[2][3] Latin Catholicism in India traces its early origins to the Fransciscan missions sent to Asia under the leadership of John of Monte Corvino.

He visited Malabar, touching at Pandarani (Koyilandy) (20 m. north of Calicut), at Cranganore, and at Quilon (Kollam) proceeding thence, apparently, to Ceylon and to the shrine of Apostle Saint Thomas at Mylapur near Madras.

He furnished the best account of Indian regions and the Christians, the products, climate, manners, customs, fauna and flora given by any European in the Middle Ages which was considered superior even to Marco Polo's.

[5] By a separate Bull "Venerabili Fratri Jordano", the same Pope, on 21 August 1329 appointed the French Dominican friar Jordanus Catalani de Severac as the first Bishop of Quilon.

In 1347, Giovanni de Marignolli visited the shrine of Saint Thomas near the modern Madras, and then proceeded to what he calls the kingdom of Saba, and identifies with the Sheba of Scripture, but which seems from various particulars to have been Java.

This massive blow to Christendom spurred the Age of Discovery as Europeans were seeking alternative routes east by sea along with the goal of forging alliances with pre-existing Christian nations.

[10] During the second expedition, the Portuguese fleet comprising 13 ships and 18 priests, under Captain Pedro Álvares Cabral, anchored at Cochin on 26 November 1500.

[12][13] Many backward Hindus especially Ezhavars, Nadars, Viswakarmas, Vellala/Vilakkithala Nairs, along with the various fishing community castes like Mukkuvars, Arayans, Valans and Dheevars were converted to Christianity after the 15th century by Portuguese missionaries in Kerala.

[15] The Portuguese soldiers and merchants had intermarried within the natives and their descendants came to be known as the Munnuttikkar/Munnoottikkar (Luso-Indians/Anglo Indians) who form an endogamous subgroup among the Keralite Latin Catholics.

[16][19][20] According to legend, the Ezhunoottikkar are descendants of seven hundred Latinized soldiers of the Kingdom of Cochin who were converted by the Portuguese for leading a battle against the Zamorin of Calicut (Samoothiri).

[citation needed] They are spread across the districts of Ernakulam (Varapuzha, Vypeen, North Paravur, Mattanchery, Venduruthy), Thrissur(Kodungallur, Mathilakam), Alappuzha(Purakkad) and Quilon.

The Nadar Latin Catholic women of Southern Travancore (Trivandrum and Kanyakumari) rebelled against the enforcement of upper body exposure (Channar Revolt) from 1813 to 1859.

[16][35] In northern Kerala, mainly in Kassergode (Kasaragod), Cannanore (Kannur), Tellicherry (Thalassery) and Cochin (Kochi) a small population of Konkani Latin Catholic Christians are found.

[36][37] They are descendants of the Konkani Manglorean Catholics who migrated from the Canara region (coastal Karnataka) to Kerala in the 1780's to escape the persecution by Tippu Sultan.

are a highly exogamous community and tend to intermarry with other Hindu castes, unlike the Saint Thomas Syrian Christians who practice strict endogamy.

[42][43][44] Devastha Vili is a ritual artform traditionally performed as part of the 50 days long Lent by the Latin Catholics of Kerala.

Pork, Beef, Vinegar, Garlic, Paprika, Mint, Black Pepper, Thyme and Rosemary are all important aspects of the Keralite Latin Catholic cuisine.

Spices like Red Chilli, Turmeric and Coriander lack in the Latin Catholic cuisine and are replaced by Black Pepper due to the Portuguese influence.

[50] The Latin Catholics churches in the initial stages were built in the Portuguese colonial Style with Renaissance facades and long naves and Italian Baroque decoration.