A rare video showing the customs and traditions of a Knanaya Church wedding in Kerala from the 1940’s (exact date unknown).

About the Knanaya Church Community in Kerala

The Knanaya Community traces its origin back to a Jewish-Christian immigrant community. They migrated from Southern Mesopotamia to the Malabar ( present Kerala ) Coast of Cranganore ( Kodungalloor ) in AD 345 under the leadership of an enterprising merchant Thomas of Cana ( Knai Thomman ).

This migration is considered as a turning point in the history of St Thomas Christians of Malabar.  The original community consisted of about 400 persons belonging to 72 families of seven clans.

A bishop by name Uraha Mar Yousef, four priests and several deacons were among them. They formed themselves into an endogamous community by keeping their tradition and culture but co-existed peacefully among the St. Thomas Christians in India.

These colonists  were welcomed by Cheraman Perumal, then king, and were given permission to settle down in Kodungalloor. – kottayamad.org

Traditionally the Knanaya have followed the religious traditions and practices of the wider Saint Thomas Christian community. In the 17th century, when the Saint Thomas Christians were split into Catholic and Malankara Church factions following the Coonan Cross Oath, both Knanaya and Northist groups were internally divided.

The Malankara faction became affiliated with the Syriac Orthodox Church, an Oriental Orthodox church based in Syria, while the Catholic faction is now known as the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church. – Wikipedia