About Us
In the recent past, especially since the 1960's, a considerable number of people from India migrated and settled down in various regions of North America. Many of them were Malankara Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Christians. They followed the Syrian Orthodox faith, maintained their distinct identity and preserved the glorious traditions of the Syrian Orthodox Church. They formed parishes and spiritual organizations such as Sunday school for children, Youth Association for young adults, and St. Mary's League for women under the spiritual supervision of Late Lamented Archbishop H.E. Athanasius Yeshue Samuel, and currently under the Archbishop of the Malankara Archdiocese of the Syrian Orthodox Church in North America, His Eminence Mor Yeldho Titus, under the Supremacy of the Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, His Holiness Moran Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, the Supreme Head of the Universal Syrian Orthodox Church.
The Church conducts worship services according to the rich and ancient liturgical traditions of the Syriac Orthodox Church. Much of the liturgical works of the Church were originally written in Syriac, the Edessene dialect of Aramaic, which our Lord Jesus Christ and his disciples spoke. During the last century, these works have been translated into other languages. The liturgical services in the church are held in Malayalam (the vernacular of the congregation members) and in English.
In due course three Syrian Orthodox Christian Parishes, namely,
St. Mary’s Syrian Orthodox Church of Stone Mountain,
St. Mary’s Syrian Orthodox Church of Winder and
St. Ignatius Elias III Syrian Orthodox Church of Lawrenceville
were formed and functioned to cater to the spiritual needs of the faithful of the greater Atlanta area.
With prayer and dedication, these three Parishes came together to amalgamate and consolidate the resources to form one Parish in the Gwinnett County region for the spiritual and administrative benefit of the faithful.