St. Thomas Orthodox Syrian Church , Vashi

ST. THOMAS ORTHODOX SYRIAN CHURCH, VASHI CHURCH The St. Thomas Orthodox Syrian Church and the Bombay Orthodox Diocesan Head Quarters Navi Mumbai, formerly known as New Bombay, a city on the west coast of the Indian State of Maharashtra, developed in 1972 as Twin city of Mumbai (one of the largest planned cities in the world) lying on the eastern part of Thane creek. As CIDCO (City Industrial Development Corporation) was carving out satellite cities to facilitate comprehensive development and to decongest Mumbai, people from Mumbai and other parts started migrating and settling in Vashi, Nerul, Sanpada, CBD-Belapur, Kalamboli, New Panvel and Khoper Khairane nodes. In November 1981, the Malankara Orthodox Church Council of Bombay IMOCCB), the registered Society and Trust for the Bombay Diocese, under the Presidentship of the then Metropolitan Mar Theophilus applied to CIDCO for a small plot of land. During this period and before the formation of the different New Bombay nodes the Orthodox Syrian Christians in New Bombay area were members of St. Mary’s Orthodox Church(present Cathedral), Dadar and St. Gregorios Orthodox Church, Chembur. The Vicars of these parishes used to lead / attend prayer meetings and satisfy other spiritual needs of the faithful in the area though they were less in number but longed for a place of worship.