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The Jacobite Syrian Christian Church (JSCC), or the Malankara Archdiocese of the Syrian Orthodox Church in India also known as Malankara Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church, the Jacobite Syrian Church, and the Syriac Orthodox Church in India, is a catholicate based in
Kerala Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South C ...
, India, of the
Syriac Orthodox Church of Antioch , native_name_lang = syc , image = St_George_Syriac_orthodox_church_in_Damascus.jpg , imagewidth = 250 , alt = Cathedral of Saint George , caption = Cathedral of Saint George, Damascus ...
and part of the
Oriental Orthodox Church The Oriental Orthodox Churches are Eastern Christian churches adhering to Miaphysite Christology, with approximately 60 million members worldwide. The Oriental Orthodox Churches are part of the Nicene Christian tradition, and represent o ...
. It recognizes the Syriac Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East as supreme head of the church. It functions autonomously within the church, administered by the Metropolitan Trustee, under the authority of the Maphrian of India, Baselios Thomas I. Following schism with the
Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church The Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church (MOSC) also known as the Indian Orthodox Church (IOC) or simply as the Malankara Church, is an autocephalous Oriental Orthodox church headquartered in Devalokam, near Kottayam, India. The church serves ...
, is currently the only church in
Malankara Malankara may refer to: * Malankara Church, a collection of Indian apostolic churches ** Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, an Oriental Orthodox denomination in India ** Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, an Eastern Catholic denomination in India * Mal ...
that is directly under a Syriac Christian Antiochian hierarchy, claiming continuity to the 1665 schism. The church employs the
West Syriac Rite The West Syriac Rite, also called Syro-Antiochian Rite, is an Eastern Christian liturgical rite that employs the Divine Liturgy of Saint James in the West Syriac dialect. It is practised in the Maronite Church, the Syriac Orthodox Ch ...
Liturgy of Saint James.


Name

Emperor
Justin I Justin I ( la, Iustinus; grc-gre, Ἰουστῖνος, ''Ioustînos''; 450 – 1 August 527) was the Eastern Roman emperor from 518 to 527. Born to a peasant family, he rose through the ranks of the army to become commander of the imperial ...
supported the Chalcedonians. Severus of Antioch, who was not a Chalcedonian, was exiled to Egypt and died in 538 AD. Three bishops remained in the church, and at that time Jacob Baradeus restored the church with Queen Theodra's help.


Headquarters

Puthencruz Puthenkurish is a town in Ernakulam district in the Indian state of Kerala near Kolenchery town en route to Muvattupuzha. It is a part of the Greater Cochin area. Puthencruz is one of the fastest developing villages in Ernakulam district. Puthenc ...
is the headquarters of the Jacobite Syrian Christian Church in India. It is registered as a society under the Societies Act of the
Government of India The Government of India ( ISO: ; often abbreviated as GoI), known as the Union Government or Central Government but often simply as the Centre, is the national government of the Republic of India, a federal democracy located in South Asia, ...
. Its headquarters are named after Ignatius Zakka I. The property was bought and built under the leadership of Baselios Thomas I after the church faced difficulties in continuing its operations in Muvattupuzha after Baselios Paulose II's death.


History

It is believed that
Saint Thomas Christians The Saint Thomas Christians, also called Syrian Christians of India, ''Marthoma Suriyani Nasrani'', ''Malankara Nasrani'', or ''Nasrani Mappila'', are an ethno-religious community of Indian Christians in the state of Kerala ( Malabar region) ...
of Malabar were in communion with the
Church of the East The Church of the East ( syc, ܥܕܬܐ ܕܡܕܢܚܐ, ''ʿĒḏtā d-Maḏenḥā'') or the East Syriac Church, also called the Church of Seleucia-Ctesiphon, the Persian Church, the Assyrian Church, the Babylonian Church or the Nestorian C ...
from 295 AD to 1599. They received episcopal support from Syriac bishops, who traveled to Kerala in merchant ships along the spice route, while the local leader of the Saint Thomas Christians held the rank of
archdeacon An archdeacon is a senior clergy position in the Church of the East, Chaldean Catholic Church, Syriac Orthodox Church, Anglican Communion, St Thomas Christians, Eastern Orthodox churches and some other Christian denominations, above that of m ...
, which was a hereditary office held by the Pakalomattam family. In the 16th century, the overtures of the Portuguese ''
padroado The ''Padroado'' (, "patronage") was an arrangement between the Holy See and the Kingdom of Portugal and later the Portuguese Republic, through a series of concordats by which the Holy See delegated the administration of the local churches and gra ...
'' to bring the Saint Thomas Christians into
Latin Rite Latin liturgical rites, or Western liturgical rites, are Catholic rites of public worship employed by the Latin Church, the largest particular church '' sui iuris'' of the Catholic Church, that originated in Europe where the Latin language onc ...
Catholicism led to the first of several rifts in the community due to Portuguese colonialists, and the establishment of the
Syro-Malabar Church lat, Ecclesia Syrorum-Malabarensium mal, മലബാറിലെ സുറിയാനി സഭ , native_name_lang=, image = St. Thomas' Cross (Chennai, St. Thomas Mount).jpg , caption = The Mar Thoma Nasrani Sl ...
and the
Malankara Church The Malankara Church, also known as ''Puthenkur'' and more popularly as Jacobite Syrians, is the historic unified body of West Syriac Saint Thomas Christian denominations which claim ultimate origins from the missions of Thomas the Apostle. ...
factions. Since then, further splits have occurred, and the Saint Thomas Christians are now divided into several factions. Saint Thomas Christians were administratively under the single native dynastic leadership of an archdeacon (a native ecclesiastical head with spiritual and temporal powers, deriving from the Greek term ''arkhidiākonos'') and were in communion with the
Church of the East The Church of the East ( syc, ܥܕܬܐ ܕܡܕܢܚܐ, ''ʿĒḏtā d-Maḏenḥā'') or the East Syriac Church, also called the Church of Seleucia-Ctesiphon, the Persian Church, the Assyrian Church, the Babylonian Church or the Nestorian C ...
centered in
Persia Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkme ...
, from at least 496 AD.Frykenberg, p. 93. The indigenous Church of Malabar/Malankara followed the faith and traditions handed over by the apostle St. Thomas. In the 16th century, the Portuguese
Jesuits The Society of Jesus ( la, Societas Iesu; abbreviation: SJ), also known as the Jesuits (; la, Iesuitæ), is a religious order (Catholic), religious order of clerics regular of pontifical right for men in the Catholic Church headquartered in Rom ...
deliberately attempted to annex the native Christians to the Catholic Church, and in 1599 they succeeded through the Synod of Diamper. Resentment against these forceful measures caused the majority of the community under Archdeacon Thomas to swear an oath never to submit to the Portuguese, known as the Coonan Cross Oath, in 1653. The Malankara Church consolidated under Thoma I welcomed Gregorios Abdal Jaleel, who regularized the canonical ordination of Thoma as a bishop. Meanwhile, the
Dutch East India Company The United East India Company ( nl, Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie, the VOC) was a chartered company established on the 20th March 1602 by the States General of the Netherlands amalgamating existing companies into the first joint-stock c ...
defeated the Portuguese and gained supremacy over the spice trade in Malabar in 1663. The Malankara church used this opportunity to escape from Catholic persecution with the company's help. At the church's request, the Dutch brought Gregorios Abdal Jaleel of
Jerusalem Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...
, a bishop of the
Syriac Orthodox Church , native_name_lang = syc , image = St_George_Syriac_orthodox_church_in_Damascus.jpg , imagewidth = 250 , alt = Cathedral of Saint George , caption = Cathedral of Saint George, Damascu ...
, aboard their trading vessel in 1665. Thoma I formed a relationship with the Syriac Orthodox Church and gradually adopted
West Syriac liturgy West or Occident is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from east and is the direction in which the Sunset, Sun sets on the Earth. Etymology The word "west" is a Germanic languages, German ...
and practices. As part of the Syriac Orthodox communion, the church uses the
West Syriac liturgy West or Occident is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from east and is the direction in which the Sunset, Sun sets on the Earth. Etymology The word "west" is a Germanic languages, German ...
and is part of the
Oriental Orthodox The Oriental Orthodox Churches are Eastern Christian churches adhering to Miaphysite Christology, with approximately 60 million members worldwide. The Oriental Orthodox Churches are part of the Nicene Christian tradition, and represent ...
group of churches. It has dioceses in most parts of India as well as in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Western Europe, the
Persian Gulf The Persian Gulf ( fa, خلیج فارس, translit=xalij-e fârs, lit=Gulf of Fars, ), sometimes called the ( ar, اَلْخَلِيْجُ ٱلْعَرَبِيُّ, Al-Khalīj al-ˁArabī), is a mediterranean sea in Western Asia. The bo ...
, Australia, and New Zealand. In 2003 it was estimated that the church had 1,000,000 (including Knanaya) members globally.


Hierarchy

The highest rank in the ecclesiastical hierarchy is the
patriarch The highest-ranking bishops in Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy, the Catholic Church (above major archbishop and primate), the Hussite Church, Church of the East, and some Independent Catholic Churches are termed patriarchs (and in ce ...
. The second-highest rank is the maphrian, also known as the Catholicos of India, and is the head of the Jacobite Syrian Church in India. There are metropolitan bishops or archbishops, and auxiliary bishops beneath them.


Three ranks of hierarchy

There are three ranks of priesthood in the Syriac Orthodox Church: *Episcopate: Patriarch, Maphrian, archbishop and bishop. *Vicariate: chor-episcopos and priest or qasheesho. *Deaconate: archdeacon, evangelical-deacon, subdeacon, lector or qoruyo and singer or mzamrono.


The Church

The Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church of India established by
Thomas the Apostle Thomas the Apostle ( arc, 𐡀𐡌𐡅𐡕𐡌, hbo, תוֹמא הקדוש or תוֹמָא שליחא (''Toma HaKadosh'' "Thomas the Holy" or ''Toma Shlikha'' "Thomas the Messenger/Apostle" in Hebrew-Aramaic), syc, ܬܐܘܡܐ, , meaning "twi ...
believed in apostolic succession by the
Syriac Orthodox Church , native_name_lang = syc , image = St_George_Syriac_orthodox_church_in_Damascus.jpg , imagewidth = 250 , alt = Cathedral of Saint George , caption = Cathedral of Saint George, Damascu ...
and traditions carried out by the early
Church of the East The Church of the East ( syc, ܥܕܬܐ ܕܡܕܢܚܐ, ''ʿĒḏtā d-Maḏenḥā'') or the East Syriac Church, also called the Church of Seleucia-Ctesiphon, the Persian Church, the Assyrian Church, the Babylonian Church or the Nestorian C ...
. The Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church believes in the
Church of Antioch The Church of Antioch ( ar, كنيسة أنطاكية, Romanization: kánīsa ʾanṭākiya, IPA: a.niː.sa ʔan.tˤaː.ki.ja was the first of the five major churches of the early pentarchy in Christianity, with its primary seat in the ancient ...
's rulings regarding the councils of the Christendom and promises made by the Holy Fathers of the Church of Antioch and the
Church of Alexandria The Church of Alexandria in Egypt is the Christian Church headed by the Patriarch of Alexandria. It is one of the original Apostolic Sees of Christianity, alongside Rome, Antioch, Constantinople and Jerusalem. Tradition holds that the Church of A ...
. The Church believed in the
Trinity The Christian doctrine of the Trinity (, from 'threefold') is the central dogma concerning the nature of God in most Christian churches, which defines one God existing in three coequal, coeternal, consubstantial divine persons: God the ...
, apostolic succession,
Miaphysitism Miaphysitism is the Christological doctrine that holds Jesus, the "Incarnate Word, is fully divine and fully human, in one 'nature' (''physis'')." It is a position held by the Oriental Orthodox Churches and differs from the Chalcedonian positio ...
Christological doctrines, and the Saints' Communion with Heaven. It also believed in the Throne of Antioch established by
Saint Peter ) (Simeon, Simon) , birth_date = , birth_place = Bethsaida, Gaulanitis, Syria, Roman Empire , death_date = Between AD 64–68 , death_place = probably Vatican Hill, Rome, Italia, Roman Empire , parents = John (or Jonah; Jona) , occupa ...
and
Saint Paul Paul; grc, Παῦλος, translit=Paulos; cop, ⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ; hbo, פאולוס השליח (previously called Saul of Tarsus;; ar, بولس الطرسوسي; grc, Σαῦλος Ταρσεύς, Saũlos Tarseús; tr, Tarsuslu Pavlus; ...
, and accepted the
Petrine primacy The primacy of Peter, also known as Petrine primacy (from the la, Petrus, "Peter"), is the position of preeminence that is attributed to Saint Peter, Peter among the Twelve Apostles. Primacy of Peter among the Apostles The ''Evangelical Dic ...
and supremacy of Patriarchs akin to the Church of Rome. Those who follow the early theological doctrines from India are known as Saint Thomas Christians. The Syrian Orthodox Church of India accepts
Buddhism Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...
and
Jewish Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...
traditions as a part of Christian culture. The church venerates
icon An icon () is a religious work of art, most commonly a painting, in the cultures of the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Catholic churches. They are not simply artworks; "an icon is a sacred image used in religious devotion". The most c ...
s. It has prayers to Geevarghese Gregorios of Perumpally, Curien Kaniyamparambil, and other people who controlled higher positions in the church. The Church has myths in India related to Hinduism regarding churches in Kerala and Tamil Nadu. It has major and minor pilgrim sites in the Manarcad Church. * Manarcad Church is a pilgrimage site in Kerala and is known as the Global Marian Pilgrim Center. The
Holy Girdle The Holy Girdle, also known as the Girdle of Thomas, Holy Girdle of Mary, Holy ''Zoonoro'', (or) ''Zunoro'', and Holy Belt of Saint Mary the mother of Jesus, is a relic of the Blessed Virgin Mary which is one of the important relics of Syriac O ...
of the
Virgin Mary Mary; arc, ܡܪܝܡ, translit=Mariam; ar, مريم, translit=Maryam; grc, Μαρία, translit=María; la, Maria; cop, Ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁ, translit=Maria was a first-century Jews, Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Saint Joseph, Jose ...
was installed in 1953 by Ignatius Zakka I, and church construction was completed in 1954. * Kothamangalam Cheriya Pally is a major pilgrimage site of the gathering church of whole religions. * Piravom Church. * St. George Jacobite Syrian Cathedral is the ancient cathedral named after
Saint George Saint George (Greek: Γεώργιος (Geórgios), Latin: Georgius, Arabic: القديس جرجس; died 23 April 303), also George of Lydda, was a Christian who is venerated as a saint in Christianity. According to tradition he was a soldie ...
, and was established in 722 AD. * Vadakkan Paravoor Church is the church that entombed Gregorios Abdal Jaleel, who protected the original faith of the Jacobite Syrian Christian Church. *
St. Mary's Church, Kundara St. Mary's Jacobite Syrian Cathedral, located in Kollam District of Kerala also known as ''Gothara Idavaka'' preserved generation of Pakalomattam family who baptized by Saint Thomas, is a Jacobite Syrian Christian Church. As per tradition, Most ...
, located in the
Kollam district Kollam district (), (formerly Quilon district) is one of 14 districts of the state of Kerala, India. The district has a cross-section of Kerala's natural attributes; it is endowed with a long coastline, a major Laccadive Sea seaport and an i ...
of Kerala, is the traditional church of the Pakalomattam family. The saints of the Pakalomattam family are
Saint Alphonsa Alphonsa of the Immaculate Conception or Saint Alphonsa, christened at birth as Anna Muttathupadathu (19 August 1910– 28 July 1946), was a nun and an educator by vocation (profession). She was also known for being a victim soul, visionary an ...
, Kuriakose Elias Chavara, and Kuriakose Mar Gregorios (Pampady Thirumeni).


Tradition

The Syrian Christians accepted the traditions of the Syriac traditional Indian Church. The rituals incorporated into Syrian Christianity from other religions include many different blessings and processions. The Syrian Christians have a prominent position given by Maharajas. *The Minnukettu and Manthrakodi are Syrian Orthodox rituals adhered to by the Malankara Church. They approved by
Ignatius Peter IV Moran Mor Ignatius Peter IV (1798 – 8 October 1894), also known as Ignatius Peter III, was the Patriarch of Antioch, and head of the Syriac Orthodox Church from 1872 until his death in 1894. He is regarded by many as the architect of the ...
, the Patriarch of Antioch. The Manthrakodi is known as sari for a bridegroom, and the Minnu is the ritual layout of a wedding ceremony in a shape resembling
wheat Wheat is a grass widely cultivated for its seed, a cereal grain that is a worldwide staple food. The many species of wheat together make up the genus ''Triticum'' ; the most widely grown is common wheat (''T. aestivum''). The archaeolog ...
, which represents rebirth and resurrection. *The Procession is the ritual of the
Bible The Bible (from Koine Greek , , 'the books') is a collection of religious texts or scriptures that are held to be sacred in Christianity, Judaism, Samaritanism, and many other religions. The Bible is an anthologya compilation of texts o ...
being shown to everyone at Mass, an existing tradition in
Hinduism Hinduism () is an Indian religion or ''dharma'', a religious and universal order or way of life by which followers abide. As a religion, it is the world's third-largest, with over 1.2–1.35 billion followers, or 15–16% of the global po ...
and Syriac Christianity. *'' Chattayum Mundum'' is the traditional dress of Syriac Christians; it was inspired by Jewish and
Mohammedan ''Mohammedan'' (also spelled ''Muhammadan'', ''Mahommedan'', ''Mahomedan'' or ''Mahometan'') is a term for a follower of Muhammad, the Islamic prophet. It is used as both a noun and an adjective, meaning belonging or relating to, either Muham ...
culture. *The Onam is a festival in Kerala.


Relics

The
Syriac Orthodox Church , native_name_lang = syc , image = St_George_Syriac_orthodox_church_in_Damascus.jpg , imagewidth = 250 , alt = Cathedral of Saint George , caption = Cathedral of Saint George, Damascu ...
respects the relics of Saint Mary, forefathers, and saints. The most venerated relics of the Syrian Orthodox Church are the Holy Girdle found from the olden manuscripts by Ignatius Aphrem I and the relics of the Thomas the Apostle discovered by Ignatius Zakka I. The Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church kept some of these relics and celebrated on occasions.


Liturgy

The liturgical service is called Holy Qurobo in the Syriac language. The Liturgy of Saint James is celebrated on Sundays and special occasions. The Holy Eucharist consists of
Gospel Gospel originally meant the Christian message (" the gospel"), but in the 2nd century it came to be used also for the books in which the message was set out. In this sense a gospel can be defined as a loose-knit, episodic narrative of the words a ...
reading, Bible readings, prayers, and songs. Apart from certain readings, prayers are sung in the form of chants and melodies. Hundreds of melodies remain preserved in the book known as Beth Gazo.


Holy Bible

The Syriac Orthodox Church respects the Bible in the Church of tradition and liturgy. It preserves the Syriac manuscripts of the Bible and other holy books. The Syriac name of
Peshitta The Peshitta ( syc, ܦܫܺܝܛܬܳܐ ''or'' ') is the standard version of the Bible for churches in the Syriac tradition, including the Maronite Church, the Chaldean Catholic Church, the Syriac Catholic Church, the Syriac Orthodox Church, the ...
is ''Vishudhagrandham'' (വിശുദ്ധ ഗ്രന്ഥം) in
Malayalam Malayalam (; , ) is a Dravidian language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry ( Mahé district) by the Malayali people. It is one of 22 scheduled languages of India. Malayalam wa ...
, translated by Fr. Kurien Kaniamparambil.


Prayers

The Jacobite Syrian Christians pray from the
Shehimo Shehimo ( syr, , ml, ഷഹീമോ; English: Book of Common Prayer, also spelled Sh'himo) is the West Syriac Christian breviary of the Syriac Orthodox Church and the West Syriac Saint Thomas Christians of India (Malankara Jacobite Syrian C ...
during canonical hours in accordance with Psalm 119. In 1910, Reverend Konattu Mathen Malpan translated the prayer book of the Syrian orthodox church into Malayalam, known as Pampakuda Namaskaram, with permission from Ignatius Abded Aloho II. It is the common prayer book of Syrian Orthodox Christians in India.


Theology

The Jacobite Syrian Christian Church officially accepted
Miaphysitism Miaphysitism is the Christological doctrine that holds Jesus, the "Incarnate Word, is fully divine and fully human, in one 'nature' (''physis'')." It is a position held by the Oriental Orthodox Churches and differs from the Chalcedonian positio ...
per pictorial evidence in St. Mary's Knanaya Church of Kottayam, Piravom Church, and
Mulanthuruthy Church The Mulanthuruthy Marthoman Orthodox Syrian Cathedral is located at Mulanthuruthy in Ernakulam district in Kerala, India. This Church was founded and established in the 11th Century A.D,the Church was consecrated on 3rd Karkkidakkam (July),in betw ...
. However, it does not refute the Church of the East's relationship with the earlier church, and as the Church of the East never professed the alleged Nestorianism, it is held as a misnomer and false accusation according to most historians.


Nasrani Cross

The Nasrani Cross (Persian cross) is used by Syrian Christians of India. It spread in the early fourth century and is similar to the Armenian Cross of the
Armenian Apostolic Church , native_name_lang = hy , icon = Armenian Apostolic Church logo.svg , icon_width = 100px , icon_alt = , image = Էջմիածնի_Մայր_Տաճար.jpg , imagewidth = 250px , a ...
.


Seminary

The First major seminary is known as Manjanikkara Dayara (മഞ്ഞനിക്കര ദയറാ), and was established by Yulios Elias Qoro in 1932. The Manjanikkara Dayara motivated the study of
Syriac Orthodox Church , native_name_lang = syc , image = St_George_Syriac_orthodox_church_in_Damascus.jpg , imagewidth = 250 , alt = Cathedral of Saint George , caption = Cathedral of Saint George, Damascu ...
faith and established stronger spiritual relationships between churches. The Second major seminary is known as
Malekurish Dayara St. George's Monastery is a Jacobite Syrian Christian Church situated at a hilltop near Puthencruz, Ernakulam District, Kerala. The monastery was established by Mor Yulius Elias Qoro (Patriarchal delegate to Malankara). The Malankara Syrian Ort ...
(മലേകുരിശ് ദയറാ).


Dispute with Malankara Orthodox

The Jacobite Indian Orthodox and Malankara Orthodox Church regularly engage in disputes over the former's alignment to Miaphysitism from the time of Baradaeus and Severus of Antioch. The Jacobites lost many of its prominent churches to the Malankara Orthodox after the Supreme Court of India's verdict, despite having absolute majority in those churches. After the long struggle for talks on churches that were dismissed by Malankara, the Jacobite Syrian Church decided to end their sacramental relationship with them. Meanwhile, the Syriac Orthodox Church of India has developed relationships between the remaining Christian churches like the Mar Thoma Syrian Church, the
Syro-Malankara Catholic Church The Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, also known as the Malankara Syrian Catholic Church, is an Eastern Catholic Church, Eastern Catholic ''sui iuris'' particular church in full communion with the worldwide Catholic Church possessing self-governan ...
, and the
Syro-Malabar Church lat, Ecclesia Syrorum-Malabarensium mal, മലബാറിലെ സുറിയാനി സഭ , native_name_lang=, image = St. Thomas' Cross (Chennai, St. Thomas Mount).jpg , caption = The Mar Thoma Nasrani Sl ...
and with other religious leaders. The Church has undergone a number of splits throughout the centuries since 1665. *
Malabar Independent Syrian Church The Malabar Independent Syrian Church (MISC) also known as the Thozhiyur Church, is a Christian church centred in Kerala, India. It is one of the churches of the Saint Thomas Christian community, which traces its origins to the evangelical act ...
: first split on 1772 *Mar Thoma Syrian Church: Second split on 1898 *Malankara Orthodox Church: third split on 1911 and 1930 *Syro-Malankara Catholic Church: fourth split on 1930


Cemetery ordinance

As per Supreme Court Order 2017, the Syrian Church disputed its rights to attend holy mass and rituals and took the proposed ordinance for cemeteries. The ordinance gives the right for every person to attend rituals and laws passed on by the majority votes with the support of the chief minister, ministers and other Assembly members.


Sacramental relationships


Catholic Church

According to the Agreement of
Pope John Paul II Pope John Paul II ( la, Ioannes Paulus II; it, Giovanni Paolo II; pl, Jan Paweł II; born Karol Józef Wojtyła ; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 1978 until his ...
and Ignatius Zakka I, the Holy
Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
and Syriac Orthodox Church have a relationship between sacraments of Penance, Eucharist and Anointing of the Sick for a grave spiritual need.


Marthoma Syrian Church

The Mar Thoma Syrian Church also known as Malankara Mar Thoma, or Reformed Syrian church of Malabar and Jacobite Syrian Church attend prayer meetings and marriage ceremonies together. They continue their synods in recognition of theological acceptance and Holy Communion from their understanding. The Holy Muron of Mar Thoma Syrian Church was given by Ignatius Elias II in 1842 which decided the church will only use the ecclesiastical title of the names ''Ignatius'' and ''Baselios'' to honour the Syriac Orthodox Church.


Malankara Orthodox Church

The Malankara Orthodox Church is the excommunicated independent church of the Syriac Orthodox Church. The faction emerged in 1911 under the leadership of Dionysius of Vattasseril. Later, the Jacobite Syrian Christian Church consecrated a new Malankara metropolitan, Coorilos Paulose.


Politics

Some notable
Kerala Legislative Assembly The Kerala Legislative Assembly, popularly known as the Kerala Niyamasabha, is the State Assembly of Kerala, one of the 28 states in India. The Assembly is formed by 140 elected representatives. Each elected member represents one of the 140 c ...
members from the church include Anoop Jacob, Eldo Abraham, Raju Abraham, Eldhose Kunnappilly,
Dean Kuriakose Dean Kuriakose (27 June 1981) is an Indian politician from Kerala and a member of the Indian National Congress. Dean Kuriakose was the president of the Youth Congress Kerala wing of Indian Youth Congress The Indian Youth Congress is the youth ...
, Benny Behanan.


Syriac Orthodox Patriarchal Delegates of India

The
Syriac Orthodox Patriarchal Delegates of India Syriac Orthodox Patriarchal Delegates of India or the Syriac Orthodox Patriarchal delegate to the India (for the Jacobite Syrian Christian Church) is the representative of the patriarch of the Syriac Orthodox Church, who is sent to India to guide an ...
is the representative body of the patriarch of the
Syriac Orthodox Church , native_name_lang = syc , image = St_George_Syriac_orthodox_church_in_Damascus.jpg , imagewidth = 250 , alt = Cathedral of Saint George , caption = Cathedral of Saint George, Damascu ...
, who is sent to India to guide and administer the church, or on special occasions, as the representative of the Holy See of Antioch. Every year, Syriac Orthodox Patriarchal Delegates participate in the Manjanikkara Church Feast.


Catholicate

By the fifth century, the bishops of Rome, Constantinople, Alexandria, and Antioch gained control of the churches in surrounding cities. They became the heads of the regional churches, and were known as patriarchs. Outside of the Roman Empire, patriarchs were known as catholicos. After Nestorian Schism in the seventh century, the Syriac Orthodox Christians who lived in Persia began using the title for its maphrian, who was originally the head of the Syriac Orthodox Christian community in Persia. This office ranked right below the patriarch of Antioch in Syriac Orthodox church hierarchy, until it was abolished in 1860 and reinstated in 1964.


Catholicos of India

The Maphrian of India(Catholicos) is an ecclesiastical office of the
Syriac Orthodox Church , native_name_lang = syc , image = St_George_Syriac_orthodox_church_in_Damascus.jpg , imagewidth = 250 , alt = Cathedral of Saint George , caption = Cathedral of Saint George, Damascu ...
and the head of the Jacobite Syrian Christian Church. He is the Catholicos of the Jacobite Syrian Christian Church, an autonomous body within the Syriac Orthodox Church. The jurisdiction of Catholicos was in India of the East, so Syriac Orthodox Church Catholicos of the East was renamed the Catholicos of India in 2002. The position remained vacant between 1996 and 2002.


Proclaimed saints of the Church

The Church venerates the saints of the
Syriac Orthodox Church , native_name_lang = syc , image = St_George_Syriac_orthodox_church_in_Damascus.jpg , imagewidth = 250 , alt = Cathedral of Saint George , caption = Cathedral of Saint George, Damascu ...
along with regional saints of the Church declared by the Syriac Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East. * Ignatius Elias III: entombed in Manjanikkara Dayara at Omallur *
Baselios Yeldo Saint Baselios Yeldo was the Maphrian of the East of the Syriac Orthodox Church from 1678 until his resignation in 1684. He is venerated as a saint in the Syriac Orthodox Church, Malankara Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church and Malankara Orthodox ...
: entombed in Kothamangalam cheria pally * Parumala Thirumeni (Geevarghese Gregorious): entombed in Parumala Church * Paulose Athanasius: entombed in Aluva Thrikkunnathu Seminary * Koorilos Paulose: entombed in Panampady Church * Koorilos Yuyakkim: entombed in
Mulanthuruthy Marthoman Church The Mulanthuruthy Marthoman Orthodox Syrian Cathedral is located at Mulanthuruthy in Ernakulam district in Kerala, India. This Church was founded and established in the 11th Century A.D,the Church was consecrated on 3rd Karkkidakkam (July),in betw ...
* Osthatheos Sleeba: entombed in Arthat St.Mary's Simhasana Church, Kunnamkulam *
Baselios Sakralla III of Aleppo Baselios Sakralla 3rd of Aleppo was the Maphriyano (Catholicos) of the Syriac Orthodox Church of the East from 1748 to 1760. Maphriyano Sakralla came to India in 1751 and was buried at Kandanad Marth Mariyam Church in 1764 AD. He was declared a ...
: entombed at Morth Mariam Cathedral, Kandanad * Gregorios Abdal Jaleel: entombed at St. Thomas Church North Paravur


Dioceses


Dioceses in Kerala

*Kollam Diocese *Thumpamon Diocese * Niranam Diocese *Kottayam Diocese *Idukki Diocese * Kandanad Diocese *Kochi Diocese * Angamaly Diocese ** Angamaly ** Perumbavoor ** Pallikkara ** Muvattupuzha ** Kothamangalam ** Highrange * Thrissur Diocese *Kozhikode Diocese *Malabar Diocese


Dioceses outside Kerala

*Mangalore Diocese *Bangalore Diocese *Mylapore Diocese (formerly Chennai Diocese) *Mumbai Diocese *Delhi Diocese


Bishops of the church

* Gregorios Joseph * Severios Abhraham *
Alexandrios Thomas Thomas Mor Alexandrios, formerly Thomas Abraham Neriyanthara, is the Metropolitan of Mumbai Diocese of Malankara Jacobite Syriac Orthodox Church. Biography Thomas Abraham Neriyanthara was born in Panampady, Kottayam, Kerala in 1971 as son of ...
* Thimotheos Thomas * Thimotheos Mathews * Ivaniyos Mathews * Aprem Mathews *
Theodosius Mathews Mathews Theodosius (born 4 May 1959) is a Syriac Orthodox bishop, serving as Metropolitan Metropolitan may refer to: * Metropolitan area, a region consisting of a densely populated urban core and its less-populated surrounding territories * Metr ...
*
Anthimos Mathews Mathews Mor Anthimos (born 3 November 1974) is a Syriac Orthodox bishop, currently Metropolitan of Muvattupuzha Region and Patriarchal Vicar of U.K. & Ireland Dioceses . Education Mathews Mor Antheemos completed his Matriculation from Vidyadhira ...
* Athanasius Elias *
Yulios Elias Mor Yulios Elias is the Metropolitan of Highrange (Adimali) region, Angamali Diocese of Malankara Jacobite Syriac Orthodox Church The Jacobite Syrian Christian Church (JSCC), or the Malankara Archdiocese of the Syrian Orthodox Church ...
* Philoxenos Zacharias * Athanasios Geevargees * Divanasios Geevargees * Coorilos Geevargees * Barnabas Geevargees * Meletius yuhanon * Dioscorus Kuriakose * Theophilose Kuriakose * Clemis Kuriakos * Eusebios Kuriakose * Anthonios Yakkoob *
Osthatheos Issac Mor Osthatheos Issac (born 17 January 1976) is a Syriac Orthodox bishop, currently Metropolitan of Bangalore, Mylapore Diocese in Tamil Nadu and Patriarchal Vicar of U.A.E. Education Issac completed primary and secondary school education fr ...


See also

* List of Patriarchs of Antioch – to 518 * List of Syriac Orthodox Patriarchs of Antioch – list from 518 ** Maphrian of the East ** Catholicos of India ** Maphrian *
Oriental Orthodox Church The Oriental Orthodox Churches are Eastern Christian churches adhering to Miaphysite Christology, with approximately 60 million members worldwide. The Oriental Orthodox Churches are part of the Nicene Christian tradition, and represent o ...
*
Saint Thomas Christians The Saint Thomas Christians, also called Syrian Christians of India, ''Marthoma Suriyani Nasrani'', ''Malankara Nasrani'', or ''Nasrani Mappila'', are an ethno-religious community of Indian Christians in the state of Kerala ( Malabar region) ...
** Saint Thomas Anglicans * Manarcad church


References


Sources

*


External links

* {{Authority control Jacobite Syrian Christian Church 1665 establishments in India Oriental Orthodox organizations established in the 20th century Affiliated institutions of the National Council of Churches in India