The Syro-Malabar Catholic Church is an Eastern Catholic Church based in Kerala, India. It is 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, currently vacant. 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.
Kuriakose Elias Chavara, CMI was an Indian Syro-Malabar Catholic priest, religious, philosopher and social reformer. He is the first canonised Catholic male saint of Indian origin and a member of the Syro-Malabar Church, an Eastern Catholic church. He was the co-founder and first Prior General of the first congregation for men in the Syro-Malabar Church, now known as the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate (CMI), and of a similar one for women, the Congregation of the Mother of Carmel (CMC). He was a pioneer in many fields.
The Syro-Malabar Catholic Archeparchy of Trichur-Palayoor, in Thrissur District of Central Kerala, India, with nearly half a million Syro-Malabar Catholics now, used to be the largest Catholic diocese in India when it included the Syro-Malabar Catholic Diocese of Irinjalakuda until 1978 and Syro-Malabar Catholic Eparchy of Palghat until 1973. Syro-Malabar Catholic Diocese of Irinjalakuda, also located in Thrissur District, has over a quarter million Syro-Malabar Catholics now. Syro-Malabar Catholic Diocese of Palghat in Central Kerala extends to some regions in the neighbouring state of Tamil Nadu. In 2010, the parts of Tamil Nadu under the Syro-Malabar Catholic Diocese of Palghat were separated to form another Syro-Malabar Catholic Diocese of Ramanathapuram.
Aloor is a panchayat in the Chalakudy-Mukundapuram taluk in the Thrissur district of Kerala, India. It is located near the towns of Irinjalakuda and Chalakudi. Since 1901, the name "Aloor" has been simplified to "Alur" by the Cochin State and Central Government departments.
Christ, also known as Christ College (Autonomous), Irinjalakuda, is a government-aided college located in Irinjalakuda, Kerala, India. It stands as a Syro-Malabar Catholic Church educational institution administered by the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate (CMI). Established in 1956 and affiliated with the University of Calicut, it holds the distinction of being the first college in Thrissur district to attain an 'A++' Grade certificate from the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) in 2022.
This is a timeline of the history of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church in India.
The St. Antony's Syro-Malabar Catholic Forane Church is located at Ollur, Thrissur city in Kerala, India. The church belongs to Syro-Malabar Catholic Archdiocese of Thrissur. According to rough figures there are around 4,000 Christian families in the parish. Because of the huge presence of Christian people in Ollur, with its religious, educational, medical, social-service, and secular organisations and institution, Ollur has been called as Chinna Roma. The church is constructed on a hill-top which is the highest location in the area. The church is surrounded by a huge protective compound wall called Elephant Wall. When Thrissur Vicariate Apostolic was erected in 1887, Ollur was the richest, most populous, and influential parish, so much that the Vicar of the Ollur parish were included in Adolph Medlycott's four-member diocesan apex council. St. Anthony's Forane Church has 18 churches under its jurisdiction.
St. Joseph Chapel, Americankettu North West, is in Cheloor, a village in Irinjalakuda, Trichur, Kerala, India, on the coast of the Arabian Sea. The nearest beach is Kakkathuruthi. It has one of the magnificent churches of the Kerala Syro Malabar Catholic community. St. Joseph Chapel, Americankettu North West, is under the governance of Cheloor St. Mary's Church.
Champakulam Kalloorkadu St. Mary's Basilica is an ancient Christian Church in Kerala. It belongs to the Syro-Malabar Church under the Archeparchy of Changanacherry. It is a Forane church, with several parishes under it.
St George's Syro-Malabar Forane Church is a Catholic pilgrimage church in Kulathuvayal, Perambra, Kozhikode, India.
The Congregation of the Mother of Carmel (C.M.C.) is a Syro-Malabar Catholic centralized religious institute of consecrated life of Pontifical Right for women founded in 1866. It was the first native congregation for women in that church.
Little Flower Church, Kaprassery is a Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, in the village of Kaprassery, India. It is dedicated to Saint Thérèse of Lisieux. It is located close to the Cochin International Airport.
The Syro-Malabar Cathedral of St Alphonsa is a Catholic cathedral of the Syro-Malabar rite in Preston, Lancashire. It is the cathedral of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Eparchy of Great Britain, and was previously St Ignatius Church under the Diocese of Lancaster. It is situated close to the Preston city centre, with the entrance on Meadow Street. The building was opened in 1836 and was the first church in Preston to have a spire.
St. Mary's Forane Church, Chalakudy, is one of the 10 Foranes or deaneries under the Syro-Malabar Catholic Eparchy of Irinjalakuda, which was established in 1978 by the bifurcation of Thrissur Diocese. Prior to that, Chalakudy was part of Thrissur diocese, the most ancient Diocese of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church. Thrissur diocese has since been elevated to an archdiocese, Syro-Malabar Catholic Archeparchy of Thrissur, within which comes the Irinjalakuda diocese. There are 16 parishes under the Chalakudy Forane. The people of Chalakudy, mainly in business or service sectors, belong to middle or upper-middle-class families. Chalakudy is one of those areas in Kerala with a high concentration of Christian population, most belonging to the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church.
St. Mary's Forane Church Edoor is one of the oldest churches and a notable Marian pilgrim centre in Kannur district of Kerala. It is near Iritty, the eastern town of Kannur district. This church is the first church in the name of St. Mary under the archdiocese of Thalassery. It is also the largest parish in the archdiocese. It is situated about 6.5 kilometres from the town of Iritty, which is also known as 'The Coorg valley in the God's own country'.
St. George Forane Church Kallody is situated in Mananthavady taluk of Wayanad district. It is one of the important churches and pilgrim centers in the region, in communion with the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church.
The Church of the Our Lady of Perpetual Help, popularly known as Nithyasahaya Matha Palli or Moonjeli Palli is a parish church coming under the Syro-Malabar Catholic Eparchy of Irinjalakuda. It is situated along the Chalakudy - Ashtamichira Road, about 1 km from Chalakudi railway station at a small hamlet by name, Munjeli, in the south Indian state of Kerala. The parish falls under the jurisdiction of St. Mary's Forane, Chalakudy.
St. Joseph Church, Aloor is a parish of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church in Aloor. It was the first parish church in Aloor Muri of the Mukundapuram and Kodassery taluks. Aloor parish is one of the 83 parishes between the Bharathappuzha and Periyar rivers, during the erection of syro-Malabar hierarchy and Trichur Vicariate.
The Syro-Malabar Catholic Eparchy of Hosur-Mylapore is an Eastern Syriac Catholic eparchy headquartered in Tamil Nadu, India, under the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church. It was established by Pope Francis on 10 October 2017, and Mar Sebastian Pozholiparampil was appointed its first bishop. The cathedral is St. Antony's Syro-Malabar Catholic Cathedral Church at Noothenchery and the bishop's chancellory is at St. Thomas Pastoral Centre Ayanavaram.
