Syro-Malankara Catholic Church

History

In 1653, some Malabar Christians reject the Latinisation of that church and join the Syriac Jacobite Church. They are now known as “Malankaras”.

In 1930, part of the Malankara community reunited with Rome, adopting Western Syriac rite, unlike the Malabar Church.
In February 2005, the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church was recognised as a Major Archiepiscopal Church.

The current head of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, which has approximately 450,000 faithful in India, is H.B. Isaac Mar Cleemis Thottunkal, Major Archbishop of Trivandrum (Thiruvananthapuram).

The Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, recognised as an Orthodox Church, has 2.1 million faithful; its seat is in Kottayam. Another branch of this church is directly attached to the Syriac Orthodox patriarchate of Antioch. It has 2.5 million faithful; its seat is in Muvattupuzha.