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Welcome To St.Stephen's Indian Orthodox Church Birmingham(U.K)


	The Indian Orthodox Church is (also known as Malankara Orthodox Church, MalankaraOrthohox Syrian Church, Orthodox Syrian Church of the East), is a prominent member Of the Oriental Orthodox Church family.The Church traces its origin to St.Thomas the Apostle,who came to India in AD 52 and established the church and suffered martydom.Apostle Thomas was martyred in72 A.D at Little Mount at Mylapore near Madras in India.The official title of the head of the Church is the "Catholicos of the East, Catholicos of the Apostolic throne of St.Thomas and Malankara Metropolitan
		H.H Baselios Marthoma Didymos1

	Orthodox Church is an Ancient, Autonomous, Independent, Indian Church whose Supreme Head is His Holiness The Catholicos of the East and Malankara Metropolitan, with headquarters at Catholicate Aramana, Devalokam, Kottayam, Kerala. The present Catholicos of the East and Malankara Metropolitan is H.H Catholicos Baselios Marthoma Didymos1, who was enthroned on October 31st,2005 at Parumala Church by the Holy Synod amidst the Holy Eucharist. He is the 90th successor of St.Thomas on his Appostolic throne.

	Although majority of the members of the church numbering about 2.5 million live in Kerala, they could be found now spread over not only in all the different states of India, but also in all the continents through out the world.There are dioceses and churches in most of India as well as in the UnitedStates,Canada,Europe,Persian Gulf nations,Malasia,Singapore, Australia and New Zealand.

	Constitution of the Church Adopted in 1934

	Malankara Orthodox Church is now administered as per the constitution adopted in 1934 which was passed by the Malankara Syrian Christian Association. The Association is a fully representative body of the church with elected members -priests and laymen -from all the Parish Churches. Now one priest each and laymen 1 to 10 depending on the number of members in each parish are members of the Association.

	There are about 1400 parishes under the Malankara Orthodox Church.It is the Association which elects the Catholicos and the Malankara Metropolitan and also the Bishops. There is a Managing Committee for the Association with members from each Diocese elected by the Association. The Malankara Metropolitan is the President of the Managing Committee and the remaining Prelates having administrative charge are the Vice-Presidents. The Association Mahaging Committee has a Working Committee with Malankara Metropolitan as the President. The Working Committee is aJso the Consultative Committee of the Malankara Metropolitan. The Episcopal Synod has all the Prelates of the Malankara Church as members. Matters concerning Faith, Order and Discipline are under the authority of the Episcopal Synod. It is the Episcopal Synod which installs the Catholicos.

StStephen

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UK Diocesan Bishop H.G Dr Mathews Mar Themothios

Late UK Diocesan Bishop H.G Dr Thomas Mar Makarios

Fr.Varghese Mathew(Vicar) St.Stephen'sChurch,Bhm.