St. Jude Syro Malabar Catholic Church

The Syro-Malabar Catholic Church is an Eastern Rite Oriental Catholic Church which is in full communion with the Roman Catholic Church and traces back its origin and faith to the missionary efforts of St. Thomas the Apostle who landed at Kodungallur in Kerala in AD 52. The term Syro-Malabar is a reference to the East Syrian (Chaldean) tradition the Church has followed and to the Malabar Coast where St Thomas the Apostle landed. Today, the Syro Malabar Church is a group of Christians whose firm devotion, deep-rooted spirituality, and rich traditions help translate the community into a special and very vibrant church worldwide. The Syro-Malabar identity is unique to the state of Kerala in India and its people. According to Fr. Placid Podipara “they are Indian in culture, Christian in religion and Syro-Oriental in worship”.

St. Jude Catholic Community is a Syro Malabar Mission under St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Catholic Diocese of Chicago which was established in the United States of America by His Holiness Pope John Paul II on March 13, 2001. Mar Jacob Angadiath was appointed as its first bishop and his Episcopal Ordination was held in Chicago, together with the inauguration of the diocese, on July 1, 2001. More details about St. Thomas Syro Malabar Catholic Diocese of Chicago can be found at St. Thomas Diocese website