Syro-Malankara Catholic Church

Malankara Syrian Catholic Church

Founder
St. Thomas the Apostle (AD 52) Archbishop Mar Ivanios (1930) Current Head: Baselios Cleemis
Regions with significant populations
India	500,000
United States	10,000
United Arab Emirates	5,000
Canada	2,000
Australia	2,000
Germany	5,000
United Kingdom	2,000
Saudi Arabia	5,000
Oman	2,000
Qatar	1,000
Kuwait	2,000
Ireland	1,000
Religions
Christianity
Scriptures
Bible (based on the Syriac Peshitta)
Languages
Vernacular: Malayalam, Tamil, English, German Liturgical: Syriac, Malayalam, Tamil, English, Hindi

The Syro-Malankara Catholic Church (also known as Malankara Syrian Catholic Church, Malankara Syriac Catholic Church; Malayalam: സീറോ മലങ്കര കത്തോലിക്കാ സഭ) is an Eastern Catholic Church in full communion with the Holy See. It has a total membership of around 500,000.

The Church is one of the Saint Thomas Christian churches centered in Kerala, India, which trace their origin to the evangelism of Saint Thomas the Apostle in the 1st century. It is one of two Saint Thomas Christian churches in the Catholic communion, the other being the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church. Among the Eastern Catholic Churches, the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church is a Major Archiepiscopal Church, headed by Major Archbishop Baselios Cleemis (Thottunkal), who was elected in 2007. In Malankara tradition, the head of church is addressed as Moran Mor Baselios Cleemis Catholica Bava.

The liturgy of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church is of the Antiochene Rite, West Syrian in character. The liturgy today is celebrated in Malayalam, Syriac, English, Tamil, and Hindi.

The church was established in 1930 when it split from the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, an Oriental Orthodox (Monophysite) church, and subsequently entered into communion with Rome. The Malankara Church itself had emerged out of the split within the Saint Thomas Christian community of the 16th century; previously the entire community had comprised a province of the Church of the East, or the Nestorian Church, based in Persia. However, the collapse of that church and influence from the Portuguese, who tried to bring them under the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church, led to a rift in the community. Eventually, the majority entered into communion with Rome as the Eastern Catholic Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, while the rest formed the Malankara Church and aligned with the Syrian Orthodox Church.

This latter group became gradually closer to the Syrian Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch, leading to a series of splits concerning the extent to which the Patriarch would be given authority; the faction giving the Patriarch full administrative powers became the Malankara Jacobite Syrian Church.Taking only five members of his church with him, Mar Ivanios had founded the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, on 20 September 1930.

Official name of the church

The official name of the church is the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church. In Malayalam, the church name translates to Syro-Malankara Catholica Sabha or Malankara Suriani Catholica Sabha. Another name that can be associated with the church is Malankara Syrian Catholic Church of India.

The slang "Reeth" is used in a colloqial way in Malayalam to refer to the church or its members by others (especially by other St.Thomas Syriac Christians).

History

Main article: History of the Saint Thomas Christians

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Background
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Thomas the Apostle is credited by tradition for founding the Indian Church in 52 A.D.^[1] This Nasrani faith had many similarities to Judaism, and, owing to the heritage of the Nasrani people, developed contacts with the non-Chalcedonian religious authorities of Edessa, Mesopotamia.

The local church maintained its autonomous character under its local leader. When the Portuguese established themselves in India in the 16th Century, they found the Church in Kerala as an administratively independent community. Following the arrival of Vasco de Gama in 1498, the Portuguese came to South India and established their political power there. They brought missionaries to carry out evangelistic work in order to establish churches in communion with Rome under the Portuguese patronage. These missionaries were eager to bring the Indian Church under the Pope's control. They succeeded in their efforts in 1599 with the `Synod of Diamper'.The representatives of various parishes who attended the assembly were forced by Portuguese authorities to accept the Papal authority.

Following the synod, the Indian Church was governed by Portuguese prelates. They were generally unwilling to respect the integrity of the local church. This resulted in disaffection which led to a general revolt in 1653 known as "The Coonan Cross Oath". This demanded administrative autonomy for the local church. Since it had no bishop, it faced serious difficulties.

It appealed to several eastern Christian churches for help. The Antiochene Syrian Patriarch responded and sent metropolitan Mar Gregorios of Jerusalem to India in 1665. He confirmed Marthoma I as the bishop and worked together with him to organize the Church.

Modern times

It was in this contentious context that Patriarch Mar Abdulla came to Malankara, and excommunicated Geevarghese Mar Dionysius of Vattasseril in the year 1911. Fr. P.T. Geevarghese (later Archbishop Mar Ivanios) played a vital role in reinstating the position of the excommunicated Metropolitan, and in regaining the self-governance of the Malankara Church. To ward off the undue interference of Patriarch Abdulla in the administration of the temporalities of the Church, Fr. P.T. Geevarghese with the blessing of Geevarghese Mar Dionysius of Vattasseril contacted Abded M’siha, the Patriarch of Antioch from whom Mar Abdulla usurped the Patriarchal See of Antioch, and invited him to visit Malankara and to establish a Catholicate here. Accordingly, Abded M’siha came to Malankara in 1912 and established the Malankara Catholicate. This created a split in the church:

• the faction resisting the Patriarch's administrative interference became the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, an autocephalous Church under its head the Catholicos.
• the faction supporting the Patriarch's administrative interference became the Malankara Jacobite Syrian Church

Baselios Paulose I (1912–1913), the first Catholicos, died after a short period of five months on 13 May 1913. After his demise, the See remained vacant until 1925. That was a period of litigation in the Malankara Church, and also a period of spiritual renewal. The litigation for Vattippanam (a fixed deposit of money in the name of the Church) and its after-effects in the community was at its zenith.

The establishment of Bethany Ashram

The Order of the Imitation of Christ also called Bethany Ashram was established in 1919. The first Ashram was erected at Mundanmala of Ranni Perunad. In 1925 was founded: the community of the Sanyasins, the Sisters of the Imitation of Christ also called Bethany Madhom. In 1925, the Episcopal Synod installed Baselios Geevarghese I as Catholicos. The Catholicos then consecrated Fr. P. T. Geevarghese under the name Geevargese Mar Ivanios as the Bishop of Bethany.

The First Malankara Catholic Ashram at Thirumoolapuram, Kerala

On 1 November 1926, the Episcopal Synod held at Parumala, re-opened negotiations with Rome for communion with the Catholic Church. The Synod authorised Mar Ivanios, the then Bishop of Bethany, to mafgjgjke necessary correspondence with Rome regarding communion.

The second Catholicos died on 17 December 1928. Baselios Geevarghese I succeeded him as the third Catholicos. On the day following his installation, he consecrated Mar Theophilos of Bethany and Mar Gregorios of Pampady as Bishops.

In the meantime^[when?], the civil court’s decision on the litigation for the Vattipanam endowment was declared in favour of the Malankara Orthodox Church.

Ecclesial communion

After prolonged negotiations, the plenary session of the Sacred Congregation for the Oriental Churches, which met on 4 July 1930, took the final decision on the issue of the communion of the Malankara Church. But only Mar Ivanios the Metropolitan of Bethany and his suffragan Mar Theophilos stood by the early decision of the Synod. Mar Ivanios and Jacob Mar Theophilos along with Rev. Fr. John Kuzhinapurath OIC, Deacon Alexander OIC and Mr. Chacko Kilileth made their profession of faith before Bishop Benziger OCD of the Diocese of Quilon and entered into full communion with the Catholic Church on 20 September 1930.

Relationship of the Nasrani groups

Metropolitan Archbishop Geevarghese Mar Ivanios

Pope Pius XI, through the Apostolic Constitution Christo Pastorum Principi of 11 June 1932, established the Syro-Malankara Hierarchy for the reunited community and erected the Archiparchy of Trivandrum with the Eparchy of Tiruvalla as its suffragan. The Metropolitan Eparchy of Trivandrum was established in 1933. Ivanios was enthroned as its first Metropolitan Archbishop. The Eparchy of Tiruvalla was established in 1933. Jacob Theophilos was enthroned as its first Bishop.

The Five Pillars of 1930 Reunion Event: Metropolitan Archbishop Mar Ivanios, Bishop Jacob Mar Theophilos, Fr. John Kuzhinapurath OIC, Dn. Alexander OIC, Mr. Chacko Kilileth

In 1937, Joseph Mar Severios of the Orthodox Church reunited with the Catholic Church.^{[citation needed]} In 1939, Thomas Mar Dioscoros, the Metropolitan of the Knanaya Jacobite Church, reunited with the Catholic Church.^{[citation needed]}

In 1938, the missionary congregation of the Daughters of Mary was founded at Marthandom in Kanyakumari District.

Bishop Dioscoros died in 1943.

Ivanios consecrated Benedict Gregorios as his Auxiliary Bishop in 1953. Ivanios died on 15 July 1953.

The Eparchy of Tiruvalla was led by Jacob Theophilos and Joseph Severios. Severios was the Administrator of the Eparchy until 1950 due to the ill health of Theophilos. In 1950 he was appointed as the Bishop of Tiruvalla. He was also invested with the title ‘Archbishop’. He died on 18 January 1955.

Metropolitan Archbishop Benedict Mar Gregorios

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In 1955 Metropolitan Archbishop Benedict Mar Gregorios was enthroned as the Metropolitan Archbishop of Trivandrum and the Head of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church.^{[citation needed]}

The Holy See appointed Zacharias Athanasios as successor to Severios, whose consecration took place in 1954. Jacob Mar Theophilos died in 1956.

Fr. Francis Acharya, a Cistercian Monk came to the Eparchy of Tiruvalla. In the year 1957 he founded the Kristiya Sanyasa Samaj, Kurisumala Ashram in the high ranges of Vagamon.

In 1958 the territorial boundaries of the Eparchy of Tiruvalla was extended north to include the Malabar region of Kerala, the civil districts of Coimbatore and Nilgiris and Karoor Taluk in Tiruchirappally District of Tamil Nadu and districts of Mysore, Mandya, Coorg, Hasan, Chickamangalore, Shimoga and South Kanara of Karnataka State.

Athanasios died in 1977.

Paulos Philoxenos, the Metropolitan of the Malabar Independent Syrian Church, was received into the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church on 28 August 1977.

The appointment of Isaac Yoohanon as Bishop of Tiruvalla and erection of the Eparchy of Bathery with the appointment of Cyril Mar Baselios as its first Bishop through the decree of the Holy See took place in 1978. Both prelates were consecrated that year.

The Eparchy of Bathery was officially inaugurated in 1978. In 1979 the Eparchial contemplative monastery, Dhyana Ashram, was founded in the Eparchy of Bathery by Fr. Silvester Kozhimannil.

Lawrence Ephrem was consecrated Bishop in 1980. Wladyslaw Rubin, the then Cardinal Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, was the Papal Delegate for the Jubilee. Other eminent participants included Maximos V, the Patriarch of Antioch and all the East of Alexandria and Jerusalem, Luciano Storero, the then Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to India and Mother Teresa of Calcutta.

Malankara Catholics within India but outside the canonical territorial boundaries of the Church were first organized as Malankara Catholic Associations, and later came to be erected as personal parish communities. A coordinator was appointed to oversee them, by the Council of Hierarchs of the Malankara Catholic Church.^{[citation needed]}

St. Mary’s Malankara Major Seminary, the first local seminary, was inaugurated at Pattom in 1983 and the new building was blessed at Nalanchira, Trivandrum was blessed in 1989.

Pope John Paul II visited on 8 February 1986 at St. Mary's Cathedral, Pattom, Trivandrum.

On 28 April 1987, Mar Yoohanon, the Bishop of Tiruvalla died.

Cardinal Lourdusamy, the then Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, visited the Malankara Catholic Church in August 1987.

Geevarghese Timotheos succeeded Yoohanon as the Bishop of Tiruvalla. He was consecrated Bishop in 1988.

Metropolitan-Archbishop Gregorios died in 1994 after serving 41 years.

Major Archbishop Moran Mor Cyril Baselios Catholicos

Cyril Mar Baselios, the Bishop of Bathery having been appointed by Pope John Paul II, was enthroned as Metropolitan Archbishop of Trivandrum and as the head of the Malankara Church on 14 December 1995. Geevarghese Mar Divannasios was consecrated Bishop of Bathery in the place of Cyril Mar Baselios on 5 February 1996. Achille Silvestrini, Cardinal Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, visited the Malankara Catholic Church on 11, 12, 13 February 1996. On the request of Cyril Mar Baselios, by an Apostolic Bull dated 16 December 1996, Pope John Paul II erected the Eparchy of Marthandom bifurcating the Metropolitan Eparchy of Trivandrum. Lawrence Mar Ephrem was appointed as its first Bishop. He died after a few months of his enthronement as Bishop of Marthandom, on 8 April 1997.

In the meantime the Eparchy of Tiruvalla was blessed with an Auxiliary Bishop in the person of Thomas Mar Koorilos who was consecrated Bishop on 17 July 1997. On 29 June 1998 Yoohanon Mar Chrysostom was consecrated as the Bishop of Marthandom and Joshua Mar Ignathios as the Auxiliary Bishop for the Metropolitan Eparchy of Trivandrum. Paulos Mar Philoxenos passed away on 3 November 1998.

Christu Jayanthi Maha Jubilee and the Sapthathy of the Re-union Movement of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church were celebrated jointly at Tiruvalla on 26, 27, 28 December 2000. The Patriarch-Emeritus of Syrian Catholic Church, Cardinal Ignace Moussa (Daoud), Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches was the Papal Delegate for the Celebration.

A significant development in this period has been the establishment of parishes for the faithful of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church in the United States of America. Pope John Paul II nominated the Proto-Syncellus of Bathery Isaac Thottunkal, as Apostolic Visitor and the Auxiliary Bishop of Trivandrum on 18 June 2001 for the Syro-Malankarites residing in North America and Europe. He was consecrated on 15 August 2001 at Tirumoolapuram, (Tiruvalla) and he assumed the name Isaac Mar Cleemis.

Bifurcating the Eparchy of Tiruvalla, the Eparchy of Muvattupuzha was erected on 15 January 2003 and Thomas Mar Koorilos was appointed as its first Bishop.

Mar Baselios College of Engineering and Malankara Seminary as seen from Mar Ivanios Tower

On 29 March 2003 Bishop Mar Timotheos gave resignation to the Holy See due to superannuation and the Holy See appointed Isaac Mar Cleemis, the Apostolic Visitor to Europe and America, as the Bishop of Tiruvalla. Mar Cleemis took charge of the Diocese on 2 October 2003. On January 5, 2005 Joseph Mar Thomas was appointed as the Auxiliary Bishop of Trivandrum and Apostolic Visitor to North America and Europe.

On February 10, 2005, the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church was raised to the status of a Major Archiepiscopal Church on that day by the papal document Ab ipso Sancto Thoma. and As a major archiepiscopal church, the Syro-Malankaras possess the greatest level of autonomy under the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches, governed by the Major Archbishop and the general synod of all bishops of the church, subject to papal oversight.

Pedro Lopez Quintana, the Apostolic Nuncio in India read the official declaration at St. Mary's Cathedral, Pattom, Trivandrum. The Hierarchical Head of the Church was elevated as Major Archbishop who exercises patriarchal powers and governs the Church assisted by the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Church. The Major Archbishop also assumed the title “Catholicos” according to the Antiochene-Malankara tradition.

On 19 February 2005, Joseph Mar Thomas was consecrated as the Auxiliary Bishop of Trivandrum and the Apostolic Visitor to North America and Europe. On 11 April 2005 the Faculty of Theology of St. Mary’s Malankara Major Seminary got affiliated to the Pontifical Urbaniana University, Rome.

The enthronement of the Major Archbishop as the Father and Head of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church on 14 May 2005 was officiated by the Patriarch-Emeritus of the Syrian Catholics Ignatius I Daoud, Cardinal Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches. Pedro Lopez Quintana, the Apostolic Nuncio of the Pope in India, was present at the enthronement ceremony. The Malankara Major Archiepiscopal Curia (Catholicate Centre) started functioning at the St. Mary's Campus, Pattom, Trivandrum. On 20 May 2005, the Catholicos Cyril Baselios blessed the Curia building. The Catholicos soon constituted the Holy Episcopal Synod. The first Synod of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church was convened from 16 to 18 August 2005 at the Major Archiepiscopal Curia, Trivandrum.

The first Holy Episcopal Synod constituted the Permanent Synod and the various Synodal Commissions headed by Bishops to take care of various Apostolates of the Church. The official bulletin, MALANKARA, is published from the Major Archiepiscopal Curia, to communicate the Synodal acts and voice of the Syro-Malankara Major Archiepiscopal Church.

The Platinum Jubilee of the Reunion Movement and the Year of the Eucharist were celebrated jointly at Mar Ivanios Nagar, Punnamoodu, Mavelikara on 19, 20, 21 September 2005. Pedro Lopez Quintana, the Apostolic Nuncio of the Pope in India, Shri Bhaironsingh Shekhawat, the Vice-President of India, and Sri Oommen Chandy, the Chief Minister of Kerala, participated in the celebrations.

By the decrees of the Major Archbishop the Metropolitan Province of Tiruvalla with the Eparchies of Bathery and Muvattupuzha as suffragans, was established on 15 May 2006 and Isaac Mar Cleemis was appointed as the Metropolitan Archbishop of Tiruvalla. On 10 June 2006 Isaac Mar Cleemis was enthroned as the first Metropolitan-Archbishop of Tiruvalla.

By the decree of the Major Archbishop, on 1 January 2007, the new Eparchy of Mavelikara was erected and Joshua Mar Ignathios, the Auxiliary Bishop and protosyncellus of the Major Archdiocese of Trivandrum, was appointed as its first Bishop.

The Second Ordinary Holy Episcopal Synod was convoked on 6–7 December 2006 and it was decided to revive the ministerial titles of Ramban and Corepiscopo which were in vogue in the Church and to honour a few priests for their meritorious service in the Church. Isaac Mar Cleemis, the Metropolitan Archbishop of Tiruvalla, conferred the consecrations on Saturday, 13 January 2007 on three priests at St. John’s Cathedral, Tiruvalla and Cyril Baselios Catholicos conferred these consecrations on priests on 17 Wednesday, 2007 at St. Mary's Cathedral, Pattom, Trivandrum.

On Thursday, 18 January 2007 Cyril Baselios, the first Major Archbishop of the Syro- Malankara Catholic Church died. The Catholicos was entombed by the side of his great predecessors at St. Mary's Cathedral, Pattom, Trivandrum on 20 January 2007.

Major Archbishop Moran Mor Baselios Cleemis Catholicos

Isaac Mar Cleemis was elected the Second Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church through the first Episcopal Synod of election of the Syro Malankara Catholic Church convoked on 7–10 February 2007 at Catholicate Centre, Pattom, Trivandrum. Pope Benedict XVI confirmed the election on 9 February and it was announced on 10 February at St. Mary's Cathedral, Pattom, Trivandrum.

Holy Qurbono in Syro-Malankara Rite

The installation of Aboon Mor Joshua Ignathios was held on 16 February 2007 at Mavelikara and Aboon Geevarghese Mar Divannasios, the Administrator of The Malankara Catholic Major Archiepiscopal Church presided over the installation ceremony. The new eparchy has a 30,825 Syro-Malankara Catholic faithful of a total population of 2,998,325 inhabitants. Of this 269,849 are Malankara non-Catholics and 598,824 Christians of other denominations.

On 7 February 2007, Pope Benedict XVI appointed Fr. Chacko Aerath OIC as the Apostolic Visitor with Episcopal status for the Malankara Catholic faithful residing in the Extraterritorial Regions of the Church within India.^{[citation needed]}

Baselios Cleemis was enthroned the Second Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church on 5 March 2007 at St. Mary's Cathedral, Pattom, Trivandrum. His installation service was officiated by Geevarghese Mar Divannasios, the Synodal Administrator of the Church. Ecclesiastical and political attendess included Mar Varkey [Cardinal] Vithayathil (Major Archbishop of Syro-Malabar Church), Cardinal Telesphore Toppo (the President of the CBCI), and Sri. V. S. Achuthanandan (the Chief Minister of Kerala).

On Monday, 26 March 2007 the Aboon Thomas Mar Koorilos was appointed the Second Metropolitan Archbishop of the Archieparchy of Tiruvalla. His installation Ceremony was held on Wednesday, 2 May 2007 at St.John’s Cathedral, Tiruvalla. Catholicos Cleemis was the main celebrant.

Baselios Cleemis Catholicos visited Pope Benedict XVI on 28 May 2007 at Vatican and received ecclesiastical Communion. The Congregation for the Oriental Churches in Rome gave him a reception on his first visit to the Holy See.

On Saturday, 14 July 2007 Baselios Cleemis declared Archbishop Mar Ivanios as a Servant of God.

As per the provisions of CCEO can. 1063 the Ordinary Tribunal of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church was constituted on November 15, 2007.

Aboon Dr. Abraham Mar Julios was consecrated Bishop of the Eparchy of Moovattupuzha by Baselios Cleemis on 9 February 2008 at Moovattupuzha.

Baselios Cleemis blessed the newly built Tomb Chapel of Servant of God Mar Ivanios in St. Mary's Cathedral, Pattom, Trivandrum on 1 July 2008.

Cardinal Leonardo Sandri at St. Mary's Cathedral, Pattom, Trivandrum

Leonardo Sandri, Cardinal Prefect of Congregation for the Oriental Churches visited the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church on November 10, 2008. Concelebrated Holy Mass in the Malankara Rite was followed. Major Archbishop Baselios Cleemis was the main celebrant. In the following meeting Cardinal Sandri declared the Queen of Peace Pro-Cathedral at Palayam, Trivandrum as Basilica. Major Archbishop Baselios Cleemis dedicated St. Mary, Queen of Peace Basilica on December 7, 2008.

Baselios Cleemis Catholicos, the Major Archbishop with the consent of the Holy Episcopal Synod of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church and having consulted the Apostolic See of Rome, has created two new Eparchies in the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church. They are Pathanamthitta in Kerala and Puthur in the State of Karnataka. Having been elected by the Holy Episcopal Synod, he appointed four new bishops, with the approval of Pope Benedict XVI. He announced the transfer of Bishop Yoohanon Mar Chrysostom, the present Bishop of Marthandom to the new See of Pathanamthitta and Bishop Geevarghese Mar Divannasios from the See of Bathery to the new See of Puthur. Most Rev. Joseph Mar Thomas, the Apostolic Visitator to North America and Europe is appointed Bishop of Bathery. To the See of Marthandom, falling vacant due the transfer of its present Bishop is appointed Very Rev. Dr. Vincent Kulapuravilai, the Professor and Registrar of St. Mary's Malankara Seminary Trivandrum. Very Rev. Dr. Samuel Kattukallil, the Syncellus of the Major Archeparchy of Trivandrum and Very Rev. Dr. Stephen Thottathil, Dean of the Faculty of Theology of St. Mary's Malankara Seminary are appointed Auxiliary Bishops of the Major Archeparchy of Trivandrum and the Archieparchy of Tiruvalla respectively. Very Rev. Dr. Antony Valiyavilayil OIC, the Postulator of the Cause of Canonisation of Servant of God Archbishop Mar Ivanios and the Chancellor of the Major Archiepiscopal Curia is appointed the Bishop of the Curia. The announcement was simultaneously made in Rome at 12 noon local time and in Trivandrum, the headquarters of the Syro-Malankara Church and at other Eparchial centres at 4.30 p.m. IST on January 25, 2010. In Trivandrum Moran Mor Baselios Cleemis Catholicos made the announcement at St. Mary's Cathedral in the presence of Bishops and a large number of Priests, Religious and Faithful of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church. The Bishops of the Church invested the Bishops Designates with Episcopal insignia and congratulated them. ^[2]

The Episcopal Ordination of Bishops Vincent Mar Paulos, Samuel Mar Irenios, Philipose Mar Stephanos and Thomas Mar Anthonios took place at Mar Ivanios Vidya Nagar in Trivandrum on March 13, 2010

The Public Meeting after the Episcopal Ordination on March 13, 2010

Dr. Thomas Naickamparampil was appointed as the first Exarch of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Exarchate in the United States by Pope Benedict XVI on 14 July 2010.He was ordained bishop and received the name Aboon Thomas Mor Eusebius on 21 September 2010 at St. Mary's Malankara Syrian Catholic Cathedral, Trivandrum and his installation ceremony was on October 3, 2010 at Kellenberg Memorial High School, Uniondale, New York

In the course of the growth and development of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, besides the canonical institutions, various associations such as the Malankara Catholic Youth Movement (MCYM), the Malankara Catholic Association (MCA), the Legion of Mary, Matruvedi, Pithruvedi, and other pious associations have emerged.

The Syro-Malankara Catholic Church engages itself in humanitarian activities. One example of such services is Thapovanam, Shelter of Hope, Sulthan Bathery, a centre for the rehabilitation of the mentally ill persons.

Syro-Malankara Catholics in Ireland with His Excellency Most Rev.Dr.Joshua Mar Ignathius. ( Mavelikara Diocese Bishop / KCBC President)

Eparchies

• Major Archeparchy of Trivandrum
  • Eparchy of Marthandom
  • Eparchy of Mavelikara
  • Eparchy of Pathanamthitta
  • Exarchate of United States
• Archieparchy of Tiruvalla
  • Eparchy of Bathery
  • Eparchy of Muvattupuzha
  • Eparchy of Puthur
  • MCC Extra Territorial Regions [1]

Statistics

According to the Pontifical yearbook Annuario Pontificio for 2010, the Syro-Malankara Church has approximately 420,081 members.^[3][4]

Dioceses	members	Bishops	parishes	diocesan priests	religious priests	men religious	women religious	seminarians
Archeparchy of Trivandrum	252 000	2	147	189	42	118	617	77
Eparchy of Marthandom	64,636	1	79	33	8	14	218	29
Eparchy of Mavelikara	25,212	1	95	47	8	10	141	23
Archeparchy of Tiruvalla	37,793	2	133	107	25	54	290	35
Eparchy of Battery	27,800	1	121	72	14	14	259	3
Eparchy of Muvattupuzha	12,640	1	66	40	2	23	92	18
Eparchy of Puttur	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA
Exarchy of United States	NA	1	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA	4	TOTAL	420,081	9	641	488	99	233	1617	211

Hierarchs

The Malankara Syrian Catholic Church has 15 Hierarchs:

Hierarchs Diocese Cathedral / Location Pope Benedict XVI Bishop of Rome & Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church St. John Lateran Basilica / Vatican City, Rome, Italy Moran Mor Baselios Cleemis Major Archbishop-Catholicos of the Syro-Malankara Church St. Mary's Syro Malankara Catholic Cathedral / Pattom, Trivandrum, Kerala, India Aboon Thomas Mor Koorilos Metropolitan Archbishop of Tiruvalla St. John's Syro Malankara Catholic Cathedral / Tiruvalla, Kerala, India Aboon Joseph Mor Thomas Metropolitan of Bathery St. Thomas Syro Malankara Catholic Cathedral / Sulthan Bathery, Kerala, India Aboon Vincent Mor Paulose Metropolitan of Marthandom Christuraja Syro Malankara Catholic Catheddral / Marthandam, Tamil Nadu, India Aboon Abraham Mor Julios Metropolitan of Muvattupuzha St. Mary's Syro Malankara Catholic Cathedral / Vazhappilly, Mudavoor, Muvattupuzha, Kerala, India Aboon Joshua Mor Ignathios Metropolitan of Mavelikkara St.Mary's Syro Malankara Catholic Cathedral / Punnamoodu, Mavelikkara, Kerala, India Aboon Yoohanon Mor Chrysostom Metropolitan of Pathanamthitta St. Peter's Syro Malankara Catholic Cathedral / Pathanamthitta, Kerala, India Aboon Geevarghese Mor Divannasios Metropolitan of Puthur St. Joseph’s Syro Malankara Catholic Cathedral / Puthur, Karnataka, India Aboon Geevarghese Mor Timotheos Metropolitan Emeritus of Tiruvalla Emeritus of St. John's Syro Malankara Catholic Cathedral / Tiruvalla, Kerala, India Aboon Thomas Mor Eusebius Exarch of the United States St. John Chrysostom Syro Malankara Catholic Pro-Cathedral / New Hyde Park, Long Island – New York, USA Aboon Jacob Mor Barnabas Apostolic Visitor to North India Mar Ivanios Bhavan Syro Malankara Catholic Center / New Delhi, India Aboon Samuel Mor Irenios Auxiliary Bishop of Trivandrum St. Mary's Syro Malankara Catholic Cathedral / Trivandrum, Kerala, India Aboon Philipose Mor Stephanos Auxiliary Bishop of Tiruvalla St. John's Syro Malankara Catholic Cathedral / Tiruvalla, Kerala, India Aboon Thomas Mor Anthonios Bishop of the Major Archiepiscopal Curia Catholicate Centre / Trivandrum, Kerala, India

The Syro-Malankara Catholic Church in North India

There are 39 Syro-Malankara communities in North India, including churches at Banglore, Chennai, Delhi, Mumbai, Pune and Hyderabad. Aboon Mar Jacob Barnabas is Apostolic Visitor for Syro-Malankara Catholics in North India.

The Church around the world

United States of America

Main article: Syro-Malankara Catholic Exarchate in the United States

In July 2010, Pope Benedict XVI erected an apostolic exarchate for Syro-Malankara Catholics in the United States of America, and appointed Father Thomas Naickamparampil, then head secretary general of the major archiepiscopate of the Syro-Malankara Church, as first apostolic exarch of the new exarchate. The bishop-elect was ordained to the episcopacy on 21 September 2010 at St. Mary's Malankara Syrian Catholic Cathedral, Pattom receiving the name "Aboon Thomas Mor Eusebius" and the Enthronement Ceremony in the United States was held on October 3, 2010 at Kellenberg High School, Uniondale, New York.^[5]

Canada and Europe

In July 2010 Pope Benedict XVI also appointed Aboon Thomas Mor Eusebius as Apostolic Visitor for Syro-Malankara Catholics in Canada and Europe, alongside his primary work as Apostolic Exarch of the above-mentioned newly created Syro-Malankara exarchate in the U.S.^[5] There are Syro-Malankara parishes and communities in Canada, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.

Middle East

Thirteen Syro-Malankara communities are present in Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. Because the parishes have not yet been organized as a Syro-Malankara ecclesiastical jurisdiction, they are under the direct supervision of the Roman Catholic Vicariate Apostolic of Arabia.^[6]

Religious orders

• Order of the Imitation of Christ, Bethany Ashram
• Order of the Friars Minor Capuchin
• Kristiya Sanyasa Samaj, Kurisumala Ashram
• Franciscan Missionary Brothers
• Malabar Missionary Brothers
• Disciples of Divine Saviour
• Dhyana Ashram
• Chyalpadi Ashram
• Santhi Ashram
• Sisters of the Imitation of Christ, Bethany Madhom
• Daughters of Mary
• Holy Spirit Sisters
• Congregation of the Sacred Heart
• Dina Sevana Sabha
• Sisters of the Charity of St. Vincent de Paul
• Snehagiri Missionary Sisters
• Little Sisters of Jesus
• Sisters of John the Baptist
• Salesian Sisters
• Baselian sisters
• Franciscan Missionaries of Mary
• Adoration monastery of Mount Thabor
• Gathsemene Samarpitha Satsangham
• Little Servants of Divine Providence
• Sisters of Charity
• Fervent Daughters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Seminaries

• St. Mary’s Malankara Major Seminary, Trivandrum
• Bethany Vedavijnana Peetham, Pune
• St. Aloysius Seminary, Trivandrum
• Infant Mary's Minor Seminary, Thiruvalla
• St. Thomas Minor Seminary, Gurukulam, Bathery
• St. Ephraem's Minor Seminary, Marthandom
• Gurusannidhi Minor Seminary, Muvattupuzha
• Mar Ivanios Minor Seminary, Mavelikkara
• Mar Gregorios Malankara Syrian Catholic Seminary, New York

Colleges

The Malankara Catholic Educational Society manages various ecclesiastical, charitable, and educational institutions. His Beatitude Moran Mor Baselios Cleemis Catholicos is the President and His Excellency Most Rev Dr Samuel Mar Irenios is the Vice Chairman of Malankara Catholic Educational Society.

• Mar Ivanios College, Trivandrum
• St. John's College, Anchal
• Mar Theophilos Taining College, Trivandrum
• Mar Gregorios College of Arts and Science, Chennai
• Mar Baselios College of Engineering and Technology, Trivandrum
• Mar Baselios Institute of Technology, Anchal
• St. Ephrem Ecumenical Research Institute, Kottayam
• Pushpagiri Medical College, Thiruvalla
• Pushpagiri College of Pharamacy, Thiruvalla
• Pushpagiri College of Nursing, Thiruvalla
• Pushpagiri College of Dental Sciences, Thiruvalla
• Mar Athanasios College for Advanced Studies, Tiruvalla
• Mar Severios College of Teacher Education, Chengaroor, Thiruvalla
• St. Joseph's College of Information Technology and Management, Thiruvalla
• St. John's Parallel College, Thiruvalla
• Pazhassi Raja College, Pulpally, Bathery
• Mar Baselios College of Education, Bathery
• Mar Ivanios College of Education, Kunthoor, Karnataka
• Bethany Jounior College, Noojibalthila, Bathery
• Malankara Catholic College, Mariagiri, Marthandom
• Kanyakumari Community College, Mariagiri, Marthandom
• Mar Chrysostom College of Education, Kirathur, Marthandom
• Mar Ephraem College of Engineering, Marthandom
• Bethany College, Nalanchira, Trivandrum
• Bethany Navajeevan College of Education, Vencode, Marthandom
• Girideepam Institute of Advanced Learning, Kottayam
• Nirmal Bathany Junior College, Kalewadi, Pune
• Bethany Navajeevan College of Physiotherapy, Nalanchira, Trivandrum
• Bethany Navajeevan College of Nursing, Borsi, Durg, Bhilai
• Jnanodaya Bethany PU Science College, Nellyadi
• St.Joseph's College of Nursing, Anchal

Malankara Catholic Youth Movement

Malankara Catholic Youth Movement (MCYM) is the official organization for the youth in Syro-Malankara Catholic Church. The Catholic Youth Movement of Kerala dates back to the second half of the 1960s. Although there were some youth organisations in the parish level at different parts of Kerala, the spread of the organization of the youth movements in the diocese took place rather late. Two reasons seems to be of prime importance for the foundation of the youth organizations in the late 1960s. Current President of M.C.Y.M is Mr. Aji Daniel.

MCYM Branches

Kerala MCYM

1) Major Archieparchy of Trivandrum
2) Archieparchy of Thiruvilla
3) Eparchy of Bathery
4) Eparchy of Marthandom
5) Eparchy of Muvattupuzha
6) Eparchy of Mavelikkara
7) Eparchy of Pathanamthitta

MCYM ETR in India

1) Apostolic Visitation of North India Malankara Syrian Catholic Churches (MCCETR – New Delhi)

MCYM of the Exarchate and Apostolic Visitation of Canada and Europe

1) Exarchate of United States Malankara Syrian Catholic Churches (Long Island – New York)

Malankara Catholic Association

Founded in 1989, the Malankara Catholic Association (MCA) is the association of lay faithful of the Church. Baselios Cleemis, Catholicos, is the patron; there are now diocesan sections in the Thiruvananthapuram, Thiruvalla, Bathery, Moovattupuzha and Marthandom Dioceses and in North America.

See also

• List of Major Archbishops of Trivandrum
• St. Mary's Higher Secondary School, Pattom, Trivandrum
• Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Mylapra, Pathanamthitta

Sources

1. ^ History of Christianity. Vol.1. By Kenneth Scott Latourette, page 80
2. ^ Malayala Manorama, Deepika January 26, 2010
3. ^ "Population Statistics". http://nasrani.net/2007/02/13/population-statistics-demography-saint-thomas-christians-churches/. , Syro Malankara Church.
4. ^ Ronald Roberson. "The Eastern Catholic Churches 2010". Catholic Near East Welfare Association. http://www.cnewa.org/source-images/Roberson-eastcath-statistics/eastcatholic-stat10.pdf. Retrieved April 26, 2010.  Information sourced from Annuario Pontificio 2010 edition.
5. ^ ^{a b} "New Apostolic Exarchate for Syro-Malankara Church". ZENIT News Agency. July 14, 2010. http://www.zenit.org/article-29886?l=english. 
6. ^ "St. Mary's Malankara Catholic Church (Doha, Qatar)". http://www.smccqatar.org. Retrieved JUly 15, 2010. 

Additional sources

• Syro-Malankara Catholic Church
• "Archdiocese of Trivandrum (Malankarese)", Catholic-Hierarchy.Org, retrieved January 11, 2006
• The Syro-Malankara Catholic Major Archiepiscopal Church Directory, Trivandrum, 2006.
• Ronald Roberson, CSP; The Eastern Christian Churches: A Brief Survey (6th Edition); Edizioni Orientalia Christiana, Pontifico Instituto Orientale; Rome, Italy; 1999; ISBN 88-7210-321-5
• An article about the status and authority of the Church in canon law

External links

• Official websites:
  • Syro-Malankara Catholic Church
  • Eparchy of Pathanamthitta
• Syro-Malankara Catholic Church sui iuris
• Syro-Malankara Catholic Church – alternative site built by Malankarites
• Article on the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church by Ronald Roberson on the CNEWA website.