The Universal Church

The Malankara Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church, an Orthodox church in Malankara (Kerala, India) is an integral part of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church with the Patriarch of Antioch, His Holiness Moran Mor Ignatius Aphrem II was as its supreme head. The local head of the church in Malankara is the Catholicose of India, His Beatitude Aboon Mor Baselios Thomas I, ordained by and accountable to the Patriarch of Antioch.

The Syriac Orthodox Church dates back to the very dawn of Christianity. In Syriac, the proper name of the Church is 'idto suryoyto treeysath shubho. In the past, the name of the Church had been translated to English as "Syrian Orthodox Church". The Holy Synod of the Church approved the translation "Syriac Orthodox Church" for use in English speaking countries in its session of March 28-April 3, 2000. The Church justifiably prides itself as being one of the earliest established Apostolic Churches. It was in Antioch, that the followers of Jesus were called Christians (Acts 11:26).

The book of Acts in its exposition with regard to the rank accorded to St.Peter. St.Peter took up the leadership of the Church of Jerusalem after Christ's Crucifixion and resurrection. Even when he was with Jesus as one the twelve disciples, St.Peter acted as the Chief, emissary and spokesperson of the lot. His primacy is underscored biblically which leaves no room to doubt otherwise. By 37 AD Antioch became the capital of the universal Church and St.Peter, its head. The universal Syrian Orthodox Church perceives its strength and Unity in His Holiness the Patriarch.

St. Peter has assumed the leadership of the Church and had make use of Antioch as the capital to lead the Church, those who are ordained as Patriarchs by the church to succeed St.Peter are no doubt the successors and emissaries of St.Peter. The divine grace is handed down from Jesus to St.Peter, St.Peter to his successors the Metropolitans to Priests, and from Priests to the laity. Thus in the Syrian Orthodox Church the Patriarch represents the first and the foremost link in respect of the apostolic succession and divine priesthood.

The universal Syrian Orthodox Church perceives its strength and Unity in His Holiness the Patriarch, the supreme head of the Church. As the Successor of the St.Peter, His Holiness is the embodiment and symbol of unity of the universal Syrian Orthodox Church. This embodiment signifies two type of representative characters. Firstly, as the successor of St.Peter, the patriarch represent him. As St.Peter is the chief shepherd and supreme head, the Patriarch by virtue of his position upholds the unity of the Universal Syrian Orthodox Church. Since the Patrirach’s ordination and conornation are deemed to be through the grace of the Holy Ghost and by the will of God, the first representative character is bestowed from above and is divine. So the Patriarch as the high priest the Universal Church, represents Jesus Christ when he celebrates the Holy Eucharist. Secondly the Patriarch as the chief Shepherd of the Church, is the emissary of the entire body of believers. The church is not only an invisible spiritual fellowship but is also a historical reality. So, all the attributes of the Church like one, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic must also become a historical reality. And the Patriarchs who are ordained from time to time and represent the universal Syrian Church as the Supreme heads, make the unity of the Church a reality.

Jacobite Syrian Church (Syrian Orthodox Church) of India, Iraq, and Syria, recognizing the Syrian Orthodox patriarch of Antioch as its spiritual head. The foundation of the Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church of Antioch goes back to early Apostolic days. This event in the history of Christianity is recorded in the Book of Acts 11:26 . Apostle Peter Himself established his See 37 AD. He is, therefore, rightly considered the founder and first Patriarch of the Syrian Orthodox Church.

The Syrian orthodox church in India functions as an integral part of the universal Syrian orthodox church. So, it is necessary to deal briefly about this universal church at first. When we study the preeminence of Antioch, which has been rightly acknowledged as the capital of Syrian Church, we will know the crucial position accorded to the Universal Syrian Orthodox Church in the history of Christianity. Though the Christian Church was first established in Jerusalem, due to severe persecutions, those who gave leadership to the church ere forced to leave the they adopted as a place of refuge, but it turned out to be a fertile ground for the propagation of Gospel. Soon Antioch become the capital of the whole Christendom. The name Christian for believers was first pronounced at Antioch and that is an ample reason to establish the importance of Antioch (Act.11:26).St. Paul the greatest proponent of Gospel had adopted Antioch as the centre of his missionary activities. St. Paul along with Barnabas used Antioch as a center to spread the Gospel and established Churches at various places. St. Peter who gave leadership to the primitive church was not able to continue his work in Jerusalem because of persecution, Therefore he also chose Antioch as the centre of his activities, Antioch was in Short a place of refuge, chosen even by God to safeguard the infant church from perils of oppression. So it could be established that the Church, that was natured from Antioch as it’ centre, has all the attributes of a full fledged Church and could be rightly called One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. Just as St.Peter was its supreme head so also, even now, for the Syrian Orthodox Church, Antioch is the capital and Patriarch, as the successor of St.Peter, the supreme head of the Church. The Syrian Orthodox Church is in this way a remnant of the most ancient church that was born in Jerusalem and brought up in Antioch.

The current head of the Syriac Orthodox Church is the Patriarch H.H. Moran Mor Ignatius Zakka I Iwas, who resides in Damascus, the capital of Syria. The Church has about 26 archdioceses and 11 Patriarchal Vicariates.

The church in Malankara, Jacobite Syriac Orthodox Church is an integral part of the Syriac Orthodox Church with the Patriarch of Antioch as its supreme head. The local head of the church in Malankara is the Catholicose of India, currently His Beatitude Baselios Thomas I, ordained by and accountable to the Patriarch of Antioch.