Syro-Malabar Catholic Church
Syro-Malabar Catholic Church: a Church sui iuris of the Chaldean (East Syriac) tradition. Status, head, countries, liturgical books, history, and sources.
- Tradition (CCEO can. 28 §2)
- Chaldean (East Syriac) tradition (Source: CCEO, vatican.va ↗)
- Catechism (CCC 1203)
- Chaldean (Source: Catechism, vatican.va ↗)
- Canonical status
- Major Archiepiscopal Church sui iuris (Source: GCatholic ↗)
- Head
- Major Archbishop Raphael Thattil (as listed by GCatholic on 22 October 2026) (Source: GCatholic ↗)
- Historical centre
- Kochi (Ernakulam), seat of the Major Archbishop of Ernakulam-Angamaly (Source: Wikidata ↗)
- Present see
- Kochi (major archiepiscopal see) (Source: Wikidata ↗)
- Liturgical books
- Unverified East Syriac Qurbana (Anaphora of Addai and Mari, with those of Theodore and Nestorius in the tradition); current approved editions per Church not verified. (Source: Catholic Encyclopedia ↗)
- Own jurisdiction in
- Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand, United Kingdom, United States (6) (Source: GCatholic ↗) As listed on 22 October 2026.
- Approximate historical heartland
- Kerala (India) (Source: CNEWA ↗)
- Note
- With the Chaldean Church, one of the two Catholic Churches of the East Syriac tradition. The Syro-Malankara Church, also in Kerala, is West Syriac. (Source: syromalabarchurch.in ↗)
Where it has its own jurisdiction
Showing the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, present jurisdictions: 6 countries.
Countries where the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church has its own jurisdiction: 6 countries.
Countries with the Church's own jurisdiction; faithful elsewhere are served by local ordinaries.
Countries shaded (6)
- Australia
- Canada
- India
- New Zealand
- United Kingdom
- United States
Source: GCatholic ↗, as listed on 22 October 2026.
Borders are illustrative (Natural Earth, de facto lines) and imply no position. Shading shows where a Church has its own jurisdiction, not where all its faithful live. Made with Natural Earth ↗ (public domain). Sources and method.
History
- 1498 Portuguese contact (Source: CNEWA ↗)
- 1599 Synod of Diamper (Source: CNEWA ↗)
- 1653 to 1662 Break (1653); majority return by 1662 (Source: CNEWA ↗)
- 1896 and 1923 Vicariates for Syro-Malabar faithful (1896); hierarchy (1923) (Source: CNEWA ↗)
- 1957 to 1962 Restored Qurbana approved 1957, introduced 1962 (Source: CNEWA ↗)
- 16 December 1992 Raised to Major Archiepiscopal Church (Source: CNEWA ↗)
Dates are given as ranges or centuries where the sources give no single date.
Texts and resources
Every resource is an outside link; nothing here is hosted by Bibliotheca Catholica. What the badges mean.
- Liturgies Eastern and Western, vol. I (Brightman, 1896): Persian (East Syrian) rite ↗ Rights: Public domain (US)
1896 - Catholic Encyclopedia: 'Syrian Rite (East)' / Chaldean and Malabar ↗ Rights: Public domain (US)
1907 to 1912 - Catholic Encyclopedia: 'Liturgy of Addeus and Maris' ↗ Rights: Public domain (US)
1907 to 1912 - Official Church site (link only) ↗ Rights: Link only
copyright of the publishing Church; no open licence found
In the library
- Ephrem the Syrian Syriac Father and hymnographer
- Thomas the Apostle Kerala's Saint Thomas Christians trace their origin to him
Main sources: syromalabarchurch.in ↗, CNEWA ↗. Checked 2026-10-26. Sources and method.