The Syro-Malabar Church, also known as the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, is an Eastern Catholic Church based in Kerala, India. It is a sui iuris (autonomous) particular Church in full communion with the Pope and the worldwide Catholic Church, including the Latin Church and the 22 other Eastern Catholic Churches, with self-governance under the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches (CCEO). The Church is headed by the Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar, Raphael Thattil. The Syro-Malabar Synod of Bishops canonically convoked and presided over by the Major Archbishop constitutes the supreme authority of the Church. The Major Archiepiscopal Curia of the Church is based in Kakkanad, Kochi. Syro-Malabar is a prefix reflecting the church's use of the East Syriac Rite liturgy and origins in Malabar. The name has been in usage in official Vatican documents since the nineteenth century.
The Archeparchy of Changanacherry is a Syro-Malabar Catholic archeparchy with an area of 24,595 km2 comprising the districts of Kottayam, Alappuzha, Pathanamthitta, Kollam, and Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala, and also Kanyakumari district in Tamil Nadu. It is one of the largest Catholic dioceses in India in terms of area. Joseph Perumthottam is the current Metropolitan Archbishop, serving since 2007. Thomas Tharayil has been the auxiliary bishop since 2017. Suffragan eparchies of the Changanassery archeparchy includes Palai, Kanjirappally-Nilackal, and Thuckalay-Thiruvithancode.
Joseph Powathil was an Indian prelate of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church. He was the Metropolitan Archbishop of the Archeparchy of Changanassery, serving from 1985 until 2007. He was also the first bishop of Kanjirappally, having served from 1977 to 1985. He served as the President of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI) from 1994 to 1998. Powathil was one of the youngest bishops in India, having been ordained bishop at the age of 41 and Pope Paul VI was his principal consecrator. A scholar in theology, Powathil is known for his stance in matters related to the Syro-Malabar Church's liturgy and restoration of eastern traditions. His stance on the fee structure of self-financing colleges had once become a challenge for state government.
The Major Archeparchy of Ernakulam–Angamaly is the major archeparchy and the see of the Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church. It has been the major archeparchy since 1992 when the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church was elevated to the status of a major archiepiscopal church with Ernakulam-Angamaly as the primatal see. The major archbishop of Ernakulam-Angamaly is the main bishop of the jurisdiction, at the same time the head of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church. The eparchies of Kothamangalam and Idukki are the two suffragan eparchies of the major archeparchy.
Charles Lavigne, S.J. was a Catholic bishop of the Latin Church from France who was appointed as the first Vicar Apostolic in the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church Vicariate of Kottayam on 20 May 1887. After shifting the seat of Kottayam Vicariate to Changanacherry on 16 September 1890, his term ended on 28 July 1896. He later served as the first Bishop of Trincomalee, Sri Lanka from 27 August 1898 until his death at Marvejols in France on 11 July 1913.
Mathew Makil was the second Vicar Apostolic and the first indigenous Vicar Apostolic of the Vicariate of Kottayam (Changanacherry), which is the Syro Malabar Archeparchy of Changanacherry today. Mathew Makil was also the first Vicar Apostolic of the Vicariate of Kottayam, which is the Knanaya Catholic Archeparchy of Kottayam today. In 1896, he became the Vicar Apostolic of the Vicariate of Changanacherry, and in 1911, when a new Vicariate Apostolic of Kottayam was constituted exclusively for the Knanaya Catholics, Mathew Makil was transferred to Kottayam as its first Vicar Apostolic. He died at Kottayam on 26 January 1914 and he was declared as Servant of God on 26 January 2009.
The Syro-Malabar Catholic Archeparchy of Kottayam is a metropolitan Archeparchy of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church in India. The Archeparchy is exclusively for Knanaya faithful who are the descendants of Syriac Judeo-Christians who migrated from South Mesopotamia to Kodungallur (Muziris) in South India in 4th century.
This is a timeline of the history of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church in India.
Mar Joseph Kallarangatt is a is an Indian-born bishop of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church serving as the Bishop of the Eparchy of Palai since 2004 succeeding Mar Joseph Pallikaparampil.
Kurumpanadam Forane Church in Kerala, India is on a hillock about 6 km east of Changanacherry and 800 metres north of Perumpanachy Junction. This area was a part of Changanacherry Parish in ancient days and later from 1835 to 1837 under the jurisdiction of Thuruthi Parish. The Mooppachanmar who had visited Kurumbanadu to select aspirants for priesthood selected Chorikkavungal Zackarias and Mukkattukunnel Thomas from this area. They requested the Catholics of this area to erect a church. Following their request, 93 Catholic families who had inhabited Kurumbanadu erected the first Catholic Church here on 13 June 1837. It had stood on the north of the present church. As the church was not spacious enough, the construction of a new church was started in 1844. Fr. Philipose Chalackal, a parishioner of Thuruthi, was the vicar of Kurumpanadu. The main role in the construction of the new church was played by Fathers Thomas Mukkattukunnel and Zackarias Chorickavunkal.
Holy Family Church Mannila is a Catholic church located in Kottayam district in the Indian state of Kerala, about 10 kilometers away from Changanacherry; the Church is part of the Archdiocese of Changanacherry. It was established in 1927. That year a cross was erected on Mannilakunnu - മാന്നിലക്കുന്ന് by Fr. Karingida Thomma with the help of members of Marthoma Dasa Sangham, a Christian youth organisation. This was the beginning of The Holy Family Church Mannila.
Abraham Kattumana was an Indian Catholic Archbishop. He was the Pontifical Delegate of Syro-Malabar Catholic Church with the powers of the Major Archbishop vested in him by Pope John Paul II. Previously, he had served as apostolic nuncio to Ghana, Benin, and Togo. He was a Vatican diplomat and served at the Nunciatures in Indonesia, Uruguay, Iraq, New Zealand and Great Britain.
George Alencherry is the Major Archbishop Emeritus of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church after serving in the postion from 2011 to 2023. He is also a cardinal of the Catholic Church.
Raphael Thattil is an Indian prelate of the Catholic Church who serves as the Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Church, the second largest Eastern Catholic Church and as the Metropolitan Archbishop of Ernakulam-Angamaly since January 2024.
Remigiose Inchananiyil is a Syro-Malabar Catholic bishop. He is the fourth Bishop of the Diocese of Thamarassery.
Mar Mathew Arackal is a bishop of the Syro Malabar Catholic Church and an active champion in issues of the environment and society. He served as Head of the Eparchy of Kanjirappally from 9 February 2001 to 2 February 2020. He was also the Chairman of the Syro-Malabar Church Commission for the Laity.
Mar Thomas Tharayil( born 2 February 1972) is the auxiliary bishop of Syro-Malabar Archeparchy of Changanacherry. He was conferred as the auxiliary bishop by Mar Joseph Perumthottam on 23 April 2017.
Mar Jose Kalluvelil is an Indian prelate of the Catholic Church; he was serving as the first bishop of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Eparchy of Mississauga.
Mar Thomas Padiyath is an Indian-born bishop of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church in the India. He is currently one of the Auxiliary Bishops of Eparchy of Shamshabad.
Gheevarghese Mar Aprem is the Auxiliary bishop of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Archeparchy of Kottayam. He was elected by the synod of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church as the Auxiliary Bishop on August 29, 2020.
