ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Ancient Christianity in Indian subcontinent

Okay kiddo, ancient Christianity in the Indian subcontinent means that a long time ago, some people in India started following the religion called Christianity. Christianity is a religion that believes in one God and that Jesus Christ is his son.

The history of Christianity in India goes back to the very early days of the religion itself. According to tradition, the apostle Thomas, one of Jesus' disciples, traveled to India and preached there. Many people believe that he established the first Christian church in India.

Over the centuries, Christianity spread throughout the subcontinent, often through the work of European missionaries. In the 16th century, the Portuguese arrived in India and brought Catholicism with them. They built many churches and schools and worked to convert the local population to their religion.

Later, in the 18th and 19th centuries, British and American missionaries arrived in India and established Protestant churches. They also set up schools and hospitals, and worked to help end some of the social injustices that were happening at the time.

Today, Christianity is one of the major religions in India, with millions of followers across the country. There are many different types of Christianity practiced in India, including Catholicism and Protestantism, as well as various branches of Orthodoxy, like the Syrian Orthodox Church.

So, that's ancient Christianity in the Indian subcontinent for you, kiddo. It's a long and complicated history, but it just means that some people in India a long time ago started following the religion of Christianity, and it's still an important part of life for many people in India today.