Born 1290
Died 1354

It is unclear how Christianity arrived in India. It is thought that St. Thomas, one of the twelve disciples of Jesus, traveled to India as a missionary. According to legend, he preached, performed miracles, and was martyred in India, and his tomb is located near the present-day port city of Madras.

It is certain that Christian communities existed on the Malabar (southwestern) and Coromandel (southeastern) coasts of India from at least the third century A.D. But it was not until the late Middle Ages that Christian missionaries from Europe traveled to the East. At that time the establishment of Mongol rule over much of Asia opened it to diplomatic, business, and religious contacts with the West.

Franciscan John of Monte Corvino (1247–1328) was the first Roman Catholic missionary who was known to have worked among the Christians...