Many lists exist about the statistics of Churches belonging to Catholics ( Syro Malabar Church) and Malankara Syriac Orthodox after the division of the Saint Thomas Christians community followed with the Syond of Diamper ( 1599 AD) , Coonan Cross Oath ( 1653 AD) and subsequent happenings ( 1653-1698). ^[1]

This is one of those lists about the Sixteenth Century Churches from a compilation done by K J Joisea in “ Socio Cultural life of Saint Thomas Christians of Kerala in the Medieval period”. K J Joisea’s compilation is based on the catalogue of the churches of Christians of St Thomas of Malabar from the Synodical Acts at Diamper (1599 AD) as given by Thomas Yeates in his “ Indian Church History” published in 1818 AD, London.

According to this estimate there were 106 Saint Thomas Christian Churches, 9 oratories and one congregation, all together 117. In early nineteenth century ( 1818 AD), 71 Churches and 9 Oratories belong to Catholics ( Syro Malabar Church). 28 Churches belong to Malankara Syriac Orthodox . 7 Churches were shared by both Catholics ( Syro Malabar Church) and Malankara Syriac Orthodox.

List of Sixteenth Century Churches

These are the Churches in alphabetical order and the denomination which it was under in early nineteenth century. Please note that before 1818 AD, there was only one division in Malankara Syriac Orthodox leading to the formation of Thozhiyur Church which had negligible strength in this comparison.^[2]

1. Under Catholics ( Syro Malabar Church)

Total Number of Churches -71 Churches and 9 Oratories

Aalapuzha (Alleppy), a church (Catholic)
Aanacallunghel (Bharnanganam ?) – a church (Catholic)
Aaragoshe (Arakuzha) – a church (Catholic)
Adirampushe (Adirampuzha) – a church (Catholic)
Alangatta or Mangatta (Alangad) – a church and two oratories (Catholic)
Ambalacatta (Ambazhakad) – a church and an oratory (Catholic)
Angamala (Angamali) – two churches (Catholic)
Badagore (?) – a church (Catholic)
Badeate (Vadayar ?) – a church (Catholic)
Beleanate (Veliyanad) – a church (Catholic)
Cadanatte (?) – a church (Catholic)
Cailacudi (Chalakudy) – a church (Catholic)
Callurcatta (Champakulam ?) – a church (Catholic)
Calnada (Kalnada?) – a church (Catholic)
Calparamba (Kalparambu) – a church (Catholic)
Cangnarpalli (Kanjirapilly?) – a church (Catholic)
Canhur (Kanjur) – a church (Catholic)
Cembi (Vaikkom ?) – a church (Catholic)
Cenotta (Chenamangalam ?) – a church (Catholic)
Cerphungal (Cherpungat) – a church (Catholic)
Cianganaceri (Changanacherry) – a church and an oratory (Catholic)
Clovare (Chowra ?) – a church (Catholic)
Codalur (?) – a church (Catholic)
Codamalur (Kudamaloor) – a church (Catholic)
Corolongatta (Kuruvilangad) – a church and an oratory (Catholic)
Corretti (Koratti) – a church (Catholic)
Cottamattil (?) – a church (Catholic)
Cottapadi (Kottapidi) – a church (Catholic)
Cottota (Kottekad ?) – a church (Catholic)
Cuingatta (Chungam ?) – a church (Catholic)
Edapuli or Rapolim (Edappilly) – two churches (Catholic)
Elanguil (Elamkulam ?) – a church (Catholic)
Elur – two churches and an oratory (Catholic)
Enamaca (Enamavu) – a church (Catholic)
Ernaculata or Angicaimal (Ernakulam) – a church (Catholic)
Iratusha (Erattupuzha) – a church (Catholic)
Mailacomba (Mylikombu) – a church (Catholic)
Maleatur (Malayattur) – a church and an oratory (Catholic)
Manhapra (Manjapra) – a church (Catholic)
Mattatil (Mattom) – a church (Catholic)
Mushcolam (Muzhikulam) – a church (Catholic)
Muttam – a church (Catholic)
Muttiera (Muttuchira) – a church and an oratory (Catholic)
Nagapusha (Nagapuzha) – a church (Catholic)
Nediale (?) – a church (Catholic)
Nharica (Nharakkal) – a church (Catholic)
Odiamper (Udiamperur – Diamper) – a church (Catholic)
Paincollata (Pamkulam ?) – a church (Catholic)
Palaya (Palai) – a church and Syro-Chaldean Seminary (Catholic)
Palicara (Parappukara?) – a church (Catholic)
Pallipuram – a church(Catholic)
Palur (Palayur) – a church (Catholic)
Palurti (Pallurti) – a church (Catholic)
Parapuranngri (Parapur) – a church (Catholic)
Pashur (Pazhuvil) – a church (Catholic)
Perumettam (Perumattom) – a church (Catholic)
Poracada (Purakkad) – a church (Catholic)
Pudupulla (Pudupalli ?) – a church (Catholic)
Pullingune (Pulinkunnu) – a church and an oratory (Catholic)
Punhada (?) – a church (Catholic)
Ptinnatna (Punnathara?) – a church (Catholic)
Punencera (Puthenchira) – a church (Catholic)
Puttenpali (Puthenpalli) – a church (Catholic)
Ramaratta (Ramapuram ?) – a church (Catholic)
Totampali (Totapilli ?) – a church (Catholic)
Vaypur (Kaduthuruthi ?) – a church (Catholic)
Vecuir (Vechur?) – a church (Catholic)
Verapoly – a church (Catholic)

2. Under Malankara Syriac Orthodox

Total Number of Churches-28 Churches

Agarnparambil (Agaparambu) – a church (Syriac Orthodox)
Angamala (Angamali) – a church (Syriac Orthodox)
Bemanil (?) – a church (Syriac Orthodox)
Cadamattom (Kadamattom) – a church (Syriac Orthodox)
Cadambara (?) – a church (Syriac Orthodox)
Caddenata (Kandanad ?) – a church (Syriac Orthodox)
Callucera (?) – a church (Syriac Orthodox)
Callupara (Kallupara) – a church (Syriac Orthodox)
Cartyapalli (kartnikapalli ?) – a church (Syriac Orthodox)
Catare (Chathannur ?) – a church (Syriac Orthodox)
Cayamcollam (kayamkulam) – a church (Syriac Orthodox)
Cenganur (Chengannur) – a church (Syriac Orthodox)
Collam (Quilon) – a church (Syriac Orthodox)
Collencera (Kollenchira ?) – a church (Syriac Orthodox)
Condur (Kundra ?) – a church (Syriac Orthodox)
Coshenceri (Kozhencheri) – a church (Syriac Orthodox)
Mamalaceri (Mamalassery) – a church (Syriac Orthodox)
Manargada (Mannarkadu ?) – a church (Syriac Orthodox)
Mode lacodam (Mudalakudam) – a church (Syriac Orthodox)
Molanturuti (Mulanthuruthy) – a church (Syriac Orthodox)
Neranatta (Niranam) – a church (Syriac Orthodox)
Omelur (Omellur ?) – a church (Syriac Orthodox)
Pallicare (Pahakara) – a church (Syriac Orthodox)
Puthencava (Puthenkavu) – a church (Syriac Orthodox)
TekencoLlomgere (Tekenkulangara ?) – a church (Syriac Orthodox)
Tevelacera (Thevalakara) – a church (Syriac Orthodox)
Tiruvancoda (Tiruvamcode) – a church (Syriac Orthodox)
Tumbonur (Thumpamon ?) – a church (Syriac Orthodox)

3. Shared Churches by both Catholics & Syriac Orthodox

Total Number of Churches-7 Churches Congregation- 1 (?)

Caringcera (Karingchira) – a church (Partly Catholic & Partly Syriac Orthodox- Shared)
Codamangalam (Kothamangalarn) – a church (Partly Catholic & Partly Syriac Orthodox- Shared)
Curupenpadi (Kurupenpadi) – a church (Partly Catholic & Partly Syriac Orthodox- Shared)
Mavalicare (Mavelikera) – a congregation (?)
Nharamel (?) – a church (Partly Catholic & Partly Syriac Orthodox- Shared)
Parrota (Piravam ?) – a church (Partly Catholic & Partly Syriac Orthodox- Shared)
Parur (Parur) – a church (Partly Catholic & Partly Syriac Orthodox- Shared)
Telcenparur – a church (Partly Catholic & Partly Syriac Orthodox- Shared)

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Source- K J Joisea, “ Socio Cultural life of Saint Thomas Christians of Kerala in the Medieval period”. Based on Thomas Yeates , “ Indian Church History” published in 1818 AD, London.

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NSC NETWORK Article Footnotes

1. Some of these lists are included in “Population Statistics and Demography of Saint Thomas Christians, Churches with historical references” article [↩]
2. Thozhiyur Church did not seem to get possession of any sixteenth century Church. [↩]

Related NSC Network Articles

• Population Statistics and Demography of Saint Thomas Christians, Churches with historical references
• ‘The Indian Christians of St. Thomas’ by Dr. Leslie Brown
• Ancient Churches with traditional dates of foundation & Stone Crosses of Kerala- Saint Thomas Cross, Nazraney Sthambams and other Persian Crosses
• Surviving MSS- Old Testament Manuscripts, Psalms and New Testament Manuscripts of Christians of Saint Thomas
• “Christianity in India- a History in ecumenical perspective” by HC Perumalil and ER Hambye
• SRITE- Project for Preserving the Manuscripts of the Syrian Christians in India
• Focus II- History, Munnu Noyambu and Kappalottam – Marth Mariam Church, Kuravilangad

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