Malankara Orthodox Church Doha

Orthodox Church in Doha has a history of more than 70 years. People from Kerala started to arrive here as oil exploration started in the year 1939. Since 1940, priests from Bahrain used to visit Doha via Dukhan using British mini aircrafts visiting for business purposes and conducted holy services. In the beginning all Christian denominations joined together and started community prayers. As time passed, more members from Orthodox churches arrived and felt to have their own church and traditional prayers as followed in Kerala.

During the year 1973, members of our Doha congregation approached H.Ga. Mathews Mar Athanasius, Metropolitan of outside Kerala with this request and His Grace issued a Kalpana on 20th September 1973 declaring a parish named “Malankara St. Thomas Orthodox Parish”.HG appointed Rev. Fr. C.C. Gheevarghese as the first vicar for the new parish and was succeeded by Rev. Fr. M. T. Easo, Rev. Fr. Joseph Mankidiyil, Rev. Fr. A.M. Peter, Rev. Fr. Joseph Kalapurayil and Rev. Fr. Yunan Mulamootil till 1988. The Parish was at the residence of Late Mr. Baby Kongalam and Orthodox Parish cannot forget his devoted services to Orthodox Church in Qatar. What we are now is the result of sacrifices done by late Mr. Baby Kongalam.Rev. Fr. C.C. Geevarghese was the vicar of Bahrain Church also and in the beginning he used to come once in six weeks and conduct Holy Qurbana.

This practice was continued for a long time. As number of members increased, frequency of visits of priests from Bahrain had increased to once in three weeks. During the year 1988 Rev. Fr. George Joseph was appointed as a full time vicar for the parish.

Mar Gregorious Orthodox Parish was established during the year 1990 and St. Mary’s Orthodox Parish in 1995. Until the establishment of the new Church with the consecration ceremony held on 2,3rd July 2009, the three Orthodox Parishes were independently serving the orthodox community in Doha.