THE KNANAYA COMMUNITY IN KERALA




The antecedent of Knanaya Christians in Kerala begins from the arrival of the Syriac merchant Thomas of Cana (Knai Thoma) who led a migration of Jewish -Christians (early Syriac Christian) from the Mesopotamian province (today's Iraq) of Sassanian Persia (The Sassanian Empire encompassed all of present  day Iran and Iraq and stretched  from the Levant to the Indian subcontinent and from South Arabia to the Caucasus and the Central Asia) The original community consisting of about 400 people belonging to 72 families of 7 clans landed in today's Kodungallore of Kerala in 345 CE. All Knananites were Syrian Christians until the 'Koonan Kurishu Sathyam' in January 3, 1653. After this some of them accepted Jacobite faith and others Roman Catholic faith. A new Vicariate Apostolic was erected in Kottayam on August 29, 1911 exclusively for the Knanaya community. As per the Apostolic letter  "In Universi Christiani" of His Holiness Pope St Pius X and Mar Mathew Makil was transferred to Kottayam as Vicar Apostolic.

Syrian Christians in Kerala is reported to have South West Asian DNA, mainly Levant.
There are about 3 lakhs Knanaya people in Kerala and elsewhere. There are about 110 Churches both together have in Kerala. The Knanaya community have 6 colleges and over 50 schools in the state as per available information.

K V George 

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