St. George Jacobite Syrian Church, Cochin, India

It is clear, from what we have explained, that the Syrian Orthodox Church is the most ancient one in the whole of Christendom and that its Patriarch of Antioch once ruled over the entire Christian East including the believers of different nationalities and languages and had outstanding accomplishments in many fields by the efforts of the inspired leadership provided by its patriarchs, bishops and scholars even when they had to pass through trials and persecutions. It is clear also that the Church in the Middle East met with hard circumstances, which resulted in the Emigration of its children in thousands to North and South America and to Europe, especially to Germany, Sweden, France, and Australia. At last Damascus has become the Headquarters. Such was also the case with its Archdioceses. Some of them ceased and new ones were established in other countries. By the Grace of God, we have the Patriarch of Antioch and all the East as the Supreme Head of the Universal Syrian Orthodox Church. Among its followers, the majority is in India and the rest are in Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Turkey, Europe and North and South America and Australia... We have also to Catholicate unanimously accepted from 1964 whose title is the "Catholicos of the East". There are also 22 Archdioceses in the Middle East, India and North America. In India we have many missions which preach the Gospel among the Heathen. At present, many of our followers are university graduates and are highly educated. Our boys and girls in the Middle East receive their primary and secondary education in their own schools and continue their higher study either in government or in Western private colleges. In India we have our own secular schools and colleges. We have also two major theological Seminaries to educate our clergy; one of them is in Lebanon and the other in India. Recently we have started a few Social Welfare insituations. We are very glad to say that we have received some aid from the Evangelical Churches in Germany. Our vision of the fraternity of Christendom and of all mankind led us in 1960 to join the World Council of Churches which we consider a hopeful sign for the future of Christianity and the mankind at large. Although the number of the followers of our Church was diminishing in the past due to the dreadful calamities and severe persecutions which befell our Church we are now gaining strength and beginning to revive. We are very proud of our Church, of its Syriac (Aramaic) language which is the mother tongue of our Lord Jesus Christ, and of its many glories. We are also proud that we are the descendents of the numerous martyrs and saints of whom St.George is accepted as patron saint every where..