AMERICAN DIOCESE - HISTORY OF DIOCESE

2158 Route 106

Muttontown, NY 11791, U. S. A.

1. Diocesan History:

The American Diocese was officially declared in 1979 by the then Catholicos cum Malankara Metropolitan, Baselios Marthoma Mathews I. At the time there were only a few churches in America, just in main cities like New York, Philadelphia, Washington DC, Texas, California and Detroit. The founding bishop, who is also the first bishop of the American Diocese, is His Grace Dr. Thomas Mar Makarios Metropolitan of Blessed Memory, who was lately the Metropolitan of the Diocese of Canada, UK and Europe. He was also honored as the ‘Senior Metropolitan’ of the American Diocese. The current diocesan bishops of the American Diocese are His Grace Mathews Mar Barnabas Metropolitan and the assistant, His Grace Zachariah Mar Nicholaus Metropolitan. The American Diocese now has about 79 parishes and congregations in various states of the North America, 12 Cor-episcopos, 79 priests and 12 deacons, and a number of seminarians undergoing theological training at various seminaries in India and America.

By 1976 there were parishes in many other places like Philadelphia, Washington, Chicago, Detroit, Tampa, and New Jersey. H.G.Dr.Thomas Mar Makarios was appointed as the Bishop of the newly organized American Diocese. In 1979 the Holy Synod officially approved the Diocese of America and Canada. In 1992 H.G.Mathews Mar Barnabas was appointed as the assistnat of the catholicas who was in charge of the American Diocese at that time. He was appointed as the Metropolitan of the American Diocese and was enthroned in March 1993 by the Catholicos H.H. Baselios Mar Thoma Mathews II. In 2002 H.G. Zachariah Mar Nicholavos was appointed as the Assistant bishop of the Diocese.

Now there are Two Metropolitans, 83 parishes, 87 priests, 10 deacons and 3500 Families in this Diocese. 42 parishes own their own church buildings and only one, Chicago St. Gregorios, owns a parsonage. There are churches in 25 states. Of all the 24 parishes in York State 17 of them are in the New York City and suburbs.

By: Very Rev. K. Mathai Core Episcopa

2. The Diocesan Voice: 

'The Diocesan Voice' is published with the news, articles and relevant information for the faithful. Diocese accepted into the National Council of Churches of Christ (NCC of America)

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                                  AMERICAN DIOCESE

                                       CONTENTS

          1. Diocesan History   By: V. Rev. K. Mathai Cor-Episcopa

          2. Our Diocesan Metropolitan   By: Dr. Rajan Mathew

          3. Diocesan Founder Metropolitan

          4. Diocesan Family & Youth Conference

          5. Diocesan Silver Jubilee  By: Yohannan Sankarathil & Paul C. Mathai