The Malankara Marthoma Syrian Church
The Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church traces its origins to AD 52, when St. Thomas the Apostle, one of the twelve disciples of Jesus Christ, landed at Cranganore (now known as Kodungallur) on the Malabar Coast of Kerala, India. Within this context, "Malankara" denotes the ancient geographical region of Kerala; "Mar" is the Syriac honorific for "Saint"; "Thoma" honours the apostolic founder; and "Syrian" reflects their historical use of the Syriac language and liturgy rather than any ethnic origin. The early Christian community, known as the Nasranis, flourished autonomously for centuries while maintaining friendly spiritual ties with the Church of Antioch. This Syrian heritage was profoundly reinforced in AD 345 with the arrival of Thomas of Cana (Kana Thomman). A Syrian merchant, Kana Thomman, landed in Cranganore leading a migration of Christian families and clergy from the Middle East—a pivotal event that revitalized the local Nasrani community and permanently solidified its East Syriac liturgical traditions. Over time, this indigenous Indian church interacted with and resisted the colonial or ecclesiastical dominance of foreign powers, most notably through the historic Coonan Cross Oath of 1653, in which the local community successfully rebelled against attempts by Romo-Portuguese Catholic missionaries to force Latinisation.
Following the Coonan Cross Oath, the independent Malankara Church appointed Archdeacon Thomas as Mar Thoma I in 1653, establishing its first native bishopric. To secure apostolic succession against Roman Catholic influence, the church welcomed Mar Gregorius of Jerusalem in 1665 and officially consecrated Mar Thoma I on March 2, 1665. This move aligned the community with the West Syrian Patriarchate of Antioch and introduced West Syriac rites. After more than 150 years of autonomous native leadership, Mar Thoma I through Mar Thoma IX. Although early engagement with British Church Mission Society (CMS) missionaries was largely cooperative under Mar Thoma X (1816) and Mar Thoma XI (1817–1825), this relationship deteriorated into severe conflict and a complete separation during the tenure of Mar Thoma XII (1825–1852). While this institutional partnership eventually dissolved, it produced a crucial Malayalam translation of the Bible around 1828. This newly accessible scripture profoundly impacted the church, inspiring clerics like Palakunnathu Abraham Malpan to critically evaluate established traditions against biblical texts, thereby igniting the 19th-century Reformation within the church.
A pivotal turning point occurred in the 19th century with the Reformation Movement, led by visionary Palakunnathu Abraham Malpan. He sought to purge unscriptural practices by translating the Syriac liturgy into Malayalam and emphasizing the primacy of the open Bible. These reforms triggered fierce backlash from the conservative establishment, which excommunicated Malpan and refused to ordain his priests. Realizing the reform movement would die without its own bishop, Malpan strategically sent his nephew, Deacon Mathews, to the Patriarch of Antioch. The Patriarch consecrated the young deacon as Metropolitan Mathews Mar Athanasius in 1842. Returning to Kerala, Mathews faced a bitter power struggle with traditionalists. Although Malpan passed away in 1845, his foresight succeeded: his nephew secured royal recognition as the legal head of the church in 1852. Serving as Metropolitan Mar Thoma XIII (1852–1877), Mathews Mar Athanasius successfully defended and institutionalized his uncle’s reforms, establishing the foundation of the modern Mar Thoma Syrian Church. He was succeeded by Abraham Malpan’s son, Thomas Mar Athanasius (Mar Thoma XIV) (1877–1889), who led the reformist section through a gruelling, 10-year legal battle over church properties.
When the Royal Court of Travancore ruled against him in 1889, stripping the reformists of the historic Old Seminary, he courageously led his people into the wilderness with nothing but their faith. Out of this material loss, the independent church was spiritually revitalized, establishing the Mar Thoma Evangelistic Association and launching the world-famous Maramon Convention in 1895. Leadership then passed to his saintly brother, Titus I Mar Thoma (Mar Thoma XV) (1893 – 1909), who survived persecution and went on to institute the church's first democratic constitution. He was succeeded by his nephew, Titus II Mar Thoma (Mar Thoma XVI) (1910 – 1944), a visionary builder who formalized the Prathinithi Mandalam (Church Parliament), established youth fellowships, and founded the Mar Thoma Theological Seminary in 1926.
The line of spiritual leaders of Mar Thoma Church continued through: • Rt Rev Dr. Abraham Mar Thoma Metropolitan (Mar Thoma XVII) (1944 – 47), a passionate evangelist who mobilized lay missionaries and aggressively expanded the home missions. • Rt Rev Dr. Juhanon Mar Thoma Metropolitan (Mar Thoma XVIII) (1947 -1976), a profound social progressive, champion of the poor, and the president of the World Council of Churches. • Rt Rev Dr. Alexander Mar Thoma Metropolitan (Mar Thoma XIX) (1976 – 1999), an intellectual giant who spearheaded global mission parishes and strengthened ecumenical bonds. • Rt Rev Dr. Philipose Mar Chrysostom Mar Thoma (Mar Thoma XX) (1999 – 2007), a legendary humanitarian and spiritual visionary, holds the historic distinction of being India's longest-serving bishop, dedicating nearly 68 years of his life to episcopal ministry. In 2018, the Government of India awarded him the Padma Bhushan, the country’s third-highest civilian honour, in recognition of his monumental contributions to spirituality and humanitarian work. • Rt Rev Dr. Joseph Mar Thoma (Mar Thoma XXI) (2007 - 2020), who aggressively championed global ecumenical relationships, completed a massive modern administrative infrastructure and spearheaded immense humanitarian relief operations across India before his passing in 2020.
His Grace the Most Rev. Dr. Theodosius Mar Thoma Metropolitan is the supreme head and primate of the Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church. Formally installed on November 14, 2020, he reigns as Mar Thoma XXII, occupying the Holy Apostolic Throne of St. Thomas. Under this global hierarchy, the church is divided into regional dioceses; our local parish belongs to the Diocese of North America & Europe, which is stationed at the Sinai Mar Thoma Centre in New York and is currently shepherded by the Diocesan Bishop, Rt. Rev. Dr. Abraham Mar Paulos Episcopa, the Mar Thoma Church is a vibrant, worldwide, self-governing body with its central governing body headquartered at the SCS Campus in Thiruvalla, Kerala, India, boasting over one million adherents. The central administration is based at "Pulatheen" (Poolatheen Aramana), the official residence of the church's supreme head. Structurally, the church maintains its episcopal lineage through the Episcopal Synod and pursues a value-oriented, democratic administrative model through the Prathinithi Mandalam (the Church Parliament) and the Sabha Council.
