Our History

The Church was established on May 8th, 1977. H. G. Dr. Thomas Mar Makarios, First Metropolitan of USA, Canada and Europe, formally inaugurated the Church on August 7, 1977 at 415 Seventh Street, Brooklyn. New York. Rev. Fr. T. M. Zachariah was the first Vicar, Mr. Eapen David, was Treasurer and Mr. T. V. Varghese was Secretory.

 

H.G. Dr. Thomas Mar Makarios, Dn.Muttaniyil E. Idikulla, and Mr. Zachariah Kurian were the three people signed on December 8th, 1978 for the first incorporation of the Church. The Church had been located in Brooklyn area up to 1992. Rev. Fr. Jacob Philip, Rev. Fr. Joy Sleeby, and Rev. Fr. Yesudasan Pappan served as Vicars during this time.

St. Baselios Church NY

After many years in rental places, the Parishners decided to purchase our own home for worship and purchased the Church Building on September 8th 1992 in Queens and moved to 401 Seneca Avenue, Ridgewood, N Y 11385. After the renovation of the building, the consecration of the Church and the blessings were held by H. H. Baselios Marthoma Mathews 2ND, H. G. Dr. Thomas Mar Makarios, H. G. Mathews Mar Barnabas and H. G. Thomas Mar Athanasios. H. G. Dr. Thomas Mar Makarios appointed Rev. Fr. George Mathew as Vicar of the congregation in November 1998 and still continue.

Following Members served as Secretory and Treasurer from 1992:
SECRETORY TREASURER
Mr. Jacob Kollaneth Mr. John Zacharia
Mr. T. S. John Mr. John Daniel
Mr. Mathew A. Geevarghese Mr. Kunjumon Lukose
Mr. Varghese M. Mathew Mr. K. G. Samuel
Mr. Thomas Varughese Mr. Shaji Joseph
Mr. Mathew E. Punnoose Mr. John V. John
Mr. Joyson T. Varghese
Mr. Vinson P. Mathew

FAITH & LITURGY

Our faith as Christians gives us inner strength and hope to live out every day according to Our Lord Jesus Christ. Orthodox worship is Christ centered and we are created in the image of God to grow into his perfection. God the eternal son has redeemed us from our sins and his grace has given us the ability to lead a life worth of our calling.

The Church, though modern in its vision and outlook, keeps the traditional Orthodox faith and liturgy. It accepts the first three Ecumenical Synods. In earlier days, the liturgy used by the Church was adopted from the Persian Church, which had to be abandoned at the Portuguese compulsion at the end of 16th century. The liturgy now in use is the translation of the Syrian liturgy adopted from the Antiochian Orthodox Church in the 17th century. Today the Church uses local languages in other parts of India and English outside of India. The Indian Orthodox community inherited many aspects of Indian civilization and they are like any other communities in India, in their customs, manners and life style.

MISSION

To worship our God and preserve Indian Malankara Orthodox faith and traditions, and promote spiritual, social, and emotional well-being among its members as well as with the community through love .