Christianity in India is as ancient as most early New Testament Churches of the Roman era. And, Kerala, called Malabar, even Malankara in ancient times, is world-renowned as the womb of Christendom in the Indian sub-continent. The Church in India is believed to have been founded by St. Thomas, an Apostle of Jesus Christ. The Mar Thoma Syrian Church of Malabar is the reformed section of the ancient St. Thomas Church in India, traditionally believed to be established by Saint Thomas, an Apostle of Jesus Christ, who came to India in A. D. 52 and established seven churches on the Malabar coast at Malankara (Kodungalloor), Paliyoor (Chavakkadu), Kumbakkayal (Paravoor), Kokkamangalam (Thekenpallipuram), Kollam, Niranam and Nilackal (Chayal), before his martyrdom in A.D. 72 at Mylapore in Madras. It is the part of the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church.
Malankara Mar Thoma Suriyani Sabha or Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church or Mar Thoma Syrian Church of Malabar is the official name of the Church. Succinct name in Malayalam is Mar Thoma Sabha and in English, Mar Thoma Church.
Cognate of Malankara, a place near muziris, where Thomas the strApostle first landed in Kerala. Used substitutively with Malabar in the title of the Mar Thoma to denote Kerala.
Mar Thoma is Aramaic, meaning Saint Thomas. Members of this Church are often referred to as Marthomites.
The Original liturgical language used in Malankara Church was Aramaic and Hebrew. Later this was replaced by Syriac. In 1900 when the Church accepted a new name Malankara Mar Thoma Suriyani Sabha, it included the word Suriyani also in it. This does not mean that the Mar Thoma Christians were Syrians (people who came from Syria) or the Church was under any Syrian Church. Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church was never ruled by any other Churches.
Is the reformed section of the ancient St. Thomas Church in India, traditionally believed to be established by Saint Thomas, an Apostle of Jesus Christ, who came to India in A. D. 52 and established seven churches on the Malabar coast at Malankara (Kodungalloor), Paliyoor (Chavakkadu), Kumbakkayal (Paravoor), Kokkamangalam (Thekenpallipuram), Kollam, Niranam and Nilackal (Chayal), before his martyrdom in A.D. 72 at Mylapore in Madras. It is the part of the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church.
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A.D. 52 – 4th Century |
Early stages of Mar Thoma Christians, known as Nasranis – Followers of Jesus of Nazareth. |
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A. D. 325 |
Bishop John attended the Council of Nicaea as the ‘Metropolitan of Persia and of Great India’ |
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A. D. 345 |
First Immigration of 400 Christians under Knaya Thommen |
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A. D. 825 |
Second Immigration from Persia under Marvan Sabriso |
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1599 |
Udayamperoor Sunnahados |
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1653 |
Oath of the ‘Coonen Cross’ at Mattancherry in Cochin; consecration of Mar Thoma -I by twelve priests |
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1665 |
Re-consecration of Mar Thoma -I by Mar Gregorios Metropolitan; started a relationship with Syrian Christian Church Antioch |
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1836 |
Trumpet Call of Reformation |
In the early years of the 20th century, youths from Travancore, Cochin and Malabar traveled to the far cities and states of the Indian sub-continent, including Bombay, for higher education and employment. The members of Jacobite, Mar Thoma and Anglican Churches formed “The Bombay Malayalee Congregation” for social and spiritual communion and they organized joint worship services in Malayalam on Sunday(s) at the St. Mary’s Anglican Church, Parel. The first Malayalam service was held on Sunday, the 1st April 1934, which was Easter Sunday. Later on, Late. Rev. P.J. Thomas from Ankola Ashram celebrated the First Holy Communion according to Mar Thoma rite in the city of Mumbai at St. Mary’s Church, Parel on Sunday 17th November 1940. The Late. Rev. K.T.Thomas from Sihora Ashram also conducted Holy Communion services in the subsequent years. In the year 1942 the worship service was shifted to the Holy Redeemer Church, Dadar.
Marthomites of the early 1950s propelled with the strong desire to build a Church of their own purchased a plot of land at Santa Cruz West on 13th March 1953. Thereafter, having complied with the statutory requirements, the foundation stone for the church building was laid on 1st March 1959 by the late Metropolitan the Most Rev. Dr. Juhanon Mar Thoma.
The St. Thomas Mar Thoma Church building was dedicated on 21st February 1960 by the late Metropolitan the Most Rev. Dr. Juhanon Mar Thoma. At The 19th Annual General Body Meeting presided over by His Grace the Metropolitan, it was resolved to request the church authorities to permit the Mar Thoma Syrian Church, Bombay to be allowed to function as two independent parishes viz. “Bombay Dadar Mar Thoma Parish” and “Bombay Santacruz Mar Thoma Parish” with effect from 1st April 1960.
The request was granted by His Grace the Metropolitan. The Parish at Santacruz West commenced functioning as an independent parish w.e.f. 1st April 1960 and Rev. C. G. David was its first Vicar.
At the General Body meeting held on 4th December 1960, it was decided to change the name of the Santacruz (W) parish as “St. Thomas Mar Thoma Syrian Church, Bombay”.
