Syro-Malabar Qurbana

In Brief

The Syro-Malabar Church is the East Syriac Church of India: the St Thomas Christians who stayed in communion with Rome, praying the Qurbana of Addai and Mari in Malayalam — "Syriac" for the rite, "Malabar" the old name for Kerala — the second-largest Eastern Catholic Church in the world, almost five million faithful.^1,2

No Eastern Catholic Church was Latinized longer or deeper: the Synod of Diamper (Udayamperur) in 1599 altered the received East Syriac books and discipline root and branch — Nestorius and Theodore removed, their anaphoras ordered burned, unleavened bread imposed, Communion in both kinds ended — and what you see at a Syro-Malabar Qurbana today is the restoration of that damage, book by book, between 1954 and 1985.³

And what you argue about, if you are Syro-Malabar, is which way the priest faces: in 1999 the synod of bishops agreed unanimously on a uniform mode — the Liturgy of the Word facing the people, the Anaphora facing the altar — and in 2021 the Holy Synod mandated it for the whole Church, but some eparchies would not make the change, and the dispute is still open.¹

Where to Experience It

Kerala, above all — the Major Archbishop at Ernakulam-Angamaly — and then the old Indian habit of going abroad: eparchies in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand serve the diaspora, where the differences in how the Qurbana is celebrated became, the bishops say, "a pastoral care issue."^1,2

Come to a parish and you will hear Malayalam first — the vernacular of the liturgy — with Syriac in the books behind it: the 1960 Taksa d'Qudasae is the Syriac anchor of the restored text. The name on the door tells the history in two words.^1,3

Find a parish

• Syro-Malabar Church eparchies (find a parish)

Your First Visit

The Shape of the Liturgy

The Qurbana moves in two great movements, and the uniform mode writes the priest's orientation into each.

The Liturgy of the Word: the readings, the homily, the litanies — the Word proclaimed to the people, the priest facing the people. Then the turn: the Anaphora — the Eucharistic prayer of Addai and Mari, the East Syriac heritage — prayed facing the altar. The 1999 formula, in Mar Joseph Srampickal's account, "was a mix of two customs existing until then."^1,2

Then the fraction: the breaking of the Bread, the Lord's Prayer, the Communion of the faithful, and the thanksgiving that closes the Qurbana — the restored order John Paul II inaugurated when he visited India in 1986.¹

The shape is the restoration's shape. The books came back in order: the Revised Order approved by Pius XII in 1957, the Ordo Celebrationis Qudasae in 1959, the Supplementum Mysteriorum in 1960, the Syriac Taksa d'Qudasae in 1960, a partial Malayalam text published and introduced in 1962, an amended Taksa provisionally approved in 1968, the Raza Taksa in 1985.³

The order of the Syro-Malabar Qurbana

1. The Liturgy of the Word
   The readings, the homily, the litanies: the Word proclaimed to the people. Under the uniform mode agreed in 1999 and mandated in 2021, the priest faces the people for this movement of the Qurbana.¹
2. The Anaphora
   The anaphora of Addai and Mari — the East Syriac heritage the Church claims — prayed facing the altar under the uniform mode: the priest turns east for the Eucharistic prayer. The 1999 formula is 'a mix of two customs existing until then': Word facing the people, Anaphora facing the altar.^1,2
3. The fraction, the Communion, the thanksgiving
   The breaking of the Bread, the Lord's Prayer, the Communion of the faithful and the thanksgiving that closes the Qurbana — the restored order John Paul II inaugurated in India in 1986.¹

What makes it distinctive

• One bearer: the Syro-Malabar Church — a major archiepiscopal, sui iuris Church in communion with Rome, the second-largest Eastern Catholic Church after the Ukrainian.^1,2
• Addai and Mari's anaphora, the East Syriac heritage, in Malayalam — with the Syriac Taksa d'Qudasae (1960) behind the vernacular text.^2,3
• The uniform mode: Word facing the people, Anaphora facing the altar — the Synod's 1999 compromise, mandated for the whole Church in 2021.¹
• Diamper's long shadow: the 1599 synod Latinized books and discipline — Nestorius and Theodore removed, their anaphoras ordered burned, unleavened bread imposed, Communion in both kinds ended. The restoration (1954–1985) undid it book by book.³

History

The Church traces its origin to St Thomas the Apostle, and its liturgy to Persia: for a thousand years the Thomas Christians worshipped in the East Syriac way, in communion with the Church of the East. Then the Portuguese came, and in 1599 the Synod of Diamper did what synods under padroado pressure did: it remade the books. The Church's own catechesis lists the damage plainly — the two anaphoras ordered burned, the unleavened bread, the end of the chalice for the people, the Latin practices.^1,3

In 1653 the Coonan Cross oath split the Thomas Christians: the larger party turned to Antioch and became the Malankara Churches; the forebears of the Syro-Malabar stayed in communion with Rome. In Hambye's phrase, quoted by a Syro-Malabar bishop, the Church "had almost entirely lost its basic character as an Oriental reality" — and "that loss affected not only the Liturgy, but also the spirituality, theology, and law."^1,6

The restoration began in 1954 with a committee, and Pius XII approved its Revised Order of the Qurbana in 1957. The books followed through 1985, John Paul II inaugurated the restored Holy Qurbana on his 1986 visit to India, and in 1992 he raised the Church to major archiepiscopal rank — sui iuris, governed by a Major Archbishop with a synod of bishops.^1,3

Then the orientation quarrel. After Vatican II some eparchies had begun celebrating facing the people, "without any proper discussions or deliberations with other eparchies," while most liturgies continued facing east. In 1999 the synod agreed unanimously on the compromise; in August 2021 it mandated it for all eparchies from the first Sunday of Advent. When the deadline passed, three eparchies did not make the change: Ernakulam-Angamaly announced it had obtained permission from the Vatican Congregation for the Eastern Churches to temporarily maintain the status quo. Pope Francis had written in July exhorting "a prompt implementation of the uniform mode of celebrating the Holy Qurbana, for the greater good and unity of your Church."¹

Milestones

1. 1st century (tradition)St Thomas the Apostle in India, in the Church's own account; the St Thomas Christians are the largest of the Churches tracing their origin to him¹
2. 1599The Synod of Udayamperur/Diamper alters the received East Syriac books and discipline: Nestorius and Theodore removed, their anaphoras ordered burned, unleavened bread imposed, Communion in both kinds ended, Latin practices introduced³
3. 1653The Coonan Cross oath: the larger party of the Thomas Christians turns to Antioch (the future Malankara recension); the Syro-Malabar forebears remain in communion with Rome⁶
4. 1954–1957The restoration begins: a committee appointed in 1954, and Pius XII approves its Revised Order of the Qurbana in 1957³
5. 1959–1962The restored books appear: Ordo Celebrationis Qudasae (1959), Supplementum Mysteriorum (1960), the Syriac Taksa d'Qudasae (1960), and a partial Malayalam text published and introduced in 1962³
6. 1968–1985A 1968 amended Taksa provisionally approved; the Raza Taksa approved in 1985³
7. 1986John Paul II, visiting India, inaugurates the restored Holy Qurbana¹
8. 1992John Paul II raises the Syro-Malabar Church to a major archiepiscopal Church: sui iuris, governed by a Major Archbishop with a synod of bishops¹
9. 1999The synod of bishops agrees unanimously on the uniform mode: the Liturgy of the Word facing the people, the Liturgy of the Eucharist (Anaphora) facing the altar¹
10. 2021The Holy Synod mandates the 1999 formula for all eparchies from Advent 2021; Pope Francis exhorts 'a prompt implementation of the uniform mode … for the greater good and unity of your Church'; Ernakulam-Angamaly keeps the status quo on a Vatican dispensation¹
11. 2024Major Archbishop Raphael Thattil elected²

Texts & Books

The texts are the restoration's ledger. The Syriac Taksa d'Qudasae of 1960 anchors the vernacular; the Malayalam text published and introduced in 1962 put the restored Qurbana in the people's tongue; the 1968 amended Taksa and the 1985 Raza Taksa complete the set. The anaphora at the center is Addai and Mari's — the East Syriac heritage the Church claims, and the one the Vatican's own profile names.^2,3

The Church's own Liturgical Catechesis (2015), prepared by the Major Archiepiscopal Commissions for Liturgy and Catechesis, is the primary source for the whole story: the Persian relations, Diamper's alterations, and the restoration committee's work under Placid Podipara. It is frank about what was burned and what was imposed.³

Family & Relations

The Syro-Malabar Church stands alone as the recension's bearer — one Church, almost five million faithful — and its family is the East Syriac world it belongs to: the Chaldean Catholic Church and the Assyrian Church of the East pray the same Qurbana of Addai and Mari, in the same tradition, with their own books. The East Syriac entry is another hand's work; this page does not duplicate it.²

In India the family's other branch is the Malankara recension: the West Syriac Qurbana of the three Malankara Churches, the rite the larger party took up after 1653. The two Indian recensions live side by side in Kerala — East Syriac and West Syriac, Malayalam in both — and each knows exactly which it prays.^1,7

Compare with

• Malankara recension: the other Indian recension: West Syriac, in three Churches, where Syro-Malabar is East Syriac and Catholic^1,7

The Rite Today

The Church is growing where the Malayalees are, and arguing where the priests face. The 2021 mandate made the uniform mode the Church's law; the resistance made it the Church's open question. The reporting is careful: a "tiny minority" wants the whole liturgy facing the people, says one bishop — but the resistance held three eparchies, and Ernakulam-Angamaly's dispensation came from Rome itself. What nobody disputes is the restoration: the Qurbana John Paul II inaugurated in 1986 is the Qurbana everywhere, whichever way the priest faces for the Word.¹

In 2024 Major Archbishop Raphael Thattil was elected to lead the Church into whatever settlement comes next.²

As of 20 September 2026.

Disputed Questions

Go Deeper

The sources for this page are the Church's own and the closest reporting. The Liturgical Catechesis (2015) is primary: Diamper, the restoration, the books. The Catholic World Report explainer (2021) is the clearest account of the uniform-mode dispute, and it lets both sides speak — the synod's case and the resisters' dispensation are both on the record there. Vatican News (2024) gives the Church today.^1,2,3

One caution: the 2021 reporting is the latest solid ground for the dispute. Nothing later is asserted on this page — the settlement, if it has come, will need its own sources. The translations in this entry are the Index's own.

On Domus Dei

• The Malankara recensionThe other Indian recension: West Syriac, in three Churches, where Syro-Malabar is East Syriac
• The Anaphora of Addai and MariThe recension's ordinary anaphora

Official resources

• The Liturgical Catechesis of the Syro-Malabar Church (2015)

Recommended reading

• The Major Archiepiscopal Commissions for Liturgy and Catechesis of the Syro-Malabar Church, The Liturgical Catechesis of the Syro-Malabar Church, 2015.The Church's own catechesis: Diamper, the restoration, the books 1957–1985 Read online
• Catholic World Report (CNA), Syro-Malabar Catholic Church leaders want a uniform liturgy. Why are they facing resistance?.The clearest explainer of the uniform-mode dispute, with both sides' cases Read online
• Vatican News, Missionary and migrant: a glimpse of the Syro-Malabar Church, 2024.The Church today: almost five million faithful, Thattil elected 2024 Read online

Sources

1. ReferenceCatholic World Report (CNA), Syro-Malabar Catholic Church leaders want a uniform liturgy. Why are they facing resistance?. LinkVerified 2026-09-20 · read in full: interviews Mar Joseph Srampickal (Eparchy of Great Britain) — the 1999 synodal compromise (Word facing the people, Anaphora facing the altar); John Paul II inaugurated the restored Holy Qurbana during his 1986 India visit; the Church raised to major archiepiscopal in 1992; Synod of August 2021 mandated the 1999 formula from Advent 2021; Ernakulam-Angamaly kept the status quo on a Vatican dispensation; diaspora eparchies in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Australia and New Zealand
2. ReferenceVatican News, Missionary and migrant: a glimpse of the Syro-Malabar Church, 2024. LinkVerified 2026-09-20 · read: almost five million faithful; East Syriac/Addai and Mari heritage; Major Archbishop Raphael Thattil elected in 2024
3. Primary textThe Major Archiepiscopal Commissions for Liturgy and Catechesis of the Syro-Malabar Church, The Liturgical Catechesis of the Syro-Malabar Church, 2015. LinkVerified 2026-09-20 · read in full (English): East Syriac relations with Persia; the Synod of Udayamperur/Diamper (1599) altered the received East Syriac books and discipline (Nestorius and Theodore removed, their anaphoras ordered burned, unleavened bread imposed, Communion in both kinds ended, Latin practices introduced); restoration committee appointed 1954 (Placid Podipara); Pius XII approved the Revised Order of the Qurbana 1957; Ordo Celebrationis Qudasae 1959, Supplementum Mysteriorum 1960, Syriac Taksa d'Qudasae 1960, a partial Malayalam text published and introduced 1962, a 1968 amended Taksa provisionally approved, the Raza Taksa approved 1985
4. Magisterial / canonicalCode of Canons of the Eastern Churches, Vatican City: Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 1990, can. 28 §2. LinkVerified 2026-09-12 · URL repointed 18 Sep 2026 to the Latin text on vatican.va (part 1; cann. 656–657 are in part 2, codex-can-eccl-orient-2), because the caedm.ca English extract (616A) carries cc. 27–38 only; cann. 28, 40 §1, 656, 657 read there in the Latin, 18 Sep 2026. English translation: cann. 27–28 read in the caedm.ca PDF; cann. 671, 697, 707, 710, 713 read in the IntraText English edition; can. 881 §1 in IntraText, 2026-09-14
5. Magisterial / canonicalCode of Canon Law, Vatican City: Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 1983, cann. 923, 1248 §1. LinkVerified 2026-09-12 · cann. 844, 919, 923 read on vatican.va; cann. 913–914 read 2026-09-12; can. 1248 §1 read on vatican.va 2026-09-14; cann. 6 §1, 912, 924 §§1–2 and 926 read on vatican.va 2026-09-15; can. 916 read 2026-09-16: 'A person who is conscious of grave sin is not to celebrate Mass or receive the body of the Lord without previous sacramental confession unless there is a grave reason and there is no opportunity to confess'
6. ReferenceWorld Council of Churches, Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church (member church page). LinkVerified 2026-09-20 · read: no total membership given ('Of which 100,000 in North America'); the Church's account of 1653 (the Bent Cross protest), 1665 (the connection with Antioch begins), 1912 (the Catholicate established), 1958 (the Supreme Court verdict).
7. Primary textMalankara Orthodox Syrian Church (Ireland mission), “Liturgy”, indianorthodoxireland.ie. LinkVerified 2026-09-20 · read in full: an outline of the Malankara Orthodox order of the Holy Qurbono (Preparatory Service, Public Service, Great Entrance, the anaphora proper with St James's as the principal anaphora; a parish priest or precentor may serve a shortened form); Mar Gregorios of Jerusalem introduced the Syriac Orthodox liturgical rites to India in 1665