Malayali Community in Gujarat About 25 lakhs Keralites are in Gujarat. They are mainly based at Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat, Bharuch, Ankleswar, Bhuj, Jamnagar, Gandhinagar, Vapi, Rajkot, Bhavnagar, Valsad, Daman, Gandhidham, Veravel, Porbander, Hazira, Halol, Kalol, Mundra, Mehsana etc. Most of them are working in industries either as employees or contractors. Large numbers of people do their own business or are in Govt Service., hospitals end educational institutions Federation of Gujarat Malayalee Associations (FEGMA) was established on 27th July, 1997 at Vadodara coordinating various Kerala Samajams in Gujarat. Kerala Samajam has its own school in Surat Surat is estimated to have more than 30000 Keralites. There are Orthodox, Marthomite, Jacobite Latin Catholic, Syro Malabar, Syro Malankara, Pentecostal, Brethren denominations of Christian Community. There is an Ayyappa Temple in Surat for Hindu devotees Christianity in Gujarat Christianity is a minority religion in Gujarat. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Ahmedabad, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Gandhinagar, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Baroda, the Syro-Malabar Catholic Diocese of Rajkot and the Orthodox Diocese of Ahmedabad have their seat in the state The Jesuits were entrusted with the mission in 1893. They have been instrumental in the birth and growth of the mission which has led to the formation of an acculturated local Church in Gujarat. The Commander of the Mughal army in Ahmedabad called the Jesuits there in 1612-13. The Ahmedabad Mission was started in 1892 based on a missionary encyclical issued by Pope Leo XIII in 1892. During the second half of the 17th century, mission work was started in Surat. The town and harbour were occupied first by the Portuguese, followed by the Marathas, the Mughals, the Dutch, the French and finally by the English. The Jesuit pioneers were later replaced by the French Capuchins. Later more and more mission centres were established in Anand (1896), Vadtal (1897), Karamsad (1907), Nadiad (1911) and Amod (1912). The Fifties and Sixties saw further growth and consolidation of the mission. During the Sixties, Jesuit missionaries expanded their mission from Kheda to the tribal areas of South Gujarat. Now it is a flourishing mission which has expanded to more than fifteen mission centres and parishes with boarding houses for boys and girls as well as excellent high schools. The region of South Gujarat comprising the civil districts of Panchamahals, Baroda, Bharuch, Surat, Valsad and Dangs was separated from the Bombay Jesuit Province and entrusted to the Gujarat Jesuit Province in 1956, while remaining at the same time ecclesiastically under the Bombay Archdiocese. Subsequently, in 1966, this area was separated from the Bombay Archdiocese and made into the Baroda Diocese, with Mgr. Ignatius D’Souza as its first Bishop. The Jesuits who were entrusted with the mission of the whole of Gujarat, in 1973, bifurcated the Saurashtra region from the Ahmedabad Diocese, and entrusted it to the Congregation of the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate and the new Diocese of Rajkot was formed with Mgr. Jonas Thaliath, C.M.I. as its first Bishop. In 1987, Francis Braganza, SJ (1922-2011) became the second Bishop of Baroda. When he retired in 1997, Godfrey Rozario SJ, the then provincial of Gujarat Jesuits became the third Bishop of Baroda. On November 11, 2002, Gandhinagar, the capital of Gujarat, was established as an Archiepiscopal See. A Diocese of Gujarat of the Church of North India exists. The Methodist Church , CNI ,The Salvation Army and other Pentecostal denominations also have their presence.
The Malankara Catholic Church
Servant of God Archbishop Geevarghese Mar Ivanios
HISTORICAL OVERVIEW The Apostles and their successors planted the Church of Christ in various places. St Thomas, one of the twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ first landed at in a small island by name Malliankara (Kodungallur), started his mission in Malankara (also known as Malabar), the southern tip of the Indian peninsula. The word Malankara derives from the name of this island of Maliankara . Because of this apostolic tradition, this Church was then known as the Church of St Thomas and the ecclesial community that originated from this apostolic tradition was known as “The St Thomas Christians”, or “Malankara Nazranikal” and the head of the Church was known by the title “Metropolitan of All India.” At the time the Portuguese arrived in India in 1498, the Saint Thomas Christians were in a difficult position. Though prosperous owing to their large stake in the spice trade and protected by a formidable militia, the tumultuous political climate of the time had placed the small community under pressure from the forces of the powerful rajas of Calicut, Cochin, and the various smaller kingdoms in the area. When the Portuguese under Vasco da Gama arrived on the South Indian coast, the leaders of the Saint Thomas community greeted them and proffered a formal alliance to their fellow Christians. The Church of St Thomas in India got rooted in the socio-cultural milieu of India and developed her own ecclesial, liturgical, spiritual and administrative traditions. This was in communion with the Universal Church through her ecclesial communion with the Churches of the Middle East Besides the Metropolitan of all India, there was also a leader of the St Thomas Christians, a priest with the title “Archdeacon of all India” who played a vital role in the day-to-day administration of the Church. This Apostolic Church was in Catholic Communion from the very early centuries. It came in contact with the Syro- Chaldean Church of the Middle East and consequently adopted the East Syrian Liturgy. In the sixteenth century, this Apostolic Church came into direct relationship with the Western Church through the Portuguese missionaries. The Portuguese brought to India a particularly militant brand of Christianity, the product of several centuries of struggle which they hoped to spread across the world. The Church in India which was rooted in the socio-cultural environment and which enjoyed autonomy in internal administration in communion with the Universal Church resisted the unwanted intervention of the Portuguese who brought with them the Western ecclesiastical traditions. The Portuguese missionaries, ignorant of the Oriental traditions of the Indian Church, had the conviction that anything different from the Western Church was schism and heresy. Hence they wanted to latinize the Syrian Christians of India. In 1599 Archbishop Alexis Menezis convoked a Synod of Diamper (Udayamperoor) and imposed latin practices and ritual traditions on the Apostolic Church of India. This was a blow to the identity of the Indian Church. However, the relation continued till the beginning of the second half of the seventeenth century. The Church of St Thomas Christians could not withstand any more the denial of her autonomy. The initial resistance slowly gave way to discontentment, which ended up with the revolt in 1653 known as the Koonan Cross Oath. Thus, the one Church of the St Thomas Christians was split into two. A large majority of the broken-away-group hesitated to sever ties with Rome and they remained in communion with Rome, but, under the Latin Hierarchy. This group came to be called the Pazhayakûttukar, while the other was known as Puthenkûttukar. The latter group made several attempts for reunion with Rome safeguarding their autonomy and patrimony. Failing to re-establish communion with Rome, they happened to come in communion with the Jacobite Syrian Church of Antioch. These developments were not acts against the Apostolic See of Rome but against the Portuguese missionaries and their policy of latinization. Even after the communion with the Jacobite See of Antioch, the Malankara Prelates one after the other had attempted reunion with the Holy See, but all ended up in failure. The Puthenkûr community came under the influence of the British missionaries in the 19th century. From 1815 till 1836, the year of the Synod of Mavelikara, the British missionaries propagated Protestant ideology among the Puthenkûttukar. This paved the way to the formation of the Mar Thoma Church under the leadership of Palakunnath Abraham Malpan and Mar Athanasios, who was consecrated Bishop by the Patriarch of Antioch. In order to outdo the reformists Mar Divannasios approached the Patriarch of Antioch. Patriarch Peter III arrived in Malankara and in the Synod of Mulanthuruthy (1876) the Malankara Church had to accept the authority of the Patriarch of Antioch over this Church. Since then, the Malankara Church had contented that the Patriarch’s authority was only in spiritual matters. It was in this contentious context that Patriarch Mar Abdulla who came to Malankara, excommunicated Vattasseril Mar Divannasios in the year 1911. In this turbulent situation Fr P.T. Geevarghese (later Archbishop Mar Ivanios) played a vital role in reinstating the position of the excommunicated Metropolitan and in regaining the self-governance of the Malankara Church. To ward off the undue interference of Patriarch Abdulla in the administration of the temporalities of the Church, Fr P.T. Geevarghese with the blessing of Vattasseril Mar Divannasios contacted Abded M’siha, the Patriarch of Antioch from whom Mar Abdulla usurped the Patriarchal See of Antioch, and invited him to visit Malankara and to establish a Catholicate here. Accordingly, Patriarch Abded M’siha came to Malankara in 1912 and established the Malankara Catholicate. Thus the Malankara Church in India became an autonomous Church under its head the Catholicos. Moran Mor Baselios Paulos I (1912-1913), the first Catholicos, was called to eternal rest after a short period of five months on 13 May 1913. After the demise of Catholicos Baselios Paulos I, the See remained vacant until 1925. That was a period of litigations in the Malankara Church and also a period of spiritual renewal. The litigation for Vattippanam (a fixed deposit of money in the name of the Church) and its after-effects in the community was at its zenith. Fr P.T. Geevarghese who loved his Church was moved by the Spirit of God. He realised that only a spiritual awakening of the Church would give a lasting solution to the problems of the Church. He himself took to sanyâsa (Religious Life) and founded the Order of the Imitation of Christ (OIC) also called Bethany Ashram in the year 1919. The first Ashram was erected at Mundanmala of Ranni Perunad in Kerala. In 1925 he founded the community of the Sanyasins, the Sisters of the Imitation of Christ also called Bethany Madhom. From these two religious communities winds of spiritual fervour and renaissance blew across Malankara. By a decision of the Episcopal Synod, on 30 April 1925 Moran Mor Baselios Geevarghese I was installed as Catholicos. On the following day, the Catholicos consecrated Fr P. T. Geevarghese with the name Geevarghese Mar Ivanios as the Bishop of Bethany. On 1 November 1926, the Episcopal Synod held at Parumala near Tiruvalla, decided to open negotiations again with Rome for communion with the Catholic Church in order to establish peace in Malankara. The Synod authorised Mar Ivanios, the Bishop of Bethany, to make necessary correspondence with Rome regarding communion. He earnestly followed up the mandate of the Synod. In the meantime, the civil court’s decision on the litigation for Vattipanam was declared in favour of the Malankara Orthodox Church. This was a civil legal backing up for the Malankara Orthodox Church and consequently it stepped out from the endeavours of communion with Rome. After prolonged negotiations, the plenary session of the Sacred Congregation for the Oriental Churches, which met on 4 July 1930, took the final decision on the issue of the communion of the Malankara Church. But only Mar Ivanios the Metropolitan of Bethany and his suffragan Jacob Mar Theophilos stood by the early decision of the Synod. Mar Ivanios and Mar Theophilos along with Rev. Fr John Kuzhinapurath OIC, Deacon Alexander OIC and Mr Chacko Kilileth made their profession of faith before Bishop Aloysius Maria Benziger OCD of the Diocese of Quilon and entered into full communion with the Catholic Church on 20 September 1930. Pope Pius XI through the Apostolic Constitution Christo Pastorum Principi of 11 June 1932, established the Syro-Malankara Hierarchy for the reunited community and erected the Archieparchy of Trivandrum with the Eparchy of Tiruvalla as its suffragan. Thus, the Malankara Church re-entered into the hierarchical communion with the Catholic Church. The Syro-Malankara Catholic Hierarchy came into existence through the inauguration of the Metropolitan Eparchy of Trivandrum on 11 May 1933 and His Grace Mar Ivanios was enthroned as its first Metropolitan- Archbishop.. The Eparchy of Tiruvalla was inaugurated on 6 November 1933 and Most Rev. Jacob Mar Theophilos was enthroned as its first Bishop. Most Rev. Benedict Mar Gregorios was enthroned as the Metropolitan- Archbishop of Trivandrum and the Head of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church on 27 January 1955. Under the spiritual renewal, the pastoral guidance and the social commitment of Archbishop Benedict Mar Gregorios, the Church began to flourish in its various dimensions. Attracted by the Liturgy of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, Rev. Fr Francis Acharya, a Cistercian Monk from Belgium, came to the Eparchy of Tiruvalla. In the year 1957 he founded in the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, the Kristiya Sanyasa Samaj (KSS), commonly called Kurisumala Ashram in the high ranges of Vagamon in Kerala. The Syro-Malankara Catholic Church has been steadily growing and spreading throughout all the States in South India. On 14 February 1958 territorial boundaries of the Eparchy of Tiruvalla was extended to the north including the Malabar region of Kerala, the civil districts of Coimbatore and Nilgiris and Karoor Taluk in Tiruchirappally District of Tamil Nadu and districts of Mysore, Mandya, Coorg, Hasan, Chickamangalore, Shimoga and South Kanara of Karnataka State. The Order of Imitation of Christ (Bethany Fathers), a religious congregation for men founded by Archbishop Mar Ivanios, was raised to the Pontifical status on 14 April 1966 A significant development of this period is the organisation of the Syro- Malankara Catholic Faithful in India, outside the canonical territorial boundaries of the Church. From being organized as Malankara Catholic Associations, the communities of our faithful living in the Metropolitan cities of India came to be erected as personal parish communities. His Grace the Metropolitan-Archbishop Mar Gregorios was called to eternal rest on 10 October 1994 after an eventful service of 41 years and was entombed on 12th October at the side of his great predecessor at St.Mary’s Cathedral, Pattom. . His Holiness Pope John Paul II appointed Most Rev. Cyril Mar Baselios, as the successor of His Grace Benedict Mar Gregorios in November 1994. He was enthroned as Metropolitan-Archbishop of Trivandrum and as the Head of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church on 14 December 1995 Most Rev. Geevarghese Mar Divannasios was consecrated and installed Bishop of Bathery by Archbishop Cyril Mar Baselios on 5 February 1996 at St.Thomas Cathedral, Bathery. On 16 December 1996, His Holiness Pope John Paul II erected the Eparchy of Marthandom bifurcating the Metropolitan Eparchy of Trivandrum. Most Rev. Lawrence Mar Ephraem, the Protosyncellus of the Archieparchy of Trivandrum, was appointed as its first Bishop. His Excellency Lawrence Mar Ephraem was called to eternal rest, on 8 April 1997 and was buried at Christuraja Cathedral, Marthandam. In the mean time the Eparchy of Tiruvalla was blessed with an Auxiliary Bishop in the person of Most Rev. Dr Thomas Mar Koorilos. He was consecrated Bishop by His Excellency Geevarghese Mar Timotheos on 17 July 1997 at St. John’s Cathedral, Tiruvalla. With the appointment of Rev. Dr John Berchmans OIC on 26 December 1997 as the Co-Ordinator of the Malankara Catholic Communities in the Extra-territorial regions in India by the Metropolitan Archbishop of the Syro- Malankara Catholic Church, the ecclesial life of these parish communities was coordinated. Most Rev. Yoohanon Mar Chrysostom was consecrated as Bishop of Marthandom and Joshua Mar Ignathios as the Auxiliary Bishop of the Metropolitan Eparchy of Trivandrum by Archbishop Cyril Mar Baselios at Mar Ivanios Stadium, Nalanchira on 29 June 1998. Most Rev. Yoohanon Mar Chrysostom was enthroned as the second Bishop of the Eparchy of Marthandom on 1 July 1998 at Christuraja Cathedral, by His Grace Cyril Mar Baselios. Most Rev. Paulos Mar Philoxenos passed away on 3 November 1998 and was entombed at St John’s Cathedral, Tiruvalla. The Syro-Malankara Catholic Church celebrated the Great Jubilee 2000 in Rome on 19–21 November 2000. Holy Father Pope John Paul II in an audience with the Hierarchy and the representatives of the Clergy, the Religious and the Laity of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church said, “Seventy years ago, Metropolitan Archbishop Mar Ivanios, Bishop Mar Theophilos and their companions entered into full communion with the See of Peter, because they were profoundly convinced of the truth of the words found beneath the dome of the Vatican Basilica: A significant development in this period has been the establishment of parishes for the faithful of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church in the United States of America. The Holy Father John Paul II appointed Rt. Rev. Msgr Isaac Thottunkal, the Proto Syncellus of Bathery, as Apostolic Visitor for the Syro-Malankarites residing in North America and Europe and the Auxiliary Bishop of Trivandrum on 18 June 2001. He was ordained a bishop by Metropolitan Archbishop Cyril Mar Baselios at Mar Ivanios Nagar, Tirumoolapuram, Tiruvalla with the name Isaac Mar Cleemis on 15 August 2001. Upon the request of His Excellency Geevarghese Mar Timotheos the Holy See established the Eparchy of Muvattupuzha, bifurcating the Eparchy of Tiruvalla, on 15 January 2003, which includes the civil districts of Ernakulam, Thrissur and Palakkad of Kerala State and civil districts of Coimbatore and Thiruchirapally of Tamil Nadu. Most Rev. Thomas Mar Koorilos was appointed first Bishop of Muvattupuzha. The installation of Most Rev. Thomas Mar Koorilos and the official inauguration of the Eparchy took place on 6 February 2003. Bishop Geevarghese Mar Timotheos submitted to the Holy See due to super-annuation on 29 March 2003 and the Holy See appointed Isaac Mar Cleemis, Auxiliary bishop of the Archieparchy of Trivandrum and of the Apostolic Visitor to Europe and America, as the Bishop of Tiruvalla. His Excellency Isaac Mar Cleemis was enthroned as the Bishop of Tiruvalla on 2 October 2003. Most Rev. Joseph Mar Thomas was appointed as the Auxiliary Bishop of Trivandrum and Apostolic Visitor to North America and Europe on January 5, 2005.. On 10 February 2005, a day engraved in golden letters in the history of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, His Holiness Pope John Paul II raised this Church to the status of a Major Archiepiscopal Church and appointed the then Metropolitan Archbishop as Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church . With this, the Malankara Catholic Church obtained a Synodal hierarchical structure with Major Archbishop as the “father and head” (pater et caput) of the Church exercising Patriarchal powers with the Synod of Bishops. According to the decision of the Holy Episcopal Synod of the Syro- Malankara Catholic Church, His Beatitude Moran Mor Cyril Baselios Catholicos erected the Eparchy of Mavelikara, bifurcating the Major Archieparchy of Trivandrum, on 1 January 2007. His Excellency Most Rev. Dr Joshua Mar Ignathios, the Auxiliary Bishop of Trivandrum was transferred and was appointed the first Bishop of the Eparchy of Mavelikara. The Eparchy of Mavelikara comprises the prebsyteral districts of Mavelikakra and Kollam and parts of the presbyteral districts of Chengannur and Adoor. This includes with the civil districts of Alapuzha minus the portions that belong to the Archdiocese of Tiruvalla and parts of the civil districts of Kollam and Pathanamthitta. On Thursday, 18 January 2007, His Beatitude Moran Mor Cyril Baselios, the first Major Archbishop-Catholicos of the Syro- Malankara Catholic Church slept in the Lord. In order to elect the new Major Archbishop-Catholicos, the first Holy Episcopal Synod of election of the Syro Malankara Catholic Church was convoked on 7-10 February 2007 at the Catholicate Centre, Pattom, Trivandrum. After a day of prayer and meditation, the Holy Episcopal Synod elected His Grace Most Rev. Dr Isaac Mar Cleemis, the Metropolitan Archbishop of Tiruvalla as the new Major Archbishop-Catholicos of the Syro- Malankara Catholic Church and the Major Archbishop of Trivandrum Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI appointed Very Rev. Dr Chacko Aerath OIC as the Apostolic Visitor for the Syro-Malankara Catholic faithful residing in the Extra-territorial Regions of the Church within India on 7 February 2007. Moran Mor Baselios Cleemis was enthroned as the Second Major Archbishop-Catholicos of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church and the Major Archbishop of Trivandrum on 5 March 2007 at St Mary’s Cathedral, Pattom. Very Rev. Dr Chacko Aerath OIC was ordained Bishop with the name Jacob Mar Barnabas by His Beatitude Moran Mor Baselios Cleemis Catholicos on 10 March 2007. As per the decision of the Holy Episcopal Synod and in consultation with the Apostolic Nuncio in India, New Delhi was chosen as the place of his residence and Mar Barnabas took charge of the office on 22 March 2007. As per the decision of the Holy Episcopal Synod and in consultation with the Holy See, the Major Archbishop-Catholicos, Moran Mor His Beatitude Baselios Cleemis transferred His Excellency Most Rev. Thomas Mar Koorilos from the Eparchy of Moovattupuzha and appointed him as the Second Metropolitan Archbishop of the Archieparchy of Tiruvalla on Monday, 26 March 2007 During the 54th Commemoration of Archbishop Mar Ivanios at St Mary’s Cathedral on Saturday, 14 July 2007, Moran Mor Baselios Cleemis, Major Archbishop-Catholicos declared Archbishop Mar Ivanios as Servant of God, accepting the petition submitted by Rev. Fr Antony Valiyavilayil OIC, the postulator for the cause of canonization of Archbishop Mar Ivanios. In accordance with the decision of the fifth Ordinary Holy Episcopal Synod held on 9 to 12 October 2007 the Ordinary Tribunal of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church was erected by the Major Archbishop-Catholicos on 15 November 2007. The Major Archbishop-Catholicos appointed a few priests for the pastoral care of the Syro-Malankra Catholic faithful in ETR outside India. As per the election of the Holy Episcopal Synod and with the assent of the Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI, the Major Archbishop-Catholicos appointed Most Rev. Abraham Mar Julios as the Bishop of Muvattupuzha on 18 January 2008. On 25 January 2010, as per the decision of the Holy Episcopal Synod of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, and having consulted the Apostolic See of Rome, His Beatitude Moran Mor Baselios Cleemis Major Archbishop- Catholicos, erected the Eparchy of Pathanamthitta bifurcating the Major Archieparchy of Trivandrum and the Eparchy of Puttur bifurcating the Eparchy of Bathery. The territory of the Eparchy of Pathanamthitta consists of four ecclesiastical districts-Pathanamthitta, Konni, Ranni-Perunadu, Pandalam and the parishes of Anandapally, Angadickal, Chandanapally, Pongaldy and Thatta of the eccelsiatical district of Adoor. The territory of the Eparchy of Puttur consists of the civil districts of Dakshina Kannada, Chamarajnagar, Chickmanglur, Hassan, Kodagu, Mandya, Mysore, Shimoga and Udupi of Karnataka State. On the same day His Beatitude Moran Mor Baselios Cleemis transferred His Excellency Most Rev. Yoohanon Mar Chrysostom from the Eparchy of Marthandom and appointed him the first Bishop of Pathanamathitta. His Beatitude transferred His Excellency Most Rev. Dr Geevarghese Mar Divannasios from the Eparchy of Bathery and appointed him the first Bishop of Puttur. He also transferred His Excellency Most Rev. Dr Joseph Mar Thomas from his office as the Apostolic Visitor to North America and Europe and the Auxiliary Bishop of the Major Archieparchy of Trivandrum, and appointed him the Bishop of Bathery. Having been elected by the Holy Episcopal Synod of the Syro- Malankara Catholic Church, with the assent of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI, on 25 January 2010, His Beatitude Moran Mor Baselios Cleemis Catholicos appointed Rev. Dr Vincent Kulapuravilai, as the Bishop of Marthandom, Rev. Dr Antony Valiayavilayil OIC, as the Bishop of the Major Archiepiscopal Curia, Rt. Rev. Dr Msgr Samuel Kattukallil as the Auxiliary Bishop of the Major Archieparchy of Trivandrum and Rev. Dr Stephen Thottathil as the Auxiliary Bishop of the Archieparchy of Tiruvalla. On 13 March 2010, His Beatitude Moran Mor Baselios Cleemis ordained His Excellency Most Rev. Vincent Mar Paulose (Bishop of Marthandom), His Excellency Most Rev. Thomas Mar Anthonios (Curia Bishop), His Excellency Most Rev. Samuel Mar Irenios (Auxiliary Bishop of Trivandrum) and His Excellency Most Rev. Philipose Mar Stephanos (Auxiliary Bishop of Tiruvalla) as Bishops. His Excellency Most Rev. Dr Vincent Mar Paulose was installed as the third Bishop of the Eparchy of Marthandom on 14 March 2010 at Christu Raja Cathedral, Marthandam. The inauguration of the Eparchy of Pathanamthitta and the Installation of His Excellency Most Rev. Yoohanon Mar Chrysostom as the first Bishop of Pathanamthitta was officiated on 20 March 2010. His Excellency Most Rev. Dr Joseph Mar Thomas was installed as the Bishop of Bathery at St.Thomas Cathedral, on 13 April 2010. On 14 July 2010 Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI erected the Apostolic Exarchate in the United States of America for the Syro- Malankarites in the USA and appointed Rev. Dr Thomas Naickamparambil, as the first Bishop of the new Exarchate and Apostolic Visitor to Canada and Europe. Rt. Rev. Naickamparambil Thomas Remban was ordained Bishop with the name Thomas Mar Eusebius by His Beatitude Moran Mor Baselios Cleemis Catholicos at St.Mary’s Cathedral, Pattom, on 21 September 2010. . Moran Mor Baselios Cleemis Catholicos, the Major Archbishop of Trivandrum, was appointed Cardinal by His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI on 24 October 2012 and created him the new Cardinal of the Universal Church in the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church in the Consistory held on 24 November 2012. His Beatitude Moran Mor Baselios Cardinal Cleemis is the first Cardinal of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church and the youngest of the universal Church. The day 26 March 2015, was engraved in golden letters in the history of the Church when His Holiness Pope Francis established the new Eparchy of St John Chrysostom of Gurgaon and appointed Most Rev. Jacob Mar Barnabas OIC as its first Bishop and on the same day the Holy Father established the new Exarchate of St Ephrem of Khadki (in Pune) for the Syro- Malankara Catholics and appointed Most Rev. Thomas Mar Anthonios OIC as its first Bishop. The inauguration of the Eparchy of St John Chrysostom of Gurgaon and the Installation of His Excellency Most Rev. Jacob Mar Barnabas OIC as the first Bishop of Gurgaon was officiated by Moran Mor Baselios Cardinal Cleemis Catholicos at St Mary`s Cathedral, NebSarai in New Delhi on 1 May 2015. The inauguration of the Exarchate of St.Ephrem of Khadki and the Installation of His Excellency Most Rev. Thomas Mar Anthonios OIC as its first Bishop was officiated by Moran Mor Baselios Cardinal Cleemis Catholicos at St Mary`s Cathedral, Khadki in Pune on 30 May 2015. Besides the canonical institutions of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, various associations including the Malankara Catholic Youth Movement (MCYM), the Malankara Catholic Association (MCA), Malankara Catholic Childrens League (MCCL) and the Legion of Mary, Matruvedi, Pithruvedi emerged. On Aug,5th 2017, Erection of the Eparchy of Parassala and election of its first Bishop, His Lordship the Right Reverend Thomas Mar Eusebios Naickamparambil took place. His Lordship the Right Reverend Philipose Mar Stephanose Thottathil was appointed as the Bishop of the Eparchy of Saint Mary Queen of Peace in the United States and Canada. Reverend Father George Kalayil is appointed as the new Bishop of the Eparchy of Puthur. Reverend Fr. John Kuchuthundil is newly appointed as Curia Bishop and Apostolic Visitator to Europe and Oceania, to whom has been assigned the Titular See of Tuburbo Maggiore. On 10th April,2018, Baselios Cardinal Cleemis Catholicos has announced two new coadjutor bishops for the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church. Samuel Mar Irenios, auxiliary bishop of the major archdiocese of Thiruvananthapuram, was appointed the coadjutor of Pathanamthitta, and Yoohanon Mar Theodosius, bishop of the curia and the apostolic visitator to Europe and Oceania, was appointed the coadjutor bishop of Muvattupuzha. Malankara Community in Surat Malankara Community in Surat is widely spread around the span of 35-40 kms. Disregarding the geographical dispersion, they used to regularly gather to worship and attend Latin or Syro Malabar mass at the only one Mount Carmel Church at Nanpura. Subsequently Mary Matha Church was formed in 2000 near Bhestan, Surat. Some of the members of the community made a request to Very Rev Fr Dr John Berchmans, OIC who was the ETRI ( Extra Territorial Regions of India) coordinator to unite the people and to have Malankara Mass. As a true and enthusiastic gospel, Rev Fr Berchmans, OIC acceded to the requests and took pain to visit Surat in 1998 and thanks to his earnest efforts; the first Malankara Mass was celebrated on 3rd Aug, 1988. Inspired by the spirit of the Malankarites in Surat, Rev Fr requested HE Bishop Geevarghese Mar Divannasios, Diocese of Bathery to depute priests to unify and develop mission in Gujarat, especially in Surat. Based on this Rev Fr Mathew Perumpallikunnel of Bathery Diocese was appointed as the priest-in-charge of Malankara Mission in Gujarat. Holy Mass was celebrated in the evening Sundays at Mount Carmel Catholic Church, Nanpura, Surat
Mount Carmel Church, Nanpura Surat 
Mother Mary Church, Bhestan, Surat With earnest financial support from Bathery, Tiruvalla & Trivandrum Diocese, in 2001 plot of land admeasuring almost 2.5 acres was purchased in Pandesara close to Udhna –Sachin highway. A nursery school was started under the leadership and guidance of Holy Spirit Sisters. Subsequent to the transfer of Rev Fr Mathew Perumpallikunnel, parish and school was entrusted to Rev Fathers of Bethany Ashram. In 2007, consequent to the appointment as Apostolic Visitator of ETRI, HE Bishop Jacob Mar Barnabas has given special care and attention to the community in Surat and thanks to his sustained efforts, HE Bishop, Godfrey Rozarios in 2008 had given consent for having personal parish for the Malankarites in Surat. The need of independent church was badly felt and parish priests and the parishioners prayed and begged to Almighty incessantly to make this dream true. Rev Fr Mathew Augustine, OIC, Rev Fr Mathew Modiyil, OIC and Rev Fr Benedict OIC physically and spiritually supported the divine endeavour of the parishioners. As a miracle, God answered the prayer and on 3rd March, 2012, the foundation stone of the church was laid by HE Bishop Jacob Mar Barnabas in the presence of Rev Fr Benedict OIC, the then Vicar and other diginataries, Rev Fr Joseph Noble,OIC took over as Vicar and under his dynamic leadership and enthusiasm, the first Malankara Catholic Church in Gujarat was consecrated on 8th June 2013 by His Beatitude Moran Mor Baselius Cardinal Cleemis, Major Arch Bishop-Catholicos of Syro Malankara Catholic Church.
Presence of Holy Spirit Sisters(OSS) Holy Spirit Sisters (OSS) with their august presence were bonded with the community right from the inception. Their service in imparting spiritual leadership to the children and youth and bringing the community close to God need special appreciation. The development and upliftment of the community, construction of the church and its liturgical beauty could not have been possible without the valuable support and guidance from the nearby Convent and Rev Sisters. Former Vicars, Brothers, Sisters served:
1. Rev Fr Mathew Perumpallikunnel
2. Rev Fr Augustine OIC
3. Rev Fr Mathew Modiyil, OIC
4. Rev Fr George Varghese, OIC
5. Rev Fr Peter John OIC
6. Rev Fr Benedict Kaniyantayyath OIC
7. Rev Fr Joseph Noble OIC
8. Rev Fr John Britto OIC
9. Late Rev Fr Jose Valakuzhi, OIC
10. Rev Fr Justin OIC
11. Rev Fr Shoby Mathew OCI
12. Rev Fr Binoy George, OIC
13. Rev Fr Benedict Kaniyantayyath OIC
14. Rev Fr Sijo Mathew OIC ( as Regent Br)
15. Rev Fr Geevarghese Paniker OIC( as Regent Br)
16. Rev Fr Francis, OIC ( as Regent Br)
17. Rev Fr Justin Thomas, Chakkumkal ( as Regent Br)
18. Rev Sr Merlin OSS 19. Rev Sr Blessy OSS
20. Rev Sr Kusumam OSS
21. Rev Sr Vimala OSS
22. Rev Sr Sunitha OSS
23. Rev Sr Rani Mariya, OSS
24. Rev Sr Anice OSS
25. Rev Sr Blessy, OSS
26. Rev. Sr Soumya, OSS