1685–86

The first harvest

In these years de Britto was baptising thousands across the south. In one stretch of two months alone, his biographer counted “two thousand seven hundred”. At Vadakkankulam it is believed he baptised around two hundred. These were the first Christians the village ever had, men, women and children brought to the water together. It was its founding harvest, and from it grew the great Christian community this place would one day be known for.

Parish traditionThis moment rests on 4 sources.

Diocese page

baptized more than 200 people in 1686

What this source establishes

Where the number actually comes from. The diocese's own parish page carries the figure this moment rests on - and dates it 1686, a return rather than the same visit as the chapel. It is the diocese reporting on its own parish, so it is tradition and not outside corroboration; but it is the cleanest statement of the two hundred that exists, and it is why the moment keeps the number rather than doubting it.

This is as much of it as we may lawfully print. The rest is at tuticorindiocese.org.