Latin Catholics of Malabar
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റോമൻ ലത്തീൻ കത്തോലിക്കർ
Roman Catholic/Latin Catholic | |
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Malayalam, Cochin Portuguese Creole
Liturgical: |
The Latin Catholics of Malabar Coast, aka Latin Christians of Kerala or Malabar Latin Catholics (
History
Early missions
Father Jordanus Catalani, a French Dominican missionary, followed in 1321–22. He reported to Rome, apparently from somewhere on the west coast of India, that he had given Christian burial to four martyred monks. Jordanus is known for his 1329 Mirabilia describing the marvels of the East. He furnished the best account of Indian regions and the Christians, the products, climate, manners, customs, fauna and flora given by any European in the Middle Ages which was considered superior even to Marco Polo's.[citation needed]
The
Arrival of the Portuguese
In 1453, the
The history of Portuguese missionaries in India starts with the neo-apostles who reached Kappad near Kozhikode on 20 May 1498 along with the Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama who was seeking to form anti-Islamic alliances with pre-existing Christian nations.[7][2] The lucrative spice trade was further temptation for the Portuguese crown.[3] When he and the Portuguese missionaries arrived they found no Christians in the country, except in Malabar known as St. Thomas Christians who represented less than 2% of the total population[8] and the then-largest Christian church within India.[7] The Christians were friendly to Portuguese missionaries at first; there was an exchange of gifts between them, and these groups were delighted at their common faith.[9]
During the second expedition, the Portuguese fleet comprising 13 ships and 18 priests, under Captain
Historically the Latin Catholics of Kerala were protected by the Portuguese, Dutch, French and the British. The Latin Catholics were referred to as "Our Christians" while the Saint Thomas Syrian Christians were oppressed by the Portuguese in their rule.[10]
Socio-cultural and religious identity
The Latin Catholics of
The Roman or Latin Catholics of Kerala are grouped under Other Backward Classes by positive discrimination.[14]
The Latin Catholics of Kerala are a highly exogamous community and tend to intermarry with other Hindu castes, unlike the Saint Thomas Syrian Christians who practice strict endogamy.[15][16]
Culture
Arts
The Artforms of the Latin Catholics of Kerala were hugely influenced by the Portuguese and the native Keralite culture.
The Chavittunadakam, loaned from the European Opera in is one among the most popular artforms performed by the Latin Catholics of Kerala. It originated in the 16th century in Fort Kochi and is prevalent among the Keralite Latin Catholic community of the districts of Ernakulam and Alappuzha.[17][18][19]
Devastha Vili is a ritual artform traditionally performed as part of the 50 days long
Attire
The Attire of the Latin Catholics differed from various classes among them.[21] The Luso-Indians had hugely differentiable Portuguese attire.[22] The Saint Thomas Syrian Christians who adopted Latin Christianity continued to wear the traditional Chattayum Mundum and the Mundu which they used to wear before.[23]
Religion and Ritual
The Latin Catholics of Kerala follow the
Several customs of the Malabar Latin Catholics such as in engagement, marriage and funeral rituals are similar to Syrian Catholics of Malabar community and several Hindu castes of Kerala.[25][26]
Cuisine
The cuisine of the Latin Catholics of Kerala is majorly seafood and Portuguese influenced diet. Dishes like Vindhaloo (meat dish based on carne de vinha d'alhos), Chicken Stew, Fish Molee (Indo-Portuguese fish curry), Pigadosi (Desert made with milk and bananas) and various seafood items are the most popular.
are all important aspects of the Keralite Latin Catholic cuisine.Spices like
Church architecture
The Latin Catholics churches in the initial stages were built in the Portuguese colonial Style with Renaissance facades and long naves and Italian Baroque decoration. They were initially built from laterite blocks veneered with lime plaster (chunam). Later after the Dutch and British conquest, today they resemble modern Anglican architecture due to influence of the British in India. Some churches were also built the way Syrian Churches in Kerala were built.
Some notable Latin Catholic churches are:
- Church of Our Lady of Hope (Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Esperança), (Est. 1605), Vypeen
- Santa Cruz Basilica, (Estd.1505), Fort Kochi
- National Shrine Basilica of Our Lady of Ransom, (Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Resgate), Vallarpadam
- Basilica of Our lady of Mount Carmel & St Joseph, Varappuzha
- St. Sebastian's Church, (Est. 1833), Thoppumpady[28]
- Basilica of Our Lady of Snows, Pallippuram[29]
- Holy Cross Church, Mattachery[30]
- St. Joseph's Metropolitan Cathedral Palayam, Thiruvananthapuram
Prominent Malabar Latin Catholics
- K J Yesudas- National Award winning playback singer
- Lal (actor) - Malayalam film director, producer and actor
- Balu Varghese- Malayalam actor
- Hibi Eden - INC politician and present MP of Ernakulam Lok Sabha constituency.
- Sebastian Paul - Indian politician, former Member of Parliament.
- Sanju Samson - Indian International cricketer.
- National Award for Best Actor.
Demographics
The Latin Catholics of Kerala form 13.2% of the Christians in the state. They form 2.37% of the total population of Kerala.[31] The community is concentrated in the coastal regions of Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha and Ernakulam districts. Forming 65% of the Christians in the Thiruvananthapuram district, 36% of the Christians in the Kollam district, 24% of the Christians in the Ernakulam district and 23% of the Christians in the Alappuzha district, they have significant populations in Trivandrum, Alleppey, Neyyantinkara, Parassala, Punalur, Quilon, Verapoly, Vypeen, Calicut, Cannanore and Cochin.
See also
- Bombay East IndianCatholics
- Reddy Catholics
- Goan Catholics
- Mangalorean Catholics
- Syrian Catholics of Malabar
References
- ISBN 978-81-87370-18-5.
- ^ a b Britannica CD 97, S.V "Gama, Vasco da "
- ^ a b Vasco da Gama collection on University of Michigan Archived 16 October 2007 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Romanus Pontifix" dated 9 th August 1329 Pope John XXII
- ^ "Byzantine-Ottoman Wars: Fall of Constantinople and spurring "age of discovery"". Archived from the original on 4 June 2015. Retrieved 18 August 2012.
- ^ "Overview of Age of Exploration". Archived from the original on 9 July 2012. Retrieved 18 August 2012.
- ^ a b Factfile: Catholics around the world on BBC news.
- ^ Megan Galbraith Catholic Church of India Responds with Leadership Field note on Glocal Health Council website. Archived 3 March 2008 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Mathias Mundadan, (1967), "The Arrival of Portuguese in India and Saint Thomas Christians under Mar Jacob"
- ISBN 978-81-269-0903-2.
- ^ Koilparampil, George (1982). Caste in the Catholic Community in Kerala: A Study of Caste Elements in the Inter Rite Relationships of Syrians and Latins. Department of Sociology, St. Teresa's College.
- ISBN 978-0-19-563189-0.
- ISBN 978-0-521-89103-5.
- ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2021-06-11.
- ^ "For Latin Catholic Church, community matters more than issues". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 2021-06-11.
- ^ "Why Christo-Racist Nationalism and Anti-Muslim Rhetoric Are Gaining Ground in Kerala". thewire.in. Retrieved 2021-06-11.
- ^ "Chavittu nadakam artists struggle to make ends meet". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 2021-06-20.
- ^ "In Memory of Chinnathambi Annavi". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 2021-06-20.
- ^ Deepika Jayaram (Jan 17, 2019). "St Joseph's College: Campus: Who said students are not interested in culture? | Kochi News - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 2021-06-20.
- ^ "Devastha Vili - a Christian Artform | Artforms in Kerala | Christianity | Kerala Tourism". Christianity. Retrieved 2021-06-20.
- ISBN 978-81-87370-18-5.
- ^ Koilparampil, George (1982). Caste in the Catholic Community in Kerala: A Study of Caste Elements in the Inter Rite Relationships of Syrians and Latins. Department of Sociology, St. Teresa's College.
- ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2021-06-20.
- ISBN 978-81-87370-18-5.
- ^ Koilparampil, George (1982). Caste in the Catholic Community in Kerala: A Study of Caste Elements in the Inter Rite Relationships of Syrians and Latins. Department of Sociology, St. Teresa's College.
- ISBN 978-1-317-56027-2.
- ISBN 978-93-89136-26-5.
- ^ "St. Sebastian Church | Churches in Kerala | Kerala Archaeology".
- ^ https://www.manjumathabasilica.org/[permanent dead link]
- ^ "History | Holy Cross Church mattanchery".
- ^ K.C. Zachariah (April 2016). "Religious Denominations of Kerala" (PDF). Center for Development Studies. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 April 2018. Retrieved 8 July 2018.