It gives me great joy to write this short message on the occasion of the inauguration of our church website. St Baselios, Brooklyn is one of the oldest parish in the N.E. American diocese established in 1977 by His Grace, late lamented His Grace Dr. Thomas Mar Makarios, Metropolitan when America was part of the Bombay diocese. St. Baselios of Caesarea (St. Basil the Great) is the patron Saint of this parish. He is one of the greatest church father who expounded the fundamental Christian faith of God as the Holy Trinity- Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. Besides his many treatises on Christian theology and faith he is the one who started different kind of charity work in the church on an organized level St. Basil is the Great father of Eastern Monasticism and worship. St. Basil’s liturgy is one of the oldest and longest liturgy in the Christian church.
Even though, St. Baselios, Brooklyn is one of the oldest parishes in the N.E. American Diocese of the Malankara Orthodox Church in America, the parish faced so many challenges in the past. Many of the members moved out to the suburbs and formed new parishes. There were unfortunate disagreement and splits. It is the mother church of at least four parishes in the area. Even with all the trials and tribulations it faced, it is one of the vibrant parishes of the N.E. American diocese. The determined faithful members of the parish travel from different boroughs of New York City; Long Island and New Jersey. The determination, faith and the cooperation of the members are the backbone of this parish.