St. Thomas
Orthodox Church, Toronto
HOLY EPISCOPAL SYNOD
The Episcopal Synod with the Catholicos as its president is the apex body of all bishops. The authority of the synod is final and binding. It has exclusive rights and privileges in the matter of upholding the faith of the church, its discipline and order of Apostolic Succession. As regards temporal matters the church is guided by the Malankara Syrian Christian Association. The bishops lead the diocese assigned to them by the synod. Presently there are 27 bishops including H.H, The Catholicos. His Holiness Baselios Marthoma Paulose II is the Eighth Catholicos of the East in Malankara. He was enthroned as the Catholicos of the East & Malankara Metropolitan (the Supreme Head of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church of India) on Monday, 1st November 2010.
NORTHEAST AMERICAN DIOCESE
The history of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church of the East in the U.S.A. begins approximately in the mid 20th century. During this period, a number of prominent priests and laity came to the U.S.A. for higher studies and training. The year 1976 was a very important year for the Church, especially here in America. The Holy Synod decided to establish more dioceses to better administer the flock in various parts of the world. At this time, the numerous churches in America were placed under the authority of the Metropolitan of the Bombay Diocese, Thomas Mar Makarios, who had spent time in America as a student. Under the leadership of Mar Makarios, the Holy Synod made a momentous decision and granted the parishes in America their own Diocese, creating the American Diocese.
In 2009, the Malankara Church decided to divide what was known as the ‘American Diocese’ into two dioceses, namely – the Northeast American Diocese and the Southwest American Diocese.
Today under H.G. Zachariah Mar Nicolovas, the Northeast American Diocese can boast of more than fifty parishes, with more than forty priests, deacons and seminarians. The hard work and prayers of all our Hierarchs, Priests, and laity have led to the Diocese’s strong foundation, and have provided for us a secure future and outlook for the next generation of Indian Orthodox Christians in the Northeast American Diocese.