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History

St. Thomas, the Apostle of India

 

The Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, also known as the Indian Orthodox Church is an Autonomous Oriental Orthodox Church. The Church traces its origins to the arrival of St. Thomas, one of the Apostles of Jesus Christ, to India in A.D. 52.

 

When St. Thomas landed at Cranganore (in today's Kerala), one of the important trade centers in South India, he was received kindly by the enlightened local rulers under whose patronage he formed the nucleus of an indigenous church in the first century AD. India, at the time of Jesus Christ's ministry was already famous for its ancient civilization, philosophy and culture. There were well established trade routes with West Asian countries.

 

The Church

The faith of Church was established by the three Ecumenical Councils of Nicea (AD 325), Constantinople (AD 381) and Ephesus (AD 431). The Church is in communion with the other Oriental Orthodox Churches namely, Antiochene, Alexandrian, Armenian, Ethiopian and Eritrean Orthodox Churches. The church is in good ecumenical relationship with the Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholic and Protestant Churches.

 

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Bombay Diocese

The Diocese of Bombay was carved out of the outside Kerala diocese of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church in the year 1976.

H.G. Dr. Thomas Mar Makarios was the first Metropolitan with the headquarters at St. Mary’s Church, Dadar. The diocese made rapid strides during the tenure of H.G Late Lamented Dr. Philipos Mar Theophilus, who took over the diocese in 1979. In 1989, the present headquarters at the Orthodox Church Centre, Vashi, Navi Mumbai was established by H.G Mar Theophilos.

H.G. Geevarghese Mar Coorilos, the current Metropolitan has carried forward the dreams and ambitions of his forerunners. His Grace vision to create a caring, sharing and loving community of individuals rooted in the love of God and having a zest for serving its neighbours, harbours in each activity across the diocese.

Theo Institute of Eastern Studies is a dream project of H.G. Mar Coorilos, which will provide space to study and research, there by sharing the wide array of insights, thoughts and ideas offered by Eastern Spirituality.
 
Established in 2021, TIES is envisioned to promote communal harmony and mutual respect for the current generation, millennials and future generations.

History: Text
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