Brief History of the Church
The Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church was founded by St.Thomas, one of the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ who came to India in A.D. 52.
Atleast from the fourth century, the Indian Church entered into a close relationship with the Persian or East Syrian Church. From the Persians, the Indians inherited the East Syrian Language and liturgies and gradually came to be known as Syrian Christians.
Later in the seventeenth century the Church came into a relationship with the Antiochene Church. As a result of this relationship the Church received the West Syrian liturgies and practices.
The Church entered into a new phase of its history by the establishment of the Catholicate in 1912.
At present the Church is using the Western Syrian liturgy. The Faith of the Church is that which was established by the three ecumenical councils of Nicea(A.D.325), Constantinople(A.D.381) and Ephesus(A.D.431). The Church is in communion with the other Oriental Orthodox Churches namely, Antiochene, Alexandrian, Armenian and Ethiopian Orthodox Churches.
The Church is in good ecumenical relationships with the Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholic and Protestant Churches.
At present the Church is having a population of over 2 million with 21 dioceses all over the world.
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