Indian Orthodox Church

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Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church
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Founder St. Thomas the Apostle
Independence Apostolic Era
Recognition Oriental Orthodox
Primate His Holiness Mar Baselios Mar Thoma Didymos I
Headquarters Kottayam, Kerala
Territory India
Possessions United Arab Emirates, United States, Canada, Great Britain, Ireland, South Africa, Kuwait, Malaysia, New Zealand, Germany, Switzerland, Oman and Australia,
Language Malayalam, English, Hindi
Population 2,550,000 Worldwide
Website Indian Orthodox Church

The Indian Orthodox Church (also known as the Malankara Orthodox Church, Orthodox Church of the East, Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, Orthodox Syrian Church of the East), is a prominent member of the Oriental Orthodox Church family in Christianity, founded by St.Thomas, the Disciple of Christ in A.D. 52.

Contents

[edit] Hierarchy, distribution and doctrine

The spiritual supreme head of the Indian Orthodox church is the Catholicos of the East and Malankara Metropolitan , whose seat is at Kottayam, Kerala, India. The Church has dioceses and churches in most parts of India as well as in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Western Europe, Persian Gulf nations, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand. The official title of the head of the Church is the "Catholicos of the East on the Apostolic Throne of St. Thomas and the Malankara Metropolitan". The present Catholicos of the East and Malankara Metropolitan is H.H. Mar Baselios Mar Thoma Didymos I, who was enthroned on October 31, 2005 at Parumala Church by the Holy Synod amidst the Holy Eucharist.

The Church, though modern in its vision and outlook, keeps the traditional oriental Orthodox faith and liturgy. It accepts the first three Ecumenical Synods. The Church has suffered a lot of persecution from western European colonial forces after Vasco da Gama set foot on Kerala soil on A.D. 1498. The liturgy now in use is the translation of the liturgy adopted from the Antiochian Church since their relationship started in 17th century. Earlier it had relationship with the Churches of Edessa, Tigris and Selucia. However, the liturgical rites are uniquely Indian. Today the Church uses liturgy in Malayalam, Syriac, Hindi, and English.

The sub culture of Indian Orthodox community is a part of vast Indian culture, which is formulated by the continuous interaction of Christian faith and South Indian civilization in the last 20 centuries which bear remarkable difference from western Christian culture.

The Church has a Theological Seminary at Kottayam, Kerala, which was established in 1815 after the conquest of the Kingdom of Kochi and the destruction of the center of Christian learning from earlier centuries at Angamaly by Sultan Tipu. Another seminary is situated at Nagpur, Maharashtra. The latter was established fairly recently in the latter part of the 20th century.

[edit] Ecumenical relations

Many denominations came out of the Church during recent centuries due to efforts made by foreign churches to encompass this ancient Church. Prominent among them are the Syro Malabar Catholic Rite and Jacobite church in 17th century, Marthoma church in 19th century and Malanakara Catholic Rite in the 20th century.

However, the Indian Orthodox Church takes an active role in various ecumenical activities at national and international levels. It is a member of the World Council of Churches. Famous theologians such as Paulos Mar Gregorios, Mar Geevarghese Osthathios, Rev. Fr.V.C. Samuel, and Rev. Dr. K.M. George, who contributed to the negotiations between the Oriental and Byzantine churches, belong to this church. The Indian Orthodox Church also participated in the Ecumenical Council of Oriental Orthodox Churches held in Addis Ababa, in AD 1965.

[edit] History

During the later Old Testament times the Malabar Coast had trade relations with West Asia. These trade routes later enabled Christianity to reach Kerala, a state on the south western coast of India. Tradition states that the Apostle Thomas preached the Gospel to the locals (which included Jewish settlers in Kerala), baptized many, ordained some as bishops and founded seven churches. The churches are Niranam, Palayoor, Nilackal, Kottakavu, Kothamangalam, Kollam amd Maliyankara. These churches remain the major Christian centers in Kerala. The Christians of this ancient tradition were and are known as either Nasranis or Syrian Christians.

The Christian Community of Kerala (India) traces back its origin to the advent of St.Thomas, the Apostle to India, who reached the Cragnanore Port in AD 52 and its subsequent spiritual stabilization and growth.

It is believed that the Apostle started his gospel mission in India, from a small town called "Malayankara" on the sea coast of 'Paravur' Taluk in Kerala, at a short distance away from Cranganore Port. From such a small beginnings, the Christian Community of Kerala grew up to its present stature against heavy odds aided, among other providential factors, by the continued tolerance and hospitality of many a neighborhood, the good will of the local rulers and chieftains and others.

The Portuguese who colonized India in AD 1498 tried to convert the St. Thomas Christians to Catholicism. By AD 1599 Goan Arch Bishop Menezes succeeded in forcibly converting some to the Catholic Church. But in AD 1653, a section of St. Thomas Christians revolted and resolved against accepting foreign authority known in church history as 'Koonan Kurishu Oath'. The people that sought to preserve the Church's freedom appealed to several Eastern Christian Centres for help in restoring its Episcopal succession. The Syriac Orthodox Church responded and sent to India a Bishop, Metropolitan Mar Gregorios of Jerusalem who came to India in AD 1665. The Archdeacon who had been declared in the meantime to be Metropolitan Mar Thoma by the laying on of hands by twelve Presbyters was now confirmed by him in his Episcopal rank, and both of them worked together to organize the church on firm footing. Mar Thoma I was followed in succession by a series of Prelates with the same name till AD 1816 when the last of them namely Mar Thoma IX came to the scene, but was soon replaced by Mar Dionysius II.

Later in the 19th century, exposure to the doctrines of the Anglican Church inspired a reform movement led by Abraham Malpan. This lead to the formation of the Mar Thoma Church.

In AD 1912, the Catholicosate of the East was revived in India with the co-operation of Mar Abdul Messiah, canonically the senior Patriarch of Antioch, Mar Dionysius VI, the Metropolitan of the Indian Church, and the Bishops of the Church. The ceremony was held at St. Mary's Church, Niranam on 15 September 1912.

From there onwards Catholicos' being enthroned in malankara.Now its 7th Catholicos-Basalios Didimos-1st.During the hard times of the Church(due to 'Sabha Case')Vatteseril Mar Dynosious(Sabha Bhasuran),Mammen Mapillai(Malayala Manoroma),Fr. T.C.Jacob Thalakulam(Manager Achen; Manager Catholicate Aramana & Old Seminary for 46 long and important years ),Fr.Jacob Manalill play important role in holding the holy Church and its people together. Despite several schisms, the Indian Orthodox Church remains a stronghold of Oriental Orthodoxy in the The Subcontinent.

[edit] Important pilgrim centers

  • The Catholicate Aramana
  • Pazhaya Semimary (Orthodox Theological Seminary)
  • Parumala Church
  • Pampakuda Cheriapally (St.Thomas Church)
  • Vallikkattu Dayara
  • St.Thomas Dayara
  • Mount Tabor Dayara
  • Mar Kuriakose Dayara, Pampady
  • Relics of Julius Mar Alvares, St. Marys Orthodox Church, Panjim, Goa
  • Cheppad St George Orthodox Church
  • Mount Horeb Sasthamcotta tomb of Baselious Marthoma Mathews II"ANGEL BAVA"
  • Puthupally Palli
  • Kottakuzhi Palli St. George Church Nedumpaikulam, Kundara

[edit] Saints

  • Parumala Thirumeni (Mar Gregorious)(Declared by holy synod)
  • Mar Dionysius VI of Vattasseril(Declared by holy synod)
  • Baselious Geevarghese II
  • Paulose Mar Athanasios I
  • Kuriakose Mar Gregorious

[edit] Past Catholicos

Since the revival of Catholicate in India.

[edit] Dioceses and Churches

[edit] Kottayam

Kottayam diocese is the most important in the Orthodox Sabha. H G Geevarghese Mar Ivanious is the present Metropolitan of the Kottayam diocese.

[edit] External links

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