Tamil Christian Community in Birmingham

Where they come from

Christianity has deep roots among Tamils, from the Catholic communities of the southern coast to Protestant churches founded in the 18th and 19th centuries. Tamil Christians in Birmingham include families from India and Sri Lanka, many working in healthcare and the professions.

The community in numbers

At the 2021 Census, out of a city population of 1,144,919, 151 residents whose main language is Tamil gave their religion as Christian.

Working for Birmingham

Tamil Christian doctors, nurses, pharmacists, accountants and engineers work across Birmingham, and many families are active in charity and community work. Churches offer support and friendship to new arrivals.

Birmingham is one of the youngest and most diverse cities in Europe, and its progress has always depended on people who chose to make it home. Its hospitals, schools and universities, its building sites, workshops, warehouses and kitchens all rely on skills brought from around the world. The Tamil Christian community adds its own share to that effort, and takes pride in giving back to the city that welcomed it.

Culture and community life

Christmas and Easter are celebrated with services and hymns in Tamil, and Pongal, the harvest festival, is enjoyed by the whole Tamil community. Church choirs and Tamil schools help young people keep the language and music of their heritage alive. Tamil Christian families also share in the wider Tamil community's celebrations of language, poetry and food, from dosa to biryani.

Birmingham's strength lies in its variety, and the Tamil Christian community is a welcome part of it. As the city continues to grow and change, that contribution will remain part of the story of a place that has always looked forward.