Services
Sunday @ 9:15 AM: Holy Qurbana (Liturgy)
St.Mary’s Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church of San Fernando Valley, CA was founded and incorporated in the State of California in 2001. Under the leadership of Rev. Fr. Philip Abraham (Roi Achen), a handful of Orthodox faithful’s living in and around the San Fernando Valley and commuting a long distance to attend the church in Montebello launched an effort to have a parish in San Fernando Valley. The then Metropolitan of the American Diocese of the Malankara Orthodox Church His grace Mathews Mar Barnabas graciously blessed the request of the 11 families, declared the St. Mary’s Malankara Orthodox Church as an independent parish of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church under the American Diocese and appointed Rev.Fr. Philip Abraham as the Vicar of the parish.
Later in 2009, for better administrative and Spiritual governance, the American Diocese was divided into two dioceses namely North East American Diocese and South West American Diocese and H.G. Alexios Mar Eusebius was appointed by the Catholicose as the Metropolitan of the newly formed diocese with its headquarters in Houston, Texas. Our parish, St. Mary’s Malankara Orthodox Church, San Fernando Valley, accordingly amended its bylaw and incorporated our parish as a unit under the South West American Diocese of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church. The parish is an active unit in the diocese and participates in the diocesan, regional and area level spiritual activities.
The parish with 11 families had a very humble beginning; Roi Achen, who was studying in La Crosse, Wisconsin at that time, commuted every week to assist with the service and eventually after his completion of studies moved to California in May of 2002. The parish is indebted to those families who pioneered the effort of establishing the second Malankara Orthodox parish in Southern California and the countless blessings showered through the intercession of St. Mary, the Theotokos. The parish was fortunate enough to get a hall in Woodland Hills to conduct our Holy Qurbana service. The parish continues to grow under the spiritual and administrative leadership of the vicar and the selfless generosity of many people, community fellowship and devoted allegiance of the members to the faith and tradition of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, to its Spiritual and Administrative Head Catholicos of the East His Holiness Moran Mar Baselios Paulose II and to the diocesan Assistant Metropolitan His Grace Zacharias Mar Aprem.
St. Mary’s church currently has over 30 fully subscribed families and has full-fledged spiritual activities. Celebration of Holy Qurbana(Eucharist) on Sundays and other important feast days, an active Sunday school, MGOCSM, MMVS, monthly intercessory prayer to St. Mary, monthly Saturday evening prayer fellowship and community social activities keeps the parish as a vibrant church witnessing the gospel and the orthodox faith.