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Malabar is a region in Southwest India in Kerala. According
to local tradition, St. Thomas the Apostle evangelized the area and was
martyred there; because of this these Christians in this area are
therefore called Christians of St. Thomas. This Church was under the
Assyrian Patriarch and was involved in the schism which occurred shortly
after the Council of Ephesus in 431. In 1498 Portuguese missionaries made
contact and were received as brothers of the same faith; communion with
Rome ensued. But forced Latinization efforts caused many of the St. Thomas
Christians to turn away. One branch broke off and joined the Syrian
Orthodox Church which accepted the council of Ephesus. They became known
as Malankara.
Syro-Malabar parishes in Southern California include:
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