The Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church (MOSC) also known as the Malankara Church and the Indian Orthodox Church, is an autocephalous church based in Kerala, India. Part of Oriental Orthodoxy, it is one of the oldest Christian communities in Asia. The church serves India's Saint Thomas Christian population. According to tradition, the church originated in the missions of Thomas the Apostle in the 1st century.
The Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, also known as the Malankara Syrian Catholic Church, is an Eastern Catholic, autonomous, particular church, in full communion with the Holy See 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 Baselios Cardinal Cleemis Maphrian of the Major Archdiocese of Trivandrum based in Kerala, India.
Malankara Metropolitan was a legal title given to the head of the Malankara Church Nasrani Christians, by the Government of Travancore and Cochin in South India. This title was awarded by a proclamation from the King of Travancore and the King of Cochin. The Prime jurisdiction regarding the temporal, ecclesiastical and spiritual administration of the Malankara Church is vested in the Malankara Metropolitan, who oversees its faithful from the Apostolic See of Saint Thomas. There are two churches that claim the Throne of St Thomas and hence the title of Malankara Metropolitan. Marthoma Paulos the Second who was affirmed by the Supreme court of India as the Malankara Metropolitan in the verdict pertaining to the asset dispute with the Jacobite Syrian Church. On the other hand, the titles in relation to "Malankara Metropolitan", "Metropolitan of Malabar", "Malankara Syrian Metropolitan", "Mar Thoma Metropolitan" were used by the head of the Mar Thoma Syrian Church since 1894.
Baselios Marthoma Didymus I born C. T. Thomas was the 7th Catholicos of the East since the Catholicate of the East was relocated to India and the 20th Malankara Metropolitan from 2005 to 2010. He was 117th in the lineage of Catholicos of the East in the Apostolic throne of St. Thomas and 7th Catholicate of East.
Moran Mor Baselios Geevarghese II of the Malankara Church .He was the 113th Successor to the Holy Apostolic Throne of St.Thomas and Third Catholicos of the East in Malankara and 16th Malankara Metropolitan, was born to Ulahannan and Naithi of the Kallaserri family in Kurichi, Kottayam India on 16 June 1874.
The Jacobite Syrian Christian Church (JSCC), also known as the Malankara Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church, the Jacobite Syrian Church, or the Syriac Orthodox Church of India, is an autonomous Oriental Orthodox church based in the Indian state of Kerala, and is an integral branch of the Syriac Orthodox Church of Antioch. It recognizes the Syriac Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, Ignatius Aphrem II is Supreme Head of the church. It functions as a largely autonomous unit within the church, under the authority of the Catholicos of India, Thomas I. Currently, this is the only church in Malankara which has a direct relationship with the Syriac Christians of Antioch, which has continued from after the schism and it continues to employ the West Syriac Rite Liturgy of Saint James.
Mor Themotheos Thomas is the Metropolitan of Kottayam Diocese and Secretary to the Holy Episcopal Synod of the Jacobite Syrian Christian Church. Mor Themotheos Thomas was ordained as the Metropolitan of the Outside Kerala Diocese on 3 January 1991 by Mor Baselios Paulose II Catholicos of the East .
Baselios Marthoma Mathews I was the Supreme Primate of Malankara Church, also known as Indian Orthodox Church. He was the 115th successor to the Holy Apostolic Throne of St. Thomas and 5th Catholicos of the East and 18th Malankara Metropolitan.
Saint Geevarghese Mar Dionysius of Vattasseril popularly known as Vattasseril Thirumeni, born Geevarghese was the 15th Malankara Metropolitan (primate) of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church (MOSC) and he was the 110th Successor to the Holy Apostolic Throne of St.Thomas. 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.
Mathews Mor Aphrem is a Syriac Orthodox bishop and the Metropolitan of the Perumbavoor region of the Angamali diocese.
Catholicos Moran Mor Baselios Augen I .He was the 114th successor to the Holy Apostolic Throne and 17 th Malankara Metropolitan and fourth Catholicose of the Malankara Church.
Athanasius Paulose, popularly known as 'Valiya Thirumeni', was the Metropolitan bishop of the Jacobite Syrian Christian Church for nearly four decades. He is now referred to as Saint Athanasius.
Moran Mor Baselios Marthoma Paulose II is the current primate of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church. He was declared the Catholicos of the East on 1 November 2010, succeeding Didymos I. He is 118th in the lineage of catholicos of the east enthroned on the apostolic throne of St. Thomas, and the 21st Malankara Metropolitan.
Yuhanon Mar Diascoros is the metropolitan of Madras Diocese and assistant metropolitan to Kottayam Diocese of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church.
Mathews Mar Barnabas was a Metropolitan of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church.
Mathews Mar Thimothios is the Metropolitan of UK, Europe and Africa Diocese and Assistant Metropolitan of Chenganoor Diocese of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church.
Geevarghese Mar Philoxenos aka Puthencavil Kochu Thirumeni was an administrator, orator and an advocate of Orthodox and the Catholicate of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church of India. He served as Metropolitan of Thumpamon Diocese from 1930 to 1951.
Kottayam Diocese is one of the 30 dioceses of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church. The diocese was created in Mulanthuruthy Synod in 1876.
The Order of St. Thomas is the highest honorary award given by the Indian Orthodox Church and named after St. Thomas the Apostle who founded the Church in India. It is reserved for heads of states and churches and awarded by the Catholicos of the East and Malankara Metropolitan, who is the primate of the Malankara Orthodox Church. The award is usually presented at large public gatherings held at different locations of importance to the Indian Orthodox Church within India.
