Breaking Tradition for True Love

Have you ever heard of the Knanaya Catholics? Neither had I. It’s a small sect of Indian Catholics, who trace their origins back to 72 families that migrated to southern India from modern-day Syria.

For centuries, they’ve practiced endogamy, which means the people who marry non-Knanaya people aren’t considered Knanaya anymore. They’re, in fact, expelled. They can’t go to key cultural event and face stigma from their relatives and friends.

But in this modern melting pot age, marrying within the community can be hard for young Knanaya people.