About Us

Syro-Malabar Catholics, also called “St Thomas Christians”, trace their origins and faith to the missionary efforts of St Thomas the Apostle, who landed at Kodungallur in Kerala, India.

St Thomas was martyred at Mylapur, Chennai, after preaching and establishing Christian communities in different parts of India.

Until the late 16th century, bishops were appointed and sent by the Patriarch of the East Syrian Church. The arrival of the Portuguese in India marked a new era, and after the Synod of Diamper the St Thomas Christians were brought under the rule of Latin bishops.

In the Coonan Cross Oath at Mattancherry, many St Thomas Christians vowed to disobey the Latin hierarchy, beginning a rift in a Church that had been one until then. Those who continued under Latin rule formed the community that became the Syro-Malabar Church.

After 230 years of Latin governance, the Syro-Malabar Church hierarchy was established in India.

A fraction of those who had opposed the Portuguese, and later became Jacobites, reunited with the Catholic communion. They are now known as the Syro-Malankara Church.

Pope John Paul II elevated the Church to the status of a Major Archiepiscopal sui iuris Church, with the title of Ernakulam-Angamaly. It is one of four Major Archiepiscopal Churches, with the Syro-Malankara, Ukrainian and Romanian Churches.

On 23 December, Pope Francis established the Syro-Malabar Eparchy of St Thomas the Apostle, Melbourne, for Australia, the second eparchy outside India after Chicago, USA.

Bishop Bosco Puthur, then Curia Bishop of the Major Archiepiscopal Curia in Kerala, was installed as the first Bishop of the new Eparchy on 25 March in Melbourne.