Pope Francis on November 11 met with the Holy Synod of the Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church, marking an historic first visit to Rome and confirming the good relations of this ancient Oriental Indian Church.
Mar Thoma Syrian Church traces its origins back to the mission of the Apostle St. Thomas in South-Western India in the first century and consists today of about 1.5 million members most of whom reside in the Indian State of Kerala, where it is based.
The Church has communion with the Thozhiyoor (Anglican) Church and maintains an ecclesiastical relationship with the Old Catholic Church, Union of Utrecht, as well as the Church of South India (CSI).
In his address Pope Francis warmly welcomed the Holy Synod and extended his greetings to Metropolitan Theodosius Mar Thoma and the Malankara faith-ful, expressing gratitude for their ecumenical role, in bridging Eastern and Western Christianity. “Your Church,” he said, “rightly defines itself as a “bridge Church” between East and West.”