St.Mary's Syrian Orthodox Church, a member Church of North American Diocese of Malankara Syrian Orthodox Church with the Patriarch of Antioch, His Holiness Moran Mor Ignatius Aphrem II as its supreme head, was established in the year of 1983. Situated in Mississauga, a suburban town near Toronto, Canada, this Church is best known as "The little church with big blessing".
In the year of 1983, nine families worked hard to build a church and establish the congregation of the first Malankara Syrian Orthodox Church in Canada. They were the families of Mr. Jacob Kuzhikkattil, Mr. Joy Varghese, Mr. Mathew Alavathil, Mr. Mathai Kurian, Late Polson Varghese, Late P. I. Kurian, Mr. Jacob Elavathil, Mr. Chacko Varghese and Late John Puthiampadavil.
In August 1983, with the consent of the late Archbishop H. E Mor Athanasius Y. Samuel of the North American Archdiocese, St. Mary's Syrian Orthodox church was established. H. G. Thomas Mor Dionysius (now H. B Baselios Thomas1, Catholicose of the East) assisted by very Rev. Fr. Jos Thomas, conducted the first Holy Qurbana at St. Barsaumo Syriac Orthodox Church in Toronto.
Initially, services were conducted monthly or biweekly by visiting priests from The United States of America. From 1987 - 1994, Fr. Thomas Varghese Kanneth served as the first resident Vicar of the Church. Between 1994 and 1996, services were conducted by visiting priests until Rev Fr. V.V Paulose was appointed as the resident Vicar in 1996 until 1997.
Mr. Jacob Kuzhikkattil initiated the idea of having our own Parish building with a considerable donation and encouragement. With God's leading, this was realized with the aid of the growing congregation and other well wishers when the present church was bought on Kenmuir Avenue, Mississauga on March 6th, 1998.
The inaugural service of the new parish was conducted by Rev. Fr. Estephanos Ramban of the St. Barsaumo Syriac Orthodox Church. Our first Church Constitution was adopted in 1989 under "St. Mary's Syrian Orthodox Church of Canada". We also became a Revenue Canada Registered Charity in 1991 and an Ontario Charitable Corporation in 2002.
We were under the following archbishops since our establishment - H. E Mor Athanasius Y. Samuel, H.E Mor Nicholovos Zachariah (excommunicated by the Holy Patriarch), H.E Mor Ivanios Mathew and presently H. E Mor Titus Yeldho. The very Rev. Fr. Jos Thomas was appointed as the vicar of this parish in April 1998, and continued to serve this church until June 2003 who was then succeeded by Fr. Joy John from Philadelphia. Fr. Ephraim from the Middle Eastern Syrian Church had also conducted the services when Fr. Joy was not available. Fr. James Scaria (now H.G. Mor Aphrem Mathew) was appointed as vicar in 2004, but decided to return to India in 2005. Fr. Prince Mookkanottil was then appointed in 2005 until May 2007 followed by Fr. Cheriyan Kooliyattil who served till May 2011. Fr. Abey Mathew took over as the the vicar from June 2011 to March 2022.
Fr. Manu Mathew was appointed in June 2022 as the new Vicar and continues to render his services till date. He was also joined by Fr Josis Vazhakkala for youth ministry and for coordinating youth activities and events.
St.Mary's Orthodox Church proudly celebrated its Silver Jubilee in August 2008 with H. G Joseph Mor Gregorios as the chief celebrant. The heritage of faith continues till today. We continue to be grateful to our Lord for his many blessings and hold it a privilege to serve Him for the last 30 years. As a congregation our Church activities include regular worship services, Sunday school classes for children, Youth fellowship studies and activities, and the St. Mary’s women's league.
The church was outgrowing its current capacity and was looking for a bigger facility for the growing congregation. In 2018, a suitable place was found at 2521 Tedlo St, Mississauga. The property was closed on February 18th and the congregation was moved to the basement of the building while the renovation of the building was going on Mar 2018 March 01 and 02, the new church building was consecrated by the Archbishop H.E Eldo Mor Titus and there after conducting its regular service there.
Throughout its history, this congregation has demonstrated its dedication to the community by enriching programs and religious activities. It continues to have a rich history of worship, study and service to which God still calls us all.
Vicar | Year |
Rev. Fr. Jos Thomas | 1983 |
Rev. Fr. Thomas Varghese Kanneth | 1987 - 1994 |
Rev. Fr. V. V. Paulose | 1996 -1997 |
Rev. Fr. Jos Thomas | 1998-2003 |
Rev. Fr. Joy John | 2003-2004 |
Rev. Fr. James Scaria (Mor Aprem Thirumeni) | 2004-2005 |
Rev. Fr. Prince Mookkanottil | 2005-2007 |
Rev. Fr. Cheriyan Kooliyattil | 2007-2011 |
Rev. Fr. Abey Mathew | 2011-2021 |
Rev. Fr. Manu Mathew | 2022 |
2024 will be marked as a remarkable year in the history of our church. The church had the honor of hosting our supreme head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church, Patriarch H.H Mor Ignatius Aphrem II accompanied by patriarchal secretary bishop H.E Mor Augin for their first visit to Malankara Orthodox community in Canada, marking the celebration of church Ruby Jubilee i.e. 40 yrs completion.
The Apostolic visit started on Friday August 16th, 2024, as His Holiness arrived at Pearson Int’l Airport. His Holiness was greeted by our Archbishop H.E Mor Titus Yeldho and Syrian Bishop H.E Mor Athanasius Elia Bahi, Vicar Fr Manu Mathew and Managing Committee members, clergy’s, Diocese council members, church and community members, in the afternoon at 2.30 PM.
August 17th, On Saturday Morning, His Holiness conducted the Holy Qurbana at BourSouma church for Canada diocese region. That evening, St. Mary’s church hosted a public event, a dinner banquet honoring His Holiness, which was attended by community and political leaders. About 400 guests where in attendance which featured felicitation speeches from political leaders, cultural programs, and family photo opportunities with Holiness.
On the morning of Sunday August 18th , the annual feast day of St Mary’s church , His Holiness was given a red-carpet welcome with a Scottish band and procession to St. Marys church. His Holiness unveiled a marble stone commemorating his visit. This was followed by Holy Qurbana, Sermon and benediction. More than 800 people were in attendance and the crowd was well managed by church volunteers. Security personals and police were hired on-site for safety protocols.
The apostolic visit was concluded on Monday Aug 19th 10 AM, as His Holiness departed from Pearson Intl Airport, Toronto.
A souvenir was published for this remarkable milestone, reflecting the apostolic visit and the Ruby Jubilee celebration. Church members contributed generously with articles, family photos and business promotion materials. About 300 copies were initially printed and an additional 150 copies were printed as a supplement which included key moments from the event.
The Syriac Orthodox Church is one of the most ancient Christian Churches tracing its roots to the Church of Antioch. The disciples were first called Christians in Antioch (Acts of the Apostles 11:26). Apostle Peter is believed to have established a church in Antioch in AD 37, the remnants of which are still in Antakya (the modern name of Antioch), Turkey. After the martyrdom of Apostle Peter, he was succeeded by St. Euodius and St. Ignatius Noorono as shepherds of the flock in Antioch and in the writings of St. Ignatius we find the evolution of the ecclesiastical order of bishops—ordained successors of the Apostles in whom continued the spiritual authorities vested by our Lord in the Apostles. The bishophric of Antioch was recognized in the ecumenical Synod of Nicea (AD 325) as one of the Patriarchates of Christendom (along with that of Alexandria and Rome). It produced a line of succession beginning with Apostle Peter which continues to this day in the Syriac Orthodox Church.
Antioch was at the time of Christ the capital of the Roman province of Syria and an important center of commerce. As a city imbued in the hellenistic culture, Greek was the common language. But the majority of the people in the region, especially outside the cities spoke Syriac, the Edessene dialect of Aramaic, the language spoken by our Lord.
The disciples Addai, Mari, Aggai and Apostle Thomas, are believed to have spread the Gospel in the regions north east of Antioch, of Edessa (Urhoy) and Nisibis and further to upper northern Mesopotamian plains between Rivers Tigris and Euphrates. The Syriac Doctrine of Addai recounts how Christ send Addai, one of the Seventy Disciples, to King Abgar of Edessa. It is believed that Apostle Thomas went further east arriving in what is today India in AD 52. Many important and influential centers of Syriac speaking Christians emerged in the cities such as Edessa (Urhoy), Adiabene (Hadyab), and Nisibis (Nsibin). While Antioch was the seat of the bishophric, Edessa is often considered the cradle of Syriac Christianity.
The Church of Antioch played a significant role in the early history of Christianity. It played a prominent role in the first three Synods held at Nicea (325) , Constantinople (381), and Ephesus (431), shaping the formulation and early interpretation of Christian doctrines. In AD 451, the Council of Chalcedon and its Christological position resulted in a schism that divided the faithful under the Apostolic See of Antioch into two—one today known as the `idto suryoyto treeysath shubho (Syrian or Syriac Orthodox Church) and the other the Eastern Orthodox (or Rum Orthodox) Church of Antioch. The latter had the support of the Byzantinian Emperor Justinian who convened the Council of Chalcedon. The years that followed resulted in a struggle over the Apostolic See, with bishops of both persuasions assuming the position of Patriarch of Antioch. In 518, Patriarch St. Severus was exiled from Antioch. The seat of the Syriac Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch moved to different monasteries including Qartmin, Qenneshrin (Chalkis, near Aleppo), Malatya, and Amid (Diyarbakir), and finally settled in 1293 in Dayro d-Mor Hananyo (also known as Kurkmo Dayro in Syriac and Deir Zafaran in Arabic) in Mardin. It remained at this monastery until 1933 when the political circumstances forced its migration to Homs, Syria, and later to Damascus in 1959.
Another center of the Syriac Orthodox emerged in former Persian territory, that of the so-called Easterners (Syr. Madnehoyo). The Syriac Orthodox community there was partly a result of the Persian abduction of the Syrian population during the wars with Byzantium and forced settlement on Persian territory and partly of Christians in Persia who reacted against political imposition of the doctrines of the Church of the East. In the period of the Sassanids, the Easterners for practical reasons, established an ecclesiastical organization of their own, recognizing the metropolitan of Tagrit on the River Tigris as their head in 629. Later in the eleventh century, the title came to be known as the Maphryono (literally "one who bears fruit" or "consecrator"). He was elected by the eastern bishops, just as the Patriarch was elected by those of the west, but was ordained by the Patriarch. Later, this office gained such importance that Maphryonos ordained the Patriarchs, but at the same time, the Maphryonos ceased to be elected and from 793 (with the Maphryono Sarbelios) they were nominated by the Patriarchs. Among the Maphryonos, was the illustrious author Mor Gregorius Bar `Ebroyo (1226-186). Dayro d-Mor Mattay in Mosul served as the seat of the Maphryono in many periods of history. Later, the Maphryono took residence at the Patriarchate in Mardin. The last of the Maphryonos passed away in 1848 and the position became defunct.
The history of the Syriac Orthodox Church is characterized by adversity. Byzantinian oppression in the sixth and seventh centuries was followed by the atrocities of the Crusaders in the 11th and 12th centuries, then decimation at the hands of the Mongolians lead by Tamerlane (1336-1405) in about 1400, and severe restrictions under the Ottoman Sultanate. The growth of nationalism in the waning years of the Ottoman Sultanate lead to the massacre of about 25,000 in what is today South East Turkey in 1895-96. An even greater calamity occurred in 1915, etched in the memory of the Syriac Orthodox community as the Sayfo (Year of the Sword), wiping out 90314 people (including 154 priests) in 13350 families in 346 villages representing about a third of the Syriac Orthodox population in the area (according to the records compiled by Patriarch Aphrem I). Further misery came with the Kurdish rebellion in 1925-26, when the Kurds used the monasteries of Mor Malke and Dayro da-Slibo and the churches in Basibrin and near Hbob as bases. The immense suffering and destruction from 1895 onwards resulted in the alteration of the demographics of the community and mass emigration to other areas in the Middle East, notably Syria, to the North and South Americas, to different parts of Europe, and to Australia.
Amidst all the adversity, the Church produced several illustrious saints whose lives and works had such immense influence not only on the Syriac tradition but much of Christendom. The rich liturgical heritage of the Syriac Orthodox Church is but one of their legacies. Scholars of the Church such as Mor Ya`qub of Edessa, George, the Bishop of the Arabians, and Moses Bar Kepha played an important role in transmitting Greek knowledge to the Arab world. Numerous Syriac Orthodox authors have also recorded historiographical accounts. Among them are such works as the Ecclesiastical History of John of Ephesus, the Chronicle of Jacob of Edessa, the Chronicle of Zuqnin (erroneously attributed to Patriarch Dionysius of Tel-Mahre), the Chronicle of Patriarch Mikhayel Rabo, the Chronography and Ecclesiastical History of Maphryono Gregorius Bar `Ebroyo.
Many of the historical accounts recorded in English have been written by authors affiliated with the Catholic Church and Church of England. While many of these works provide a great deal of information accessible to the English readers, denominational bias is evident in these works.
Following are links to recent historical accounts in English authored by Syriac Orthodox Patriarchs of Antioch. https://syriacorthodoxresources.org/Pub/PZakka1/SOCAtAGlance.html
The Syrian Orthodox Church at a Glance by Patriarch H.H. Ignatius Zakka I. http://wwwstaff.murdoch.edu.au/~t-issa/syr/syr3.htm
