page_title: St. Mary's Church, Meenangadi
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: St. Mary's Church, Meenangadi / History
caption_attribution_description: English: H.B Baselious Paulose II,Very.Rev Malphono Naseeho Athungal Coreppiscoppa with K.O Varghese
context_page_description: E. A. E St. Mary's Soonoro Syriac Orthodox Church, Meenangadi, is a Marian Pilgrim center of the Syriac Orthodox Church located at Meenangadi in Kerala, India. The church is under E.A.E Arch Diocese, the first missionary association of Syriac Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East, and is currently under the direct control of Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of the Syriac Orthodox Church. In 2006, the church was elevated to the status of "Marian Pilgrim Centre", and in 2018, it celebrated its diamond jubilee. It is the first church to adopt the 8 Day Lent in Malabar Region.
context_section_description: The migration of Syrian Christian families from Travancore, especially from Kothamangalam, Perumbavoor and Muvattupuzha to India's  Malabar region started in the early 1920s.
  St. Thomas Church Malankarakunnu was one of the first churches of Syrian Christians but due to the lack of transport in rural areas, the people had no access to the church so new parishes were established, Meenangadi was a major trade hub of the Malabar region. The 20th century schism of the Malankara Church caused a feud between members of the church, leading to their isolation. In 1958, a caucus excluded some parishioners from holy sacraments and forced them to move to other parishes for their sacraments. This led to the establishment of the Meenangadi church. According to a local tradition, the parishioners fasted and prayed according to a bible verse they found; 2 Chronicles 7:12. Under the leadership of K.O Varghese, a parishioner built a temporary prayer shed on high terrain on his land at Meenangadi town. E.A.E missionary Corepiscoppa Geevarghese Athunkal, the founder of Evangelistic Association Of The East (EAE) discussed the establishment of a church.
  Mor Yulios Elias Qoro, third patriarchal delegate to Malankara, approved the order for a church from the guidance of patriarch Ignatius Jacob III. The new, independent church was built in the name of St. Mary. The fathers of the church renovated the building. The church was consecrated and the foundation stone was laid on 1 February 1958. The first Holy Mass was celebrated by Vicar Malphono Naseeho Geevarghese Athunkal Corepiscoppa. In 1974, Geevarghese Mor Gregorios Perumpally, Thomas Mor Dhivanyasos (Baselios Thomas I) arrived to the church and consecrated the St.Mary's shrine. In 1976, a youth association was started in the church. In 1982 there was a grand welcome for the Apostolic Visit of Patriarch of Antioch Moran Mor Ignatius Zakka I Iwas to the church, and Baselios Paulose II, Catholicos, Mor Athanasius Paulose II Metropolitan and Mor Polycarpose Geevarghese, also supported the church. Baselios Paulose II visited the church frequently and gifted relics of Ignatius Elias III to the church. which was installed by Mor Polycarpose Geevarghese and the Holy Soonoro was installed on 28 April 1991.
caption: H.B Baselious Paulose II,Very.Rev Malphono Naseeho Athungal Coreppiscoppa with K. O. Varghese
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