Church of the East & Abroad Catholicos

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

The Jurisdiction of this particular Church is referred to as "Nasrani Thomasine." They use the term "Nasrani" which means "Nazarene" or the term Mishikhi which means "Christian" for themselves, and are terms that have been used for centuries. The See of St. Thomas is known as the Ecclesia Universal, or Universal Bible Church and the Thomasine Patriarchate of Jerusalem. The hierarchy of the Church as a whole is made up of a Holy Synod consisting of the Chief Nasrani Patriarch (Catholicos), the Nasrani Sar-Patrarch (Deputy Catholicos) and the Secretary General, as well as Bishops and a central Bishops Council. Officially no single individual has full control over every aspect of the Church and its policies.

On April 14, 1991,+Mar Malakosois Isagelos Chazak Alon Yaza was consecrated as the Chief 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) and other co-consecrators; His Holiness ordered an interim be put into place in order for him to undergo needed full seminary training under leading bishops and other educators within the Thomasine Jurisdiction. Most importantly the Malakara Iberian Orthodox Church went through radical reforms and restructuring on the lines of perceived Biblical Truth and its record is proof of that. Because the Malakara Iberian Othodox Church spanned the globe and the membership also consisted of Orthodox, Catholic, Anglican, Protestant and Interfaith Christians, the Church's Liturgical Rite was no longer referred to as 'Indian-Portuguese Rite." This action caused the Malakara Iberian Orthodox Church in Portugal to sever all ties to the Nasrani Patriarch of Jerusalem that same year, thus the Iberian Orthodox Church of Portugal became Independent.

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. His Holiness 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 Evangelical Christian Church and The Interfaith Christian Church, along with the official name Universal Bible Church-St.Thomas Christian Church and its Universal Bible Society were disbanded and later suppressed and disavowed. The jurisdiction known as Yhe 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 Revelation. 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. Today The Nazaraean Orthodox Church in America (USA) and The Independent Iberian Orthodox Church (Portugal) are United in One Communion and are not apart of the present Nazaraean Orthodox Church of Jerusalem and their 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 the Holy Nestorian Orthodox Tradition in our modern world through the protection and guidance of the Apostolic See of Saints Peter, Thomas and James the Just, a multi-rite Patriarchate. 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 is the pre-eminent center of authority in the worldwide, multi-national Holy Church. 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, H.H. +Mar Michai stands as the Desposyni (i.e. Kindred of Christ) Spiritual Mediator or Tzaddiq i.e. "Righteous One" of the Church demonstrating and teaching a strong adherence to their Scriptures, Traditions and Revelations. Presently the Holy See is at Jerusalem, Israel, with its sister See in Camden, Tn. USA. The Catholicos 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 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: Holy Scripture, Holy Tradition and Holy Revelation, which are binding upon the membership of this Church.