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The Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church also known as the Mar Thoma Church is a Christian denomination |
based in the state of Kerala in southwestern India. It has an entirely different identity when compared with other Churches in India. Most Christian churches around the world are divided into Western or Eastern traditions. Eastern churches are again divided into two: the Eastern Orthodox and the Eastern Oriental. Mar Thoma Church is an Eastern Oriental Church. It adheres to the Syriac tradition and bases its teachings in accordance with Biblical teachings. It is one of the Saint Thomas Christian churches tracing its origins to the missionary activity of Thomas the Apostle.
The Mar Thoma Church defines itself as "Apostolic in origin, Catholic in nature, Biblical in faith, Evangelical in principle, Ecumenical in outlook, Oriental in worship, Democratic in function, Episcopal in character and is a Reformed Church.[2]
Until the beginning of 20th century Marthomites lived in a few districts of Central Travancore and Kunnamkulam in Kerala. Since that time it has spread with the 20th-century Indian diaspora to North America, Europe, the Middle East, Malaysia, Singapore, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, and currently has around one million members worldwide.[1] Their mother tongue is Malayalam, the language of Kerala.
Mar Thoma Emblem
Every symbol inside the emblem has a meaning and a purpose.
(1) Motto: 'Lighted to Lighten ' . the role of the Church is to spread the good news of the Gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Every believer and member of the Marthoma Church, wherever they are, is filled with the light of Christianity so that they may lighten others.
(2) Cross : A proclamation that God himself came in the form of a human being (purusha) and atoned for all mankind on the cross with three nails. Christ is the center of our Church. His redemption is freely available by faith in Him.
(3) Wheel (Chakra): Wheel represents cycles of Life, denotes man's attempts to find life (nirvana). The 'Wheel of Life' is placed at the heart of the cross to declare the fact that the life finds its salvation in the atoning sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. The members of this Church are obligated both spiritually and culturally to carry the cross to the Indian nation. The wheel of life is complete and closed for all those who follow the teachings of Jesus Christ.
(4) Lamp: Each member of the Marthoma Church is a lighted lamp required to shine the light of salvation to others in their daily life. Every Marthomite is a Missionary, was the cry of Late Abraham Mar Thoma.
(5) Lotus : Lotus is a very attractive sacred flower that grows in the swamps and dirty backwaters of India. it symbolizes the fact that we live in a dirly sinful world. But, as the lotus flower stands above the dirty water, our life should radiate God's glory and rise above the surroundings, fill it with fragrance as does a lotus. A reminder that all of us are sacred and to be holy in our daily life.
