Mar Thoma Syrian Church - Administration

Administration

Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church has a well defined constitution and has a democratic pattern of administration. There is an ‘Episcopal Synod’, a Grand Assembly known as ‘Marthoma Suryani Sabha Prathinidhi Mandalam’ (House of Representatives), a council to aid the Metropolitan in administrative matters and a Vaideeka Selection Committee, to select candidates for the ministry of the Church.

Each diocese has its own council and an assembly. The assembly members are elected by the individual parishes, and the council members, by the Assembly.

All members of a parish are members of Edavaka Sangham (General Body) and they also have the right to elect their representatives to the Diocesan Assembly and Prathinidhi Mandalam, (Church Parliament).

The title of the head of the Church is “Marthoma” and is addressed as “Marthoma Metropolitan”. He is installed from among the duly consecrated bishops (episcopas) of the Church, the choice being ordinarily that of the senior most among them. The present “Marthoma Metropolitan” is the Most Reverend Dr. Joseph Mar Thoma who resides at Poolatheen at Church Headquarters in Tiruvalla, Kerala.

If the Metropolitan is personally satisfied that he has difficulty to continue to perform the duties appertaining to his office, he may, relinquish the powers and responsibilities as the Metropolitan. Then he becomes the Senior Mar Thoma Metropolitan and is addressed as “Mar Thoma Valiya Metropolitan”. The present “Marthoma Valiya Metropolitan” is the Most Reverend Dr. Philipose Mar Chrysostom Valiya Metropolitan.

To assist the Metropolitan there are episcopas, the senior most among them is called Suffragan Metropolitan. The present members of the Episcopal Synod are:

• The Most Rev. Dr. Philipose Mar Chrysostom Valiya Metropolitan.
• The Most Rev. Dr. Joseph Mar Thoma Metropolitan
• The Rt. Rev. Dr. Zacharias Mar Theophilus Suffragan Metropolitan.
• The Rt. Rev. Geevarghese Mar Athanasius Episcopa.
• The Rt. Rev. Dr. Geevarhese Mar Theodosius Episcopa.
• The Rt. Rev. Dr. Euyakim Mar Coorilos Episcopa.
• The Rt. Rev. Joseph Mar Barnabas Episcopa.
• The Rt. Rev. Thomas Mar Timotheos Episcopa.
• The Rt. Rev. Dr. Isaac Mar Philoxenos Episcopa.
• The Rt. Rev. Dr. Abraham Mar Paulos Episcopa.
• The Rt. Rev. Dr. Mathews Mar Makarios Episcopa
• The Rt. Rev. Gregorios Mar Stephanos Episcopa
• The Rt. Rev. Dr. Thomas Mar Theethos Episcopa