Curious about the first Orthodox Syrian Church built outside India? You are standing before it. This is the Orthodox Syrian Church in Kuala Lumpur. Its story is one of faith. It is also a story of migration and community.
After World War I ended in 1918 new opportunities arose. English-educated Syrian Christians from Travancore and Cochin sought them. Young men wanted adventure. They searched for better lives beyond their villages. Some crossed the Indian Ocean. They went to Malaya and Singapore. Like India these lands were under British rule.
These men found jobs. They worked on rubber estates and in tin mines. Some worked in the public sector. Many settled around the Klang Valley. By the late 1920s a community formed. Orthodox Syrian Christians gathered at the YMCA in Kuala Lumpur on Sundays. In 1932 they officially registered as the Jacobite Syrian Christian Union.
By 1928 the community grew. Rev Fr Alexios O.I.C. visited from Kerala. He conducted services in Malaya and Singapore. He traveled from Kedah to Singapore. He performed services and religious rites. After World War II more people arrived. They sought new opportunities in agriculture, mining, and business.
In 1949 Rev Fr P K Abraham arrived. He took over pastoral work. The community had grown significantly. They needed a proper worship space. The Syrian Christian Union asked the Selangor State Government for land. The Sultan of Selangor granted land in Brickfields.
Later priests followed Rev Fr P K Abraham. They continued fundraising for a church. The first service occurred on August 5 1956. On April 6 1958 His Grace Mathews Mar Athanasius consecrated the church. It was named St Mary. The parish celebrates its day on August 15 annually. This day remembers St Mary. The Orthodox Syrian Church in Malaysia was the first of its kind. It was built outside India.
In 1984 Rev Fr Philip Thomas became the first Malaysian Orthodox priest. In 1987 Rev Fr Abraham Oommen became the second. He later became a bishop. Church membership peaked in the 1960s. Three priests served the church then. In 1965 Singapore separated from Malaya. The churches in each country became separate parishes.
During the 1980s members moved. More settled in towns and cities. Two priests serve the church now. Very Revd Philip Thomas is Malaysian. Revd Fr V M Jejis was sent by the Bishop of Chennai. They serve members in Kuala Lumpur and other towns.
In December 1959 they laid the foundation stone for a parsonage and hostel. His Grace Mathews Mar Coorilos blessed the building in 1964. In 1987 they added a wing to the hostel.
Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia visited in May 1968. He was a member of the Orthodox Church. A special service was held. The Church Hall was named “Haile Selassie Hall” in his honor. In August 2006 the Parish Church celebrated its 50th Golden Jubilee.
Besides weekly services the church offers other activities. Children attend Bible study on Sundays. Women and youth meet for prayer. They also support the church through social activities. The Youth Fellowship hosts an annual Orthodox Youth Camp with the Singapore church. The first camp was in 1971.
Today the Malaysian Church has about 200 families. Lay leadership has passed to a new generation. These members are Malaysian. They carry the faith and traditions of their elders. This generation connects the past and future. They make their faith relevant today.
Despite being a minority the church participates in ecumenical efforts. As Orthodox Christians they give their lives to uplift the community. They follow the tradition of St Thomas the Apostle. The Orthodox Syrian Church welcomes all Orthodox believers. They glorify God together.