Christianity is one of the religions in Tripura, a state in North East India. According to the Indian Census 2011, the population of Christians in Tripura is 159,882 or 4.35% of the total population. Christians are mostly found among the indigenous communities of the state such as the Tripuri, Lushai, Kuki, Darlong, Halam etc. Among the Scheduled Tribes of the state Christians share is 13.12% of the population.[1]
The beginning of the Christian faith in Tripura dates back many centuries. Fr. Ignatius Gomes, a Jesuit priest made the first reference to the Christians of Mariamnagar in Agartala when he visited them in 1683. Fr. P. Barbe, the Pastor of Chittagong, visited Tripura in 1843. Holy Cross pioneering missionaries Fr. Louis Augustine Verite and Fr. Beboit Adolphe Mercier visited Agartala in 1856 and administered sacraments to the Christians in Mariamnagar Village. But it was only from 1937 that priests began to take permanent residence at Mariamnagar.
The Tripura Baptist Christian Union was formed under the leadership of Rev. M.J. Eade in December 1938 in Lakshmilunga, a village six miles from Agartala. The Baptist Mission Compound at Arundhutinagar, Agartala was also established in the year 1938 under an official land grant by the then King of Tripura Kingdom Maharaja Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya to the missionaries from New Zealand Baptist Missionary Society (NZBMS).[2]
The first Roman Catholic Parish in Tripura was erected at Mariamnagar in 1939. The first permanent Church (at present the temporary Cathedral) was blessed in 1952. Because of its geographical proximity, the Archdiocese of Dhaka continued to cater to the spiritual needs of the Catholics in Tripura till the erection of the new Ecclesiastical Unit in 1952, namely, the Prefecture of Haflong. In 1969, the Prefecture was upgraded to the position of a Diocese and Most Rev. Denzil D'Souza, DD, was the first Bishop of Silchar. At that time the Diocese comprised the States of Mizoram and Tripura and the District of Cachar in Assam. On 11 January 1996, Pope John Paul II decreed the erection of the Diocese of Agartala. The new Diocese of Agartala, comprising the entire State of Tripura was bifurcated from the erstwhile Diocese of Silchar. Most Rev. Lumen Monteiro, CSC, DD, was appointed the first Bishop of the new Diocese. He was ordained and installed on 26 May 1996.[3]
The major denominations of Christianity present in the state are the Baptist, Presbyterian Church of India (PCI) and the Roman Catholic Churches.There are also many churches of the Believers' Church, Assembly of God, Evangelical and Christian Churches in the state. and also Christian Revival Church.
| Denomination | Churches | Members |
|---|---|---|
| Tripura Baptist Christian Union (TBCU) | 943[4] | 84,795[5] |
| 110 | 49,000[6] | |
| Tripura Presbyterian Church Synod (PCI) | 325 | 22,277[7] [8] |
| 500 | 20,000 | |
| Independent Church of India (ICI) | 44 | 5,000 |
| Total | 1,922 | 181,072 |
Percentage of Christians in Tripura by decades[9]
| Year | Percent | Increase | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1901 | 0.08% | - | |
| 1911 | 0.06% | -0.02% | |
| 1921 | 0.61% | +0.55% | |
| 1931 | 0.68% | +0.07% | |
| 1941 | 0.06% | -0.62% | |
| 1951 | 0.82% | +0.76% | |
| 1961 | 0.88% | +0.02% | |
| 1971 | 1.01% | +0.13% | |
| 1981 | 1.21% | +0.20% | |
| 1991 | 1.69% | +0.48% | |
| 2001 | 3.20% | +1.51% | |
| 2011 | 4.35% | +1.15% |
Percentage of Christians in the Scheduled Tribes[10]
| Tribe | Christians | Percent | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tripuri | 51,753 | 8.74% | |
| Riang | 32,509 | 17.27% | |
| Halam | 27,025 | 47.24% | |
| Kuki | 9,784 | 89.23% | |
| Garo | 8,370 | 64.62% | |
| Jamatia | 7,465 | 8.96% | |
| Lushai | 5,253 | 97.57% | |
| Uchoi | 1,778 | 72.66% | |
| Munda | 605 | 4.16% | |
| Chakma | 295 | 0.37% | |
| Mag | 139 | 0.37% | |
| Noatia | 122 | 0.86% | |
| Khasi | 115 | 67.49% |