Christianity was introduced in Kerala during the first century AD, even before it obtained official recognition in Europe. History has it that apostle St. Thomas landed here in 52 AD and converted many people including Brahmins and founded seven churches along the Malabar Coast.

Though it was an alien faith, it attained acceptance as an indigenous faith and made steady progress. Today, Christianity and Christian churches are very well established in Kerala. Its liturgy and organisation were subjected to the impact of diverse cultural influences.

The early Christians (St. Thomas Christians) were called Syrian Christians because they followed the Syriac liturgy, a dialect of Aramaic, the language of Jesus. With the arrival of Portuguese (1498) and the establishment of their political influence, the Latin rite emerged as an important factor and a large community of Latin Christians sprang up and grew, particularly in the coastal areas. The work of St. Francis Xavier and the synod of Diamper (1599) played an important part in the Latinisation of the church.

In the beginning of 19th century, when the British spread its influence in Kerala, the Church Mission Society (CMS) of London actively associated them in the workings of Syrian Church. After some years of close co-operation, the missionaries broke their connection with Syrian Bishops and church. It was on their initiative the Anglican Church came into existence.

Some priests of the Syrian Church under the influence of missionaries advocated reforms, including the replacement of Syriac by Malayalam, which was disfavored by Bishops and Clergy of Syrian Church. Following this the reformers formed a new church known as Marthoma Syrian church as distinct from the Anglican Church and the Roman Catholic Church.

Now there are five different offshoots of Christianity in Kerala.
1. The Nestorian Church confined mainly to Trichur and Ernakulam. 2.The Roman Catholic Church, embracing the whole of Kerala and following three different language for their rites (Syriac, Latin and Malayalam).
3. The Jacobite Syrian Church, also known as Orthodox Syrian Church. 4. The Anglican Church, part of Church of South India.
5. Marthoma Syrian Church.

Apart from these, there are several other Christian denominations deriving inspiration from some foreign Church or other.