Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church

The Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church is an autocephalous Oriental Orthodox church based in Kerala, India. It traces its tradition to the Saint Thomas Christians and uses the West Syriac liturgical tradition.

Saint Thomas Christians: The ancient Christian communities of Kerala, India, traditionally tracing their origins to the apostle Thomas. The church locates its historical roots in this older Kerala Christian community.
Oriental Orthodoxy: A communion of churches that accept the first three ecumenical councils and reject the Council of Chalcedon. The Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church belongs to this communion.
Catholicos of the East: The primate of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, serving as its senior spiritual and administrative leader. The office heads the church's independent hierarchy.
Syro-Malabar Catholic Church: An Eastern Catholic church in India that follows the East Syriac liturgical tradition and is in communion with Rome. It shares Saint Thomas Christian roots but belongs to a different communion and liturgical tradition.
Kerala Christians: Christian communities in Kerala, India, including churches with ancient local roots and diverse liturgical traditions. The church is one major institution within Kerala's wider Christian landscape.
Synod of Diamper: A 1599 synod that imposed Portuguese Catholic oversight and reforms on the Saint Thomas Christians. Portuguese efforts to control the community set the stage for later resistance and division.
West Syriac Rite: A liturgical tradition shaped by Syriac-language worship and used by churches of the Syriac Orthodox tradition. Its liturgy connects the church's worship to the wider West Syriac heritage.
Malankara Metropolitan: The senior metropolitan who leads the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church's episcopal administration. This office is central to the church's governance alongside the catholicos.
Syro-Malankara Catholic Church: An Eastern Catholic church in India that follows the West Syriac tradition and is in communion with Rome. Its West Syriac worship resembles the church's tradition, while its communion and governance differ.
Indian Orthodox diaspora: Communities of Indian Orthodox Christians living outside India, organized through parishes and dioceses. Migration has extended the church's worship and institutions well beyond Kerala.

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Oriental Orthodox ChurchesBroader topic: It represents the communion’s Indian branch and its distinct local history.