Religions in India-Christianity

Christianity occupies 2.5% of the Indian population and it arrived to India with Europeans. Christianity has its origin in Israel.

Jews were firstly considered as Christians and initially Christianity was observed as a Jewish cult. Majority of the Christians apostles converted the Europeans into Christians.

But, St. Judas Thomas, an apostle arrived India and converted the Indians into Christianity. Thomas was a disciple of Jesus and was a carpenter by profession.

He came to India to construct a temple. He was from Kerala and he succeeded in transforming the local Indians to Christianity and they were recognized as Syrian Christians.

The Syrian Christians were believed to be Jews actually. However, the Christian saints came with the European powers and converted many Indians into Christianity religion.

Europeans arrived to India for spices, truly very commercial and began converting the local Indians to Christianity. France, Great Britain, Portugal, Denmark and Netherlands were the five countries who forwarded their representatives to transform Indians.

The Portuguese were keen and tried to baptize Indians and they were the foremost power to land India. The Portuguese ordered to baptize Indian people under the order of the pope and enforced the Syrian Christians to learn Roman Catholic prayers.

Eventually, the Portuguese faced defeat after numerous wars and pocketed control over Goa in India. The Portuguese fought with Indians, European powers and also with English and Dutch. However, they built many Portuguese churches in Kerala and this was then turned into Dutch and English churches later on.

The British slowly arrive to India and the missionaries constructed many churches and spread Christianity and also did some splendid favors and deeds. These deeds included giving basic necessities to the needy such as food, clothes as well as shelter.

These missionaries also tried converting Indians to Christianity, but succeeded lesser than the Portuguese. The missionaries built schools and this is apparent from the schools having Christian originated name.

The Portuguese understood clearly the Indian custom that the wife adhered to the faith of the husband and hence married Indian women.

India today has over 30 million Christians and the significant centers are Tamil Nadu, Mizoram, Kerala, Manipur and Goa. Mumbai also has a vast community of Christians.

The Christians in India are Protestants and catholic and they have different churches such as Syria church, Anglican Church, Armenian Church and many others. Anglo-Indian community and schools as well exist in India.

Christianity is wide spread in India and their festivals such as Christmas or Easter are done with sincerity and fervor. They also are very much an integral part of the nation