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: ''This article addresses the Saint Thomas Christian Churches and denominations that form the Nasrani people or Saint Thomas Christians.'' The Saint Thomas Christians are an ancient body of Christians from Kerala, India, who trace their origins to the evangelistic activity of Thomas the Apostle in the 1st century.〔(''The Encyclopedia of Christianity, Volume 5'' ) by Erwin Fahlbusch. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing - 2008. p. 285. ISBN 978-0-8028-2417-2.〕〔(''The Jews of India: A Story of Three Communities'' ) by Orpa Slapak. The Israel Museum, Jerusalem. 2003. p. 27. ISBN 965-278-179-7.〕〔Medlycott, A E. 1905 "India and the Apostle Thomas"; Gorgias Press LLC; ISBN 1-59333-180-0.〕〔Thomas Puthiakunnel, (1973) "Jewish colonies of India paved the way for St. Thomas", The Saint Thomas Christian Encyclopedia of India, ed. George Menachery, Vol. II., Trichur.〕〔NSC Network (2007) (St. Thomas, India mission- Early reference and testimonies '' ).〕 They are also known as "Nasranis" because they are followers of "Jesus of Nazareth". The term "Nasrani" is still used by St. Thomas Christians in Kerala. They are also called Syrian Christians because of their use of Syriac, which is a dialect of Aramaic, in liturgy. (See also Aramaic of Jesus.) They are also known as Malabar / Malankara Mar Thoma Nasranis, because these Christians are from Kerala that was also known as Malabar or Malankara. Their language is Malayalam, the language of Kerala. For the first 15 centuries, they had their own leaders to whom they were obedient and who were well respected by both the people and the rulers of the country. In AD 190, Pantaenus from Alexandria visited these Christians.〔''Church History'' by Eusebius. Book V Chapter X.〕 He found that they were using the Gospel of Matthew in Hebrew language. Around AD 522, an Egyptian Monk, Cosmas Indicopleustes visited the Malabar Coast. He mentions Christians in Malabar (Kerala), in his book ''Christian Topography.''〔McCrindle, J.W. (Trans. & Editor) ''The Christian Topography of Cosmos, an Egyptian Monk''. The Hakluyt Society, First series No. XCVIII. 1897. pp 91–128, Book 3.〕〔Travancore Manual, page 248.〕〔http://www.ccel.org/ccel/pearse/morefathers/files/cosmas_11_book11.htm〕 This shows that till the 6th century these Christians had been in close contact with Alexandria. The Tamil epic of Manimekkalai written between the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD of the Sangam Literature era mentions the Saint Thomas Christian (Nasrani) people by the name ''Essanis'' referring to one of the early Jewish-Christian sects within the Nasranis called Essenes.〔Manimekalai, by Merchant Prince Shattan, Gatha 27〕 In AD 883, Alfred the Great (849–899), King of Wessex, England reportedly sent gifts to Mar Thoma Christians of India through Sighelm, bishop of Sherborne.〔''The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle'', Part II, AD 750–919〕 Around AD 1292, Marco Polo (1254–1324) on his return journey from China visited Kerala, mentions that, "The people are idolaters, though there are some Christians and Jews among them".〔Marco Polo. ''The Book of Travels'' Translated by Ronald Latham. 1958. Page 287.〕〔N.M.Mathew. ''St. Thomas Christians of Malabar Through Ages''. CSS Tiruvalla. 2003. p. 78-79〕 It is believed that in AD 345, Christians from Edessa arrived in Kerala under the leadership of Thomas of Cana,〔Hough. ‘’Christianity in India’’. Vol I. Page 93, 94〕 and in 825, another group joined them. They had their own bishops visiting them from Persia. Though the Saint Thomas Christians welcomed them, these bishops had not made any effort to subjugate them. Saint Thomas Christians remained as an independent group, and they got their bishops from Church of the East until the 16th century. Saint Thomas Christians were greatly affected by the arrival of the Portuguese in 1498. The Portuguese attempted to bring the community under the auspices of Latin Rite Catholicism, resulting in permanent rifts in the community.〔Frykenberg, p. 111.〕〔("Christians of Saint Thomas" ). ''Encyclopædia Britannica''. Retrieved 9 February 2010.〕〔Frykenberg, pp. 134–136.〕 ==Churches within Saint Thomas Christian tradition== *Assyrian Church of the East * *the Chaldean Syrian Church (East Syrian Rite) *Eastern Catholic: * *the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church (East Syrian Rite) * *the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church (West Syrian Rite) *Oriental Independent: * *the Malabar Independent Syrian Church (West Syrian Rite) * *the Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church (West Syrian Rite) *Independent: * * the St. Thomas Evangelical Church of India *Oriental Orthodox: * *the Indian (Malankara) Orthodox Church (West Syrian Rite) * *the Jacobite Syrian Christian Church (West Syrian Rite) Their traditions go back to the 1st-century Christian thought, and the seven "and a half" churches established by Thomas the Apostle during his mission in Malabar.〔Stephen Neill. A History of Christianity in India: The Beginnings to AD 1707 ISBN 0-521-54885-3〕〔(Biography of St. Thomas the Apostle )〕〔(Stephen Andrew Missick. Mar Thoma: The Apostolic Foundation of the Assyrian Church and the Christians of St. Thomas in India. Journal of Assyrian Academic studies. )〕 These are at Kodungalloor (Muziris), Paravur, Palayoor, Kokkamangalam, Niranam, Nilackal, Kollam, and the Thiruvithamcode Arappally in Kanyakumari district. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Saint Thomas Christian churches」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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