Patriarch H.H.Ignatius Zakka I Iwas' Contribution to Christian Unity

Dr M T Anthony, our friend and member representing the Syrian Christian tradition from India, who is himself a member of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, comments:


The death of Patriarch Mor Ignatius Zakka I Iwas is sad news for the Syriac Christian Community in India, as about half of the Saint Thomas Christians sought help from Syriac Orthodox Church when the Portuguese Missionaries tried to Latinise the Thomas Christians community in the 16th century.


Since then, a section received ecclesial communion with the Syriac Orthodox Church and now, they have a Catholicose - similar to Major Archbishop - in Kerala. Mor Zakka I took initiatives on ecumenical dialogues with the Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church.

Out of 51 Bishops consecrated by Patriarch Zacha I, 22 are from Kerala, India.

Read more here on the Syriac Orthodox Church's engagement with ecumenism:

Patriarch H.H.Ignatius Zakka I Iwas & the Syrian Orthodox Church's Contribution to Ecumenism