Sant Georges Orthodox Chruch at Nagpur
belongs to the Syrian Orthodox Church under Calcutta diocese in India. |
Syrian Orthodox Church This Church enjoys the greatest prestige
in the history of Christendom since it is the first Church which was
established in Jerusalem Apostles, Preachers and other converted Jews
found refuge in Antioch and spread the gospel and attracted
believers from among the Arameans and other gentile elements also.The
Church and its followers still use Syriac-Aramaic the language spoken by
our Lord Jesus Christ. Persecutions including massacres caused transfer of
the See of the Patriarchate from Antioch to other centres. Due to
political and other developments it is now settled in Damascus-Syria.
Historians declare that the survival of this Church was nothing short of a
miracle. The current Patriarch of Antioch and all the East, the Supreme
Head of the Universal Syrian Orthodox Church is His Holiness Moran Mor
Ignatius Zakka I Iwas. The Church provides spiritual guidance to million
throughout the World.
Present Syrian Orthodox Church position It is clear, from what we have explained,
that the Syrian Orthodox Church is the most ancient one in the whole of
Christendom and that its Patriarch of Antioch once ruled over the entire
Christian East including the believers of different nationalities and
languages and had outstanding accomplishments in many fields by the
efforts of the inspired leadership provided by its patriarchs, bishops and
scholars even when they had to pass through trials and persecutions. It is
clear also that the Church in the Middle East met with hard circumstances,
which resulted in the Emigration of its children in thousands to North and
South America and to Europe, especially to Germany, Sweden, France, and
Australia. At last Damascus has become the Headquarters. Such was also the
case with its Archdioceses. Some of them ceased and new ones were
established in other countries. By the Grace of God, we have the Patriarch
of Antioch and all the East as the Supreme Head of the Universal Syrian
Orthodox Church. Among its followers, the majority is in India and the
rest are in Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Turkey, Europe and North
and South America and Australia... We have also to Catholicate unanimously
accepted from 1964 whose title is the "Catholicos of the East". There are
also 22 Archdioceses in the Middle East, India and North America. In India
we have many missions which preach the Gospel among the Heathen. At
present, many of our followers are university graduates and are highly
educated. Our boys and girls in the Middle East receive their primary and
secondary education in their own schools and continue their higher study
either in government or in Western private colleges. In India we have our
own secular schools and colleges. We have also two major theological
Seminaries to educate our clergy; one of them is in Lebanon and the other
in India. Recently we have started a few Social Welfare insituations. We
are very glad to say that we have received some aid from the Evangelical
Churches in Germany. Our vision of the fraternity of Christendom and of
all mankind led us in 1960 to join the World Council of Churches which we
consider a hopeful sign for the future of Christianity and the mankind at
large. Although the number of the followers of our Church was diminishing
in the past due to the dreadful calamities and severe persecutions which
befell our Church we are now gaining strength and beginning to revive. We
are very proud of our Church, of its Syriac (Aramaic) language which is
the mother tongue of our Lord Jesus Christ, and of its many glories. We
are also proud that we are the descendents of the numerous martyrs and
saints of whom St.George is accepted as patron saint every
where..
Malankara Syrian Orthodox Church St.Thomas (one of the twelve Apostles of
Christ) founded Malankara Syrian Orthodox Church in Kerala, India.
Most people are unaware of the spread of Christianity in India and
especially about the fact that Christianity existed in India before most
of Europe and the west knew about it.
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