The Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, also known as the Indian Orthodox Church, is an autocephalous church centered in the Indian state of Kerala. It is one of the churches of India's Saint Thomas Christian community, which has its origin in the evangelical activity of Thomas the Apostle in the 1st century. The church is headed by the autocephalous Catholicos of the East and the Malankara Metropolitan, presently Baselios Mar Thoma Paulose II.
The Syro-Malankara Catholic Church also known as the Malankara Syrian Catholic Church is an Eastern Catholic sui iuris particular church in full communion with the Pope and the worldwide Catholic Church, with self-governance under the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches. It is part of the Major Archiepiscopal Churches of the Catholic Church that are not distinguished with a patriarchal title. It is headed by Major Archbishop Cardinal Cleemis Maphrian of the Major Archdiocese of Trivandrum based in Kerala, India. The Church follows the West Syriac Rite liturgy of Saint James, which is also used in the Maronite Church, the Syriac Catholic Church, the Syriac Orthodox Church, and the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church. The Church traces its origins to the evangelistic activity of Thomas the Apostle in the 1st century. It is one of the two Eastern Catholic Churches from India, the other one being the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church which uses the East Syriac Rite liturgy.
Malankara Metropolitan was a legal title given to the head of the Malankara Syrian Church, by the Government of Travancore and Cochin in South India. This title was awarded by a proclamation from the King of Travancore & the King of Cochin.
The Parumala Seminary is a Syrian Christian religious school located in Parumala, Thiruvalla, Pathanamthitta District, Kerala, India. It was established by Pulikkottil Joseph Mar Dionysious II and served as the seat of Metropolitan Geevarghese Mar Gregorios of Niranam diocese, the first Indian to be elevated as a saint by the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church. The administrative annexe in India of the UK, Europe and Africa Malankara Orthodox Diocese, whose headquarters is in London, is in Parumala Seminary.
Mar Dionysius IV born Cheppad Peelipose, was Malankara Metropolitan from 27 August 1825, until he abdicated in 1852.
Mar Thoma VIII was the Metropolitan of the Malankara church in Kerala, India from 1809 to 1816. He was a man of vision. It was during his time Malankara church opened the first formal educational institution, in Kerala. With the opening of Kottayam Suryani Seminary, modern education dawned in Kerala.
Baselios Geevarghese II of the Indian Orthodox Church the Third Catholicos of the East and Malankara Metropolitan, was born to Ulahannan and Naithi of the Kallaserri family in Kurichi, Kottayam India on 16 June 1874.
Saint Geevarghese Mar Dionysius of Vattasseril, born Geevarghese was the Malankara Metropolitan (primate) of the Malankara Orthodox Church. Vattasseril Geevarghese Mar Dionysius is popularly known as "Malankara Sabha Bhasuran", a title which the Church bestowed on him in recognition of his contribution to Malankara Church. Vattasseril Thirumeni was a man of prayer, determination and dynamism. He was the greatest advocate of sovereignty and autonomy of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church.
The Orthodox Theological Seminary also known as Old Seminary or M.D Seminary is a seminary of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church. It was founded in 1815 by Colonel John Munro with the help of the priest-monk Ittoop Ramban(later Mar Dionysius II) to serve the then-unified Malankara Syrian Church and to invite CMS missionaries to teach theology. At that time deacons were ordained as priests without an organized theological education. After the arrival of CMS missionaries, theological education was organized for the priests. It is the first theological school in Kerala.
Mathews Mor Aphrem is a Syriac Orthodox bishop and the Metropolitan of the Perumbavoor region of the Angamali diocese.
Thrikkunathu Seminary is a historic former seminary under the ownership of Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church in the Thrikkunnathu neighborhood of Aluva, Ernakulam. Owing to an ownership dispute between the Indian (Malankara) Orthodox and Jacobite Syrian Christian churches both the seminary and its St. Mary's Church Thrikkunnathu building were closed in December 1977. The church is a pilgrimage site for Christians in India.The ownership of the church was given to the Malankara Orthodox Church after the high court verdict as of 22 January 2018.
Athanasious Paulose popularly known as 'Valiya Thirumeni', was the Metropolitan of the Jacobite Syrian Church for nearly four decades. Valiya Thirumeni was the founder of many spiritual organizations in the church like the Sunday School Association, the Mar Gregorios Students movement, the Brotherhood of St. Antonios and the St. Mary's Sisterhood. Consecrated as Metropolitan for the Angamaly diocese in 1910 by Patriarch Ignatius Abded Aloho II, he became the Malankara Metropolitan of the Malankara Jacobite Syriac Orthodox Church in 1918, until his death on 25 January 1953 at the age of 84.
John Mathews is a New Testament scholar and Metropolitan of the Indian (Malankara) Orthodox Church.
Malankara Syrian Orthodox Theological Seminary (MSOTS) is run by the Malankara Jacobite Syriac Orthodox Church, with an ecumenical outlook. The Malankara Syrian Orthodox Theological Seminary: a venture in union theological training in South India, MSOTS is affiliated to the Senate of Serampore College (University), West Bengal. MSOTS is located in Vettickal, Mulanthuruthy in Ernakulam, Kerala.
Theophilos Kuriakose is a Syriac Orthodox bishop of the Malankara Jacobite Syriac Orthodox Church. As of 2013 he was the resident Metropolitan of the Malankara Syrian Orthodox Theological Seminary, Udayagiri and the Metropolitan of the Malankara dioceses of Germany.
Kollam Diocese is one of the 30 dioceses of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church. The diocese was created after the Mulanthuruthy Synod in 1876. Zachariah Mar Anthonios is the Metropoliton of the diocese. The head office is located in Bishop House, Cross Junction, Kadappakkada, Kollam.
Kottayam Central Diocese is one of the 30 dioceses of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church. The diocese was created in 1982. This diocese is in the direct control of Catholicos of the East. The head office is located in Devalokam Aramana, Kottayam.
Mor Osthathios Pathros is a Syriac Orthodox bishop, currently Metropolitan of Bangalore Diocese. He belongs to the Pulikottil family of Kunnamkulam. He took the initiative in the formation of Coimbatore Christian Ecumenical Fellowship.
Titus Yeldho is a Syriac Orthodox Archbishop, currently the Patriarchal Vicar of the Malankara Archdiocese of the Syriac Orthodox Church in North America. He is the fourth archbishop of the Malankara Archdiocese in North America.
