Church History
Syrian Orthodox Church
The Syrian
Orthodox Church is one of the most ancient Christian Churches tracing its roots
to the Church of Antioch. The Gospel was first preached by the Disciples of Christ
in Antioch where the disciples were first called Christians (Acts 11:26).
Apostle Peter preached gospel in Antioch and established his Apostolic See in
AD 37. Antioch was, at the time of Christ, the capital of the Roman province of
Syria. The church historian Eusebius of Caesarea, in his Chronicon (I, 2),
states that St. Peter the Apostle established a bishopric in Antioch and became
its first bishop. After the martyrdom of St. Peter, he was succeeded by St.
Evodius and St. Ignatius respectively.
The name ‘Syrian’ was derived from Cyrus the king of Persia who conquered
Babylon (539 BC) and liberated the Jews by permitting them to return to Judea.
The name ‘Syrian is equivalent to the term Christian which was applied to the
disciples in Antioch for the first time, because those converted Jews believed
that Cyrus, their liberator, resembled Christ the liberator of mankind. So they
used to repeat Christ’s name associated with his name for pride upon their
return to Judea. When this news arrived to the gentiles in Antioch, they called
them ‘Syrians’ or ‘Christians’. From that time onwards the name ‘Syrian’
prevailed first among the Christians of Syria and afterwards among the
Christians of Mesopotamia. Persia, India and the Far East.
All the Syrian historians agree that the name of Syria itself is derived from
the above mentioned Cyrus. This name existed in association with the Church of
Antioch from the very beginning of Christianity. Hence it was called the Syrian
Church. The name ‘Syrian’ does not only designate the name of a country, but
also designates the proper name of the Church that was established in Syria and
used the Syriac, the language of the country. Therefore, it became the
ecclesiastical title of the Church of Antioch.
The Syrian Orthodox Church in India (Malankara) is an integral part of the
Universal Syrian Orthodox Church since a great number of Indian Christians
belong to the Syrian Church of Antioch from the very beginning of Christianity.
Indian Christians ascribe the origin of their church to the labors of the
apostles in the 1st century. According to the tradition and history, it is
believed that St. Thomas, one of the twelve apostles of Christ came to Kerala,
the most southwest state of India in 52 AD. Long before the Christian era, a
large colony of Jews had settled on the southwest coast of India known as
Malabar. It is a generally admitted fact that commercial communications existed
between the coasts of India and Palestine from a very early age. Historians
agree that the Jewish colony and the long -standing spice trade between the
Middle East and Malabar may have some connection with the arrival of St. Thomas
to India. The Apostle is believed to have reached Cranganoore, which thereafter
came to be known as Malankara. According to the tradition St. Thomas the
Apostle evangelized India and founded churches; four of these churches still
exist demonstrating their antiquity. The Apostle then traveled eastward and
reached in Mylapore, later known Madras; and he is believed to have been
speared to death as his preaching and conversions aroused hostility among local
Hindus. This is supposed to have taken place in 72 AD. Since then a large
number of Indian Christians had close connections with the Patriarch of
Antioch. The Patriarch of Antioch, the successor of St. Peter thus had
jurisdiction over the East. This Church in India is intended to honor and
observe the traditional and ancient faith of Antioch and its liturgy.
Malankara
Archdiocese of The Syrian Orthodox Church In North America
Insert Preamble of Archdiocese
PARISH HISTORY
1980
In the
beginning of the year 1980 there were only two Syrian Jacobite families in Oklahoma. They were Peringol and Paily families. The Late H.G. Kuriakose Mor Kurilose Metropolitan visited Oklahoma by
mid June/July 1980 and celebrated a Holy Qurbana and ordained Mr. Babu Peringol
as a Deacon.
1981
In October of 1981 Fr. Punnoose visited
Oklahoma and set up an evening Saturday prayer at Philipose Thomas’
(Thomaskutty) apartment. The following
Sunday he celebrated the Holy Qurbana at St. Elijah’s Church at NW 16th and Pennsylvania in Oklahoma City.
1982
On September 26, 1982 H.G. Abraham Mor
Sevarious visited Oklahoma and celebrated the Holy Qurbana at St. Elijah’s
church and four families participated in this event. The four families were; Rev. Deacon Babu
Peringol, Joseph Paily, Varughese Paily, and Philipose Thomas along with their
households.
The Late H.G.
Kuriakose Mor Koorilose visited Oklahoma for a second time in the last part of
1982. His Grace spent the Christmas
holiday with these aforementioned four families. He celebrated the Holy Liturgy on Christmas
day in the Monastery at “Forest Park”, NE 36th and Coltrane in
Oklahoma City.
1983
In January of 1983 Rev. Deacon Babu Peringol
was ordained as a priest in India.
8th day of April 1983 “St. George Syrian Orthodox Christian Church” was registered as
a Religious corporation in Oklahoma. The
four member signatories as trustees of this church represented at the Office of
The Secretary of State were; Rev. Fr. Babu Peringol, Philipose Thomas,
Varughese P. Paily and Joseph Paily.
October 16,
1983 with four families in the congregation, a managing committee was
formed. Rev. Fr. Babu Peringol was
elected as the President, Joseph Paily as Vice-President, Philipose Thomas as
Secretary and Varughese Paily as Treasurer. During this period we had only one or two Qurbanas every month. Qurbana was conducted at Lutheran Church of
Our Savior
6501 NW 23rd
St, Bethany.
1984
On January 11,
1984 the Very Rev. Fr. Kurian Corepiscopos (Kaniyan Parambil Achen) visited
Oklahoma. Kaniyan Parambil Achen
celebrated the Holy Qurbana in the Monastery at NE 36th and
Coltrane. On February 12, 1984 we
started Sunday School. Varughese Paily
and Saramma Paily were the teachers. On
November 25, 1984 we gave a warm reception to the Late H.G. Gheevarghese Mor
Greegorios (Perumpilly Thirumeni) at the airport and later that evening a
public meeting was held in the honor of Thirumeni and several State dignitaries
were among the speakers.
On December 2nd 1984 H.G. celebrated the Holy Qurbana in the Covenant Church at Yukon, Oklahoma.
1985
From 1985
onwards we started regular Sunday Qurbana. On February 3, 1985 the Martha Mariyam Samajam (St. Mary’s Women’s
League) was started. During this time
several families joined the church.
July 6, 1985
Our church first time opened a bank account at Peoples National Bank, Bethany
Oklahoma with first deposit of $694.30.
On July 21,
1985 monthly prayer meetings was started in members’ houses by alphabetic
order. During this period a letterhead
and seal was developed for the church. 1985 was the year we first started Christmas Caroling.
On September
22, 1985, we accepted the Constitution and Bylaws of the North American Diocese
of the Syrian Church and applied for affiliation with the Diocese.
On October 15,
1985 H.E. Mor Athanasius Yeshue Samuel (1909-1995), (Late Lamented Archbishop
of the Syrian Orthodox Church in the United States and Canada), approved our
application by Bull.
The year 1985
was very much important in the History of this church as we became a part of
the family of the North American Syrian Jacobite Church under the flag of the
Holy Patriarch of Antioch and All the East.
1988
May 15, 1988
H.E. Mor Athanasius Yeshue Samuel, Archbishop visited Oklahoma and celebrated
Holy Qurbana and Baptized Elizabeth, daughter of Mr. And Mrs. P.E. George
(Rajan and Nirmala). This happened to be
the first baptism in our church.
1994
May 11th,
1994 we purchased land at Lot 3 of Block 1, Don Brown’s Western Oaks, section 3
to build a church. Total cost of this
land was $55,000. Owners Donald and
Donetta Brown transferred this real property to the church via general warranty
deed for consideration in the sum of $35,000, and the remaining $20,000 was
considered as charitable contribution to church. Church could only contribute $10,000 as down
payment and Mr. And Mrs. Brown financed the remaining $25,000 at 6% per annum
for three years.