Eastern Christianity

==== Saint Thomas Syrian Christians ====
{{Main|Saint Thomas Christians}}
The [[Saint Thomas Christians|Saint Thomas Syrian Christians]] are an ancient body of [[Syriac Christianity|Syrian Christians]] in Kerala, Malabar coast of [[India]] who trace their origins to the evangelical activity of [[Thomas the Apostle]] in the 1st century. Many [[Assyrian people|Assyrian]] and [[Jews|Jewish]] communities like the [[Knanaya]] and the [[Cochin Jews]] assimilated into the [[Saint Thomas Christian|Saint Thomas Syrian Christian]] community.<ref name="AFM">A. E. Medlycott, ''India and The Apostle Thomas'', pp. 1-71, 213–297; M. R. James, ''Apocryphal New Testament'', pp. 364–436; Eusebius, ''History'', chapter 4:30; [[J. N. Farquhar]], ''The Apostle Thomas in North India'', chapter 4:30; V. A. Smith, ''Early History of India'', p. 235; L. W. Brown, ''The Indian Christians of St. Thomas'', pp. 49–59</ref> By the 5th century the Saint Thomas Syrian Christians were part of the [[Church of the East]] ([[Nestorian Church]]). Until the middle of the 17th century and the arrival of the [[Portuguese India|Portuguese]], the Thomas Christians were all one in faith and rite. Thereafter, divisions arose among them, and consequently they are today of several different rites. The [[East Syriac Rite|East Syriac Chaldean Rite]] (Edessan Rite) Churches among the Saint Thomas Syrian Christians are the [[Syro-Malabar Church|Syro Malabar Church]] and the [[Chaldean Syrian Church]]. The [[West Syriac Rite|West Syriac Antiochian Rite]] Churches among the Saint Thomas Syrian Christians are the [[Jacobite Syrian Christian Church|Malankara Jacobite Syrian Church]], the [[Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church]], the [[Mar Thoma Syrian Church]], the [[Syro-Malankara Catholic Church|Syro Malankara Church]] and the [[Malabar Independent Syrian Church|Thozhiyur Church]].