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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.
At least 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 East Syrian
language and liturgies and gradually came to
be known as Syrian Christians. |
In the sixteenth
century Roman Catholic missionaries came to Kerala.
They tried to unite the Syrian Christians to the
Roman Catholic Church and this led to a split in the
community. Those who accepted Catholicism are the
present Syro-Malabar Catholics. Later Western
Protestant missionaries came to Kerala and worked
among Syrian Christians; That also created certain
splits in the community.
In the seventeenth century the Church came to a
relationship with the Antiochene Church which again
caused splits. As a result of this relationship the
Church received 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 West 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 Ethiopean Orthodox Churches. The Church
is in good ecumenical relationship with the Eastern
Orthodox, Roman Catholic and Protestant Churches.
At present the Church is having a population over 2
millions with 24 dioceses all over the world.
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