Kerala 2-Child Draft Bill Criticized By Religious Organizations

The Malankara Orthodox Syrian and Malankara Syriac Orthodox Churches are joining other religious organizations in Kerala in criticizing a draft bill on women's rights in the Indian state that would limit couples to having two children in an effort to curb the growth of the state's population. More here.

In Memoriam: Padinjarethalakal Cherian Alexander

The former Malankara Orthodox governor of India's Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra states, Padinjarethalakal Cherian Alexander, has fallen asleep at the age of ninety at a hospital near his home in Chennai (formerly Madras), India. Alexander, who also served as principal secretary to Indian Prime Ministers Indira and Rajiv Gandhi, is to be buried at his home parish in Kochi, St. Mary's Church. May his memory be eternal! More here.

Syriac Orthodox Catholicos Meets with Indian PM

The head of the Malankara Syriac Orthodox Church, Catholicos Moran Mar Baselios Thoma I of the East, has met with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in an effort to enlist the Indian government's support in the settlement of property disputes between parishes of the Syriac Orthodox Church in India and the independent Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church. More (in Arabic) here.

Malankara Orthodox Local Synod Meets

The Local Synod of the Malankara Syriac Orthodox Church has met under Catholicos Mar Baselios Thomas I of the East to discuss issues in the life of the Church in India and candidates for election to the Church's vacant dioceses in the country. More (in Arabic) here.

Malankara Orthodox Catholicate Celebrates Earth Day in Kottayam

The Catholicate of the independent Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church is hosting Earth Day celebrations at its seat in Kottayam, during which Catholicos Moran Mar Baselios Mar Thoma Paulose II of the East planted a tree on the grounds of the Catholicate and noted that, "If greed-driven continual exploitation of nature takes place, human extinction will result." More here.

Rajasthan Priest Receives Indira Gandhi Award

Fr. Saji Yohannan of St. Gregorios' Church in Udaipur, Rajasthan, a parish of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, has received India's prestigious Indira Gandhi Priya Darshini Award for his work in education and community development. More here.

Sanctity of the Body

Nearly half a million have gathered for the funeral of Indian guru Satya Sai Baba. Interestingly, in Hinduism highly respected men and women are buried rather than cremated, just as in Orthodox Christianity the faithful are always buried (when physically/legally possible) out of respect for the sanctity of the body as the temple of God. More here.

Malankara Orthodox Catholicos Visits Indian Ecumenical Organization

During a visit to the headquarters of the ecumenical National Council of Churches in India (NCCI) Catholicos Moran Mar Baselios Mar Thoma Paulose II of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church praised the work of the NCCI and urged all of India's Christians to pray and work so that they can be one. More here.

Metropolitan Mar Anthonios Appointed Head of Honnavar Mission

Patriarch Moran Mor Ignatios Zakka I (Iwas) of Antioch has appointed Metropolitan Yaqub Mar Anthonios head of the Honnavar Mission in India's Karnataka state to succeed the recently reposed Metropolitan Geevarghese Mor Polycarpose. More here.

Syro-Malabar Catholic Primate Passes Away

Major Archbishop Mar Varkey Cardinal Vithayathil of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church has passed away in Kochi, Kerala. More here.

Hindus Burn Kerala Church

A Malankara Orthodox (or possibly a Malankara Catholic) church has been burned down in the Indian state of Kerala by Hindu fundamentalists. More here.

Metropolitan Mar Seraphim of Bangalore Enthroned

Yesterday saw the enthronement of the youngest hierarch of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, Metropolitan Abraham Mar Seraphim of Bangalore, by Catholicos Moran Mar Baselios Mar Thoma Paulose II of the East in Bangalore's Cathedral of St. George. More here.

MOSC Malankara Meets with Indian President and PM

As part of his ongoing visit to Delhi and New Delhi Catholicos Moran Mar Baselios Mar Thoma Paulose II of the East of the independent Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church has met with President Pratibha Patil and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The meetings are part of an effort by the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church to raise the profile of Orthodox Christians in Kerala and to make national and local government more aware of the needs of the community as well as its efforts to help in the development of India as a whole. More here.

MOSC Seeks Greater Representation for Keralan Christians in INC

Representatives of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church will meet with Sonia Gandhi, leader of the Indian National Congress party, to seek wider representation for Kerala's Orthodox Christians in the party. The hope is to have Congress and its Keralan affiliate to commit to giving Kerala's Christians eleven representatives in the upcoming parliamentary elections (Orthodox Christians, Roman and Eastern Catholics, and Anglicans together form roughly 20% of the population of Kerala). More here.

Syriac Orthodox Patriarchal Delegation Visits Catholicos

As part of their recent visit to India a delegation from the Patriarchate of Antioch of the Syriac Orthodox Church met with Catholicos Aboon Mor Baselios Thomas I at the headquarters of the Malankara Syriac Orthodox Church in Puthencuriz. More here.

First Church in Arunachal Pradesh Consecrated

The first Orthodox church in the northeastern Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh has been consecrated by Metropolitan Joseph Mar Dionysius of Calcutta of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church. More here.

Brahmavar Orthodoxy and St. Julius of Goa

A fascinating survey of the life of St. Julius of Goa, the first Orthodox Christian of the Roman Rite to be glorified since the Great Schism of 1054 and a metropolitan of the Malankara Orthodox Church, and his flock in Goa can be found here.

Pictured is a painting of St. Julius, enthroned as Metropolitan Mor Julius Alvares of Ceylon, Goa, and India (outside Kerala), in West Syrian-style vestments.

Session of the Synod of the Malankara Syriac Orthodox Church

On Monday the twenty-member Local Synod of the Syriac Orthodox Church in India met under the leadership of Catholicos Mor Baselios Thomas I of the East to discuss the life of the autonomous Malankara Syriac Orthodox Church under Antioch. Among other things the Local Synod approved the erection of the Metropolis of Mangalore and appealed to the Patriarchate of Antioch to consecrate new metropolitans for the Malankara Orthodox metropolises of Angamaly and "Outside Kerala." A full account of the Local Synod's session can be found here.