Hierarchy, Distribution and Doctrine
The spiritual regional head of the church is the Catholicos of the East and the temporal head over church assets is the Malankara Metropolitan. Since 1934, both the titles vest in one person. The official title of the head of the Church is the "Catholicos of the East and the Malankara Metropolitan". The present Catholicos of the East and Malankara Metropolitan is Baselios Mar Thoma Paulose II, who was enthroned on 1 November 2010, at Parumala Church by the Holy Synod. Paulose II is the 91st Catholicos of the East in the lineage of Apostle Thomas; 8th Catholicos after its re-instatement in India and 20th Malankara Metropolitan.
The church accepts only the first three Ecumenical Synods like all other Oriental Orthodox Churches.
The church primarily uses the liturgy of Saint James, as does its sister church, the Syrian Orthodox Church of Antioch. The Church in India was connected to the Church of East through the Catholicos of the East, existed in Edessa, Selucia, Tigris and Mosul in various intervals. Today the Church conducts liturgy in West Syriac, Malayalam, Hindi, and English.
The church has theological seminaries at Kottayam and Nagpur. The Church has dioceses and churches in most parts of India as well as in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Western Europe, Africa, Persian Gulf nations, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand.
The name Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church refers to St.Thomas Christians of India that come under the Catholicate of the East whose Supreme Head is His Holiness The Catholicos of the East and Malankara Metropolitan, with its headquarters at Devalokam, Kottayam, Kerala, India.
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