testament Gospel Canon Church Creed New Covenant
Theology God Trinity Father Son Holy Spirit Apologetics Baptism Christology History of theology Mission Salvation Universalism
History Tradition Apostles Peter Paul Mary Early Christianity Church Fathers Constantine Councils Augustine Ignatius East–West Schism Crusades Aquinas Reformation Luther
Denominations (full list) Nicene Catholic Latin Eastern Old Catholic Palmarian Catholic Independent Catholic Sedevacantism Eastern Orthodox Oriental Orthodox Church of the East Protestant Adventist Anabaptist Anglican Baptist Free Evangelical Lutheran Methodist Moravian [Hussite] Pentecostal Plymouth Brethren Quaker Reformed United Protestant Waldensian Nondenominational Christianity Restorationist Christadelphians Iglesia ni Cristo Irvingians Jehovah's Witnesses Latter Day Saints Members Church of God International The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The New Church (Swedenborgian) Unitarians and Universalists
Related topics Civilization Criticism Culture Ecumenism Glossary Index Liturgy Other religions Prayer Sermon Symbolism Worship
Glossary Index Outline  Christianity portal
v t e

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.^[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 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 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.