CHRISTIANITY IN INDIA
Over 2% of India’s population is Christian. Christianity in India, the third most followed religion according to the 2011 Census, has 28 million followers. Christianity was introduced to India in AD 52 when the Apostle, St. Thomas, landed in the southern state of Kerala. Christians have contributed significantly to the country and are represented in government, industry, business, and many other fields.
INDIAN AMERICAN CHRISTIANS
Cities around the U.S. have many Indian Christian churches. Christians belong to various denominations including Assemblies of God, Christhava Tamil Koil, Church of God, Church of North India, Church of South India, Indian Orthodox Church, Knanaya, Malankara Syrian Orthodox Church, Mar Thoma Church (Reformed Orthodox), Pentecostal Mission, Sharon Pentecostal Church, Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, and Syro-Malankara Catholic Church. Independent non-denominational churches include Heavenly Feast, India Pentecostal Church of God, and Plymouth Brethren. There are also Catholic Indians from the western state of Goa. The Indian American Christian population is estimated to be 1,050,000 according to FIACONA (Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations of North America).
ST. MARY’S ORTHODOX CHURCH, GEORGIA
St. Mary’s Orthodox Church in Roswell, Georgia, serves the spiritual needs of the growing Malankara Orthodox Christian Community in Atlanta, Georgia and surrounding communities. St. Mary’s is one of over 150 churches in the U.S. that are affiliated with the Malankara Orthodox Church, one of the oldest Christian Denominations in the world.
The Metropolitan, Baselios Mar Thoma Paulose II, consecrated St. Mary’s Orthodox Church in Roswell, GA on September 19, 2014.
For the spiritual well-being of its members, St. Mary’s conducts regular Sunday Services and special Liturgical Services on important days, per the Malankara Orthodox Church Calendar. St. Mary’s has been operating from its current facilities at 1950 Old Alabama Road since 2012. Reverend Father Dr. Mathew Koshy leads the congregation.
More information on St. Mary’s Orthodox Church can be found at: www.stmarysatl.org
More information on the Malankara (Indian) Orthodox Church can be found at: www.mosc.in