St. Mary's Syriac Orthodox Church of Canada

Overview

St. Mary's Syriac Orthodox Church of Canada is a prominent member of the North American Diocese of the Malankara Syrian Orthodox Church, under the spiritual jurisdiction of the Patriarch of Antioch, Moran Mor Ignatius Aphrem II. The church is recognized as the first Malankara Syriac Orthodox (Jacobite) Church in Canada.

History

Established in 1983 by nine founding families, St. Mary's Church was formally set up in August of that year with the blessing of the late Archbishop H. E. Mor Athanasius Y. Samuel. The first Holy Qurbana (Divine Liturgy) was conducted by H. G. Thomas Mor Dionysius (now H. B. Baselios Thomas I, Catholicose of the East) and Very Rev. Fr. Jos Thomas at St. Barsaumo Syriac Orthodox Church in Toronto.

Initially, services were conducted on a monthly or bi-weekly basis by visiting priests from the United States. The church's first resident vicar was Fr. Thomas Varghese Kanneth, who served from 1987 to 1994. Subsequent periods saw services led by visiting priests until the appointment of Rev. Fr. V.V. Paulose as the resident vicar from 1996 to 1997.

Significance

St. Mary's Church is situated in Mississauga, a suburb of Toronto, and is affectionately referred to as "The little church with big blessing." It serves as a religious and cultural hub for the Syriac Orthodox community in Canada, particularly those of Malayali descent who follow the Syriac tradition.

Organization and Registration

The church is registered as a Canadian nonprofit organization with a Business Registration Number of 890625171RR0001. As part of its commitment to the community, it engages in various spiritual, educational, and social activities.

Affiliation

St. Mary's Syriac Orthodox Church is part of the broader Syriac Orthodox Church tradition, which is an Oriental Orthodox church tracing its origins back to the Church of Antioch. The church is linked to the Malankara Archdiocese of North America, which oversees parishes across the United States and Canada for families primarily from India who adhere to the Syriac tradition.