Christianity in Kanyakumari district

[2][3] According to the tradition, St. Thomas, one of the twelve apostles, landed on the Malabar Coast (Kerala) in 52 CE and introduced Christianity.

The Latin Rite of Roman Catholic Church (RC) is the oldest and the largest and has a homogeneous presence throughout the district.

[1] During the 18th century, on the request of kholf iyer the German missionary William Tobias Ringeltaube came to Travancore (year 1806) and stayed in Mylaudy.

[9] The same year the newly established `Diocese of Marthandam split from the Archdiocese of Trivandrum in Kanyakumari district.

[11][12][13][14][15] A woman baring her chest to noble class was considered a sign of respect, by both males and females from the lower castes.

[17][18] Uneasy with their social status, many Nadars embraced Christianity, and started to wear long cloths.

[11][15] However, the claims of breast-taxes being levied in order to prevent lower-caste women from covering their breasts are hotly contested.

Renowned Malayali historian Manu Pillai claims that the idea that it was meant to prevent them from covering their breasts is farfetched.