Eastern Orthodox in India
Article summary proposed by the Contacts review with LLM assistance
This article presents the situation of the Oriental Orthodox Churches in India, commonly known as "Orthodox Syrians," within the framework of a historical and descriptive study. Christine Chaillot traces the history of Indian Christianity from the apostolic tradition of Saint Thomas to contemporary ecclesiastical divisions, passing through Portuguese Latinization, the Coonen Cross revolt of 1653, and the introduction of the Western Syriac rite of Antioch. The article sets out the split that occurred in the twentieth century between the group loyal to the Patriarch of Antioch and the one in favor of autocephaly, as well as the persistent legal tensions. It also describes current ecclesiastical life: missionary activities, monastic life with a social dimension, liturgy in Malayalam, and a growing diasporic presence. The contribution of the article lies in its contextualization of this ancient Church in relation to the challenges of Orthodox unity and its integration into Indian modernity.
This article has not been translated yet — it is available in its French version here.
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