Pope Benedict XVI has welcomed the publication of the Vatican's official daily newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano in the Indian language of Malayalam for the first time.Malayalam is understood by 35 million people in southern India, and a few tens of thousands in Malaysia and Singapore.
"The publication of this first edition of L'Osservatore Romano in Malayalam is a highly significant event in the life of the Indian church," said Pope Benedict XVI in a statement.
The pontiff also said that the publication is an important initiative for more than six million Catholics present in the state of Kerala, located on the tropical Malabar coast of southern India.
It is estimated that nearly 20 percent of the population in Kerala are of christian faith.
There are an estimated 18 million Catholics in India, representing less than two percent of the total population. It is the largest Christian church in the country.
L'Osservatore Romano was founded in 1861, a few months after the unification of Italy and is now published in English, German, French, Spanish, Italian and Portuguese.
According to tradition, christianity came to India with the arrival of apostle Thomas in the port of Cranganore near Cochin in Kerala state in 52 AD.
It is believed that Thomas established at least seven churches in Kerala before he moved on to the neighbouring Tamil Nadu state, where he was killed for preaching.
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