Marthoma Parish

The Mar Thoma (St. Thomas) Christians of Malabar (Kerala) are one of the earliest Christian communities in the world and as old as the Church in Rome and older than the Church of England. It is traditionally believed that St. Thomas, an Apostle of Jesus Christ came to India in A. D. 52 and landed at Kodungalloor, which was a port near Cochin, on the Malabar coast. According to tradition the ‘Namboodiri Brahmins’ were attracted to the new teaching and several of them received baptism. A few families among them were chosen to be responsible for the government of the new Christian community. Mar Thoma then continued his mission and reached the east coast of India. He died a martyr’s death at a place called St. Thomas Mount and was buried at Mylapore in Madras (Chennai). His relics were taken to Edessa in A.D. 232.