About

St. Jude Syro Malankara Catholic Church of Philadelphia is part of the Syro Malankara Major Archiepiscopal Church. This church is in full communion with the Bishop of Rome. The official name of the church is the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church. In Malayalam the church name translates to Syro-Malankara Catholica Sabha or Malankara Suriani Catholica Sabha. Another name that can be associated with the church is Malankara Syrian Catholic Church of India. When the “Syro” is used the name isn’t required to use the word Syrian but if the Syro isn’t used then Syrian is used. (Eg. Syro-Malankara Catholic Church and Malankara Syrian Catholic Church).

This church historically linked to the Syrian Church. It is one of several groups of Saint Thomas Christians tracing their origin to St. Thomas the Apostle who is claimed to have come to India in A.D. 52. In the course of time, due to the latinization policy of the Portuguese, the Church in Kerala was divided in two; the group who rejected the Catholic ecclesiastical authorities eventually became known as the Malankara Syrian Orthodox Church.

In 1930, Archbishop Mar Ivanios, Bishop Jacob Mar Theophilos, 2 preists and a deacon rejoined the Catholic Church in effort to bring the Malankara Church back into communion with the Universal Church. Thus the church was back in reunion with the Universal Church and became known as the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church.

We currently do not have a diocese in North America so we are currently under the Latin Archdiocese of Philadelphia.