History

A brief history of the ST. Thomas Malankara Syrian Catholic Church

Nalanchira, Thiruvananthapuram

The St. Thomas Malankara Syrian Catholic Church Nalanchira was started on 14^th December 1932 as a mission centre together with the Bethany Ashram in Nalanchira by Archbishop Mar Ivanios. Later on the mission centre grew up into a full-fledged Parish and is now one of the prestigious parish communities of the Syro-Malankara Rite in India under the ecclesiastical supervision of the Major Arch Diocese of Thiruvananthapuram.

Nalanchira has had been one of the nerve centres of the Reunion activities of Archbishop Mar Ivanios and the Bethany Monastic movement after its merger with the Universal Catholic Church. The founding of the Mar Ivanios College and other educational institutions of the Malankara Syrian Catholic Rite in and around Nalanchira led to the resettlement of hundreds of families into the region ultimately leading to the overall development of the locality into an important township in Thiruvananthapuram city.

In 1933 the mission centre was relocated to the place where the St. Goretti’s Higher Secondary School exists now. Again, in 1939 it was shifted to the adjacent Pananvila – Parottukonam area. By 1951the community was re-aligned to the new church building constructed for the Bethany Ashram at Nalanchira and the Ashram superior became the vicar looking after the spiritual formation of the laity. Thereafter the community started growing steadily.  As the Ashram church was dedicated to St. Benedict, the Nalanchira parish also came to be called St. Benedict Parish at that time. As the membership grew up the community became one of the leading and largest parishes in the Church.

On 5^th May1977 second Archbishop and Head of the Malankara Syrian Catholic Rite His Grace Benedict Mar Gregorios laid the foundation stone of the present Church building and consecrated the same in 1984 renaming it in the honourable and blessed memory of apostle St. Thomas.

Now after 37 years of blessed usage the parish building is undergoing a renovation leading to some structural changes in accordance with the state of the art technology in construction and hopefully may return to adore the God almighty in communion very soon.

Right from its beginning as a mission centre in 1932 the Bethany fathers cater to the spiritual needs of the faithful and looks after its vicariate. The present Vicar Fr Mathew Parackal is its 26^th Vicar.

Now the parish has an active membership of about 500 families and one chapel at Kusavarkal within its precincts. There are 11 prayer groups, Sunday School, Malankara Catholic Children’s League, Malankara Catholic Association, Malankara Catholic Youth Movement, Malankara Catholic Mothers Forum, St. Vincent De Paul Society, Legion of Mary, Bethaniya Prayer Group and many more minor and major spiritual associations in the Parish.

The Parish community is committed to non prejudicial social services like the uplift of the marginalised, educational help to the financially backward, monetary help for the marriage of poor girls, constructing houses for the houseless, extension of Medical help in men, money and material, enhancing National Integration and spreading the message of tolerance. 

Important Milestones