Introduction

The Syriac Orthodox Church of Antioch is one of the most ancient Christian churches, with its foundations tracing back to the apostolic era in Antioch and Mesopotamia. The Church justifiably prides itself on being one of the earliest established apostolic churches and presents a form of Christianity that is Semitic in nature, with a culture similar to what Christ Himself experienced. Its liturgical language, Syriac, is an Aramaic dialect akin to the language spoken by Christ and the Apostles.

 

According to tradition, Christianity spread to the city of Edessa during the time of the Apostles, and later, the faith was established in India by St. Thomas in A.D. 52. A schism arose within the broader Christian community after the Council of Chalcedon in A.D. 451, which led to the Syriac Orthodox Church taking a distinct path. The church was later revived by St. Jacob Baradaeus in the 6th century, who consecrated many bishops and priests.

Faith and Doctrine

The faith of the Syriac Orthodox Church is in accordance with the Nicene Creed. It believes in the Holy Trinity—one God in three separate, equal persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The church holds to the mystery of the Incarnation, believing that the Son of God, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, took on a perfect body and soul, becoming a perfect Man. The church teaches that His true Godhead and true Manhood were united in one Incarnate nature, without confusion or separation, and that after this union, He had one Person, one Will, and one Work.

 

The church also believes that the death of Christ conferred salvation and reconciliation with the Heavenly Father upon all believers. Its members adhere to five canonical fasts throughout the year, in addition to fasting on most Wednesdays and Fridays. The church has seven Holy Sacraments: Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Repentance, the Priesthood, Anointing of the Sick, and Marriage. Four of these—Baptism, Confirmation, Repentance, and the Eucharist—are considered essential for salvation. The church also believes in Apostolic Succession, passed down through the Patriarchs on the Throne of St. Peter at Antioch.

Church Hierarchy

The Syriac Orthodox Church is structured with a distinct hierarchy of holy orders:

  • Episcopate: This is the highest rank of priesthood. The supreme head of the church is the Patriarch of Antioch and all the East, who presides over the Holy Synod, an assembly of all bishops. The Catholicos of the East is the local head in Malankara (India) and reports directly to the Patriarch. The Archbishop is the local head of an archdiocese, under the jurisdiction of the Patriarch and ordained by the Patriarch and other bishops.

  • Vicarate: This rank includes the priest, or qasheesho, who is assigned to a specific parish and is under the direct jurisdiction of the Archbishop.

  • Deaconate: Deacons assist the priest in the administration of the liturgy. The highest rank in the deaconate is the Archdeacon, who is known as "the right hand of the bishop". Other ranks within the deaconate include evangelical-deacon, subdeacon, lector (qoruyo), and singer (mzamrono).

 

Please note that the information on this page was sourced from the following website: https://syrianorthodoxchurch.org/general-history/.