Church of the East & Abroad Catholicos

H.H. Catholicos Patriarch +Mar Malakosios Isagelos Chazak Alon Yaza (i.e. +Mar Michai)

The Jurisdiction of this particular Church is was sometimes referred to as "Nasrani Thomasine." They use the term "Nasrani" which means "Nazarene" or the term M'shikhi which means "Christian" for themselves, and are terms that have been used for centuries in Mesopotamia. The See of St. Thomas was known as the Ecclesia Universal, or Universal Bible Church and the Thomasine Patriarchate of Jerusalem until just recently. The hierarchy of the Church as a whole is made up of a Holy Sanhedrin consisting of the Nasrani Patriarch (Catholicos), the Nasrani Sar-Patrarch (Deputy Catholicos) +Mar David McCloskey in Camden, Tennessee and the Secretary General +Mar Stephen in Kentucky, and +Mar Andreos "Drew" Channer in Beaverton, Oregon, as well as Bishops and a central Council of the Holy Family (i.e. Shemishqo). Officially no single individual has full control over every aspect of the Church and its policies.

Overview

On April 14 1991, +Mar Malakosois Isagelos Chazak Alon Yaza was consecrated as the Nasrani Patriarch (i.e. Catholicos) of the Malakara Iberian Orthodox Church-Thomasine Patriarchate of Jerusalem, by his Uncle H.B. Archbishop +Mar Thomas Johann Dalin (III) (1925 - 1991) and other co-consecrators; +Mar Michai ordered an interim be put into place in order for him to undergo needed full seminary training under leading bishops and other educators within this Thomasine Jurisdiction. Most importantly the Malakara Iberian Orthodox Church went through radical reforms and restructuring on the lines of +Mar Michai's perceived Biblical and specially revealed Truths, and its record of transmutations since 1991 is proof of that. Because the Malakara Iberian Orthodox Church claimed members from around the globe and the new membership also consisted of former or lapsed Orthodox, Catholic, Anglican, Protestant and Interfaith Christians, the Church's Liturgical Rite was no longer referred to as "Indian-Portuguese Rite." This action immediately caused the majority of the Iberian Orthodox Church in Portugal to sever all ties to the new Nasrani Patriarch of Jerusalem that same year, thus the Traditional Iberian Orthodox Church of Portugal became Independent, and remains so to this day.

Since The St. Thomas Christian Church now consisted of various Liturgical Rites and Traditions, H.H. +Mar Michai, on September 28, 2000 renamed The St. Thomas Christian Church The Universal Bible Church-St. Thomas Christian Church and approved the opening of the Universal Bible Society to assist in bridging the gap between Traditional Christianity, Interfaith Christian movements and various other religions by establishing it as the official publisher of the Holy See. The New Church's Official Statement of Faith stated that the Society is open to all peoples. This meant that one did not need to have or be of Malakaran or Portuguese-Indian descent, or Orthodox Catholic heritage to become a member or use its services. +Mar Michai established three jurisdictions within the Universal Bible Church-St. Thomas Christian Church: The Apostolic Evangelical Orthodox Church (i.e. Eastern Orthodox-Roman Catholic), The Evangelical Christian Church (i.e. Protestant-Evangelical), and The Interfaith Christian Church (i.e. Interfaith-Universalist). The Nasrani Patriarch established various institutes and apostolate ministries for the promotion and safeguarding of time honored St. Thomas Christian Orthodox Traditions and Bible education in general. There were people from all walks of life who became members of the Universal Bible Church-St.Thomas Christian Church which included those who were formerly Anglican, Roman Catholic, Protestant, Interfaith, Universalist and various other denominations. Because the Church existed in three main jurisdictions in order to accommodate the needs of various liturgical rites and forms of the Faith, each of these jurisdictions was appointed their own Archbishop or Patriarch.

In late 2003, "The Mar Thoma Nasrani Church of the East & Abroad" became the official and legally registered name of the Church, and it remains a legal entity within the United States of America and throughout the Church's canonical territory. The two jurisdictions of the Church known as The Evangelical Christian Church and The Interfaith Christian Church, along with the prior official name Universal Bible Church-St.Thomas Christian Church and its Universal Bible Society were all disbanded and later suppressed and all website information disavowed. The jurisdiction known as The Apostolic Evangelical Orthodox Church AEOC became the sole and exclusive jurisdiction of the Church. H.H. +Mar Michai, along with His Holy Synod, later in mid 2005, officially modified the name of the Church into the Nestorian Orthodox Church-Church of the East & Abroad, in order to reflect the latest series of radical reforms and restructuring based upon divine Revelations. In late 2005 the Church again changed its name to The Nazaraean Orthodox Church of Jerusalem due to a Schism between it and the U.S. Pacific Northwest's Nazaraean Orthodox Church in America (USA) which took place on November 15, 2005 when its bishop +Kenneth W, Huffman refused to follow along with what he views as clear departures from the Historic True Orthodox and Apostolic Faith of St. Judas Thomas and the Thomasine Churches of the East. The Nazaraean Orthodox Church in America (USA) and The Independent Iberian Orthodox Church (Portugal) were United in One Communion for a short period of time, but are now separate and independent though neither are part of the present Nazaraean Orthodox Church of Jerusalem, now known as the Yeshuan Assembly of Jerusalem and its Patriarchate of Jerusalem.

Members of the Nazaraean Church of Jerusalem recognize and consider their Nasrani Patriarch as the rightful successor to the Ecclesiastical Chairs of Saints Peter (Antioch), Thomas (Babylon & Cranganore) and James the Just (Jerusalem & Burma) for the world-wide mission of the Holy Nestorian Orthodox Church-Church of the East & Abroad. Nasrani Patriarch Mar Michai is completely committed to the continuation of their private and evolving Revelations and eclectic and ever changing Traditions in our modern world through the protection and guidance of the Apostolic See of Saints Peter, Thomas and James the Just, a multi-faceted Patriarchate and organization. A common phrase heard among Orthodox Nestorian Nasranis today in reference to the Church is, "Out of the past and into the future."

The Holy See i.e. Mishqana of the Nazaraean Orthodox Church of Jerusalem claims to be the pre-eminent center of authority in the worldwide, multi-national Yeshuan Assembly of Jerusalem. In its capacity as the residence of the Nasrani Patriarch of the East & Abroad, the "Ecclesia Universal" (i.e. The Universal Bible Church) is the Holy See of the East, and is the United See of Saints Peter, Thomas and James the Just. As the Nasrani Patriarch, +Mar Michai claims to be the Desposyni (i.e. Blood Kindred of Jesus Christ) Spiritual Mediator or Tzaddiq i.e. "Righteous One" of the Church demonstrating and teaching a strong adherence to their unique Canon of Scriptures, private Traditions and ever growing Revelations. Presently the Holy See is located outside of Camden, Tennessee USA in a Trailer Home owned by the Sar-Partiarch, or in a Family Home in Paris, Tennessee or in a Family Home near Jerusalem, Israel. In order to visit and remain for any length of time in any one of the Mishqanas one must sign a Confidentiality Contract. Mar Michai is not concerned with the trappings and traditions of the Klal Kristyani (i.e. Christianity) and asks that all those who wish to be a part of the Nazaraean Orthodox Church of Jerusalem a.k.a. the Yeshuan Assembly of Jerusalem or its International Christian Church of Jerusalem jurisdiction to simply adhere to these Three Pillars of the Church Faith, which are the foundation of their Nestorian-Nasrani Faith: Their Scriptures, Their Traditions and Their Revelations, which are binding upon the membership of this Group.