Mangalorean Catholics

Mangalorean Catholics (Konkani: Kodialchein Katholik) are an ethno-religious community of Roman Catholics from the Mangalore Diocese (erstwhile South Canara district) on the southwestern coast of Karnataka, India. They are a Konkani people and speak the Konkani language.

Contemporary Mangalorean Catholics are descended mainly from Goan Catholics who migrated to South Canara between 1560 and 1763, throughout the course of the Goa Inquisition, Portuguese–Adil Shahi wars, and the Portuguese–Maratha wars. They learned the languages of South Canara, Tulu, and Kannada, but retained Konkani as their mother tongue and preserved their lifestyle. Their 15-year captivity at Seringapatam imposed by Tipu Sultan, the de facto ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore, from 24 February 1784 to 4 May 1799 led to the near extinction of the community. After Tipu's defeat and subsequent killing by the British in 1799, the community resettled in South Canara, and later prospered under British rule.

Although early assertions of a distinct Mangalorean Catholic identity date from the migration period, a developed Mangalorean Catholic cultural identity only emerged following the captivity. The culture of Mangalorean Catholics is a blend of Mangalorean and Goan cultures. After migration, they adopted some aspects of the local Mangalorean culture, but retained many of their Goan customs and traditions. The Mangalorean Catholic diaspora is mostly concentrated in the Persian Gulf Arab states and the Anglosphere.