Phe Patriarch Ignatius Zakka I Iwas Centre (Patriarch Centre) at Puthencuriz in Ernakulam District is the administrative headquarters of the Syrian Orthodox Church in India.  The central office of the Malankara Catholicate is situated here.  Puthencuriz, being the meeting point of three major dioceses of the Church, is an important place for the Syriac Christian community.  The vast majority living here are the Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Christians.  Malecuriz Dayro where the mortal remains of Catholicos Mor Baselios Paulose II Bava were interred is just a few distance away from the Patriarch centre.  National Highway (NH 49) is also very near to the site and Cochin city is 20 Km away.  The International Airport at Nedumbasserry is 40 Km from the Church centre. 

The Church headquarters - a long Cherished Dream

The Church headquarters in the past centuries functioned in places where the Chief Metropolitans resided.  The Malankara Church in those days never thought of a permanent central office nor there was any need for that as a decentralized form of administrative structure was existing in Malankara then.  When Pulikottil Mor Divanasios Thirumeni was the chief of the Malankara Church, the Syrian (Old) seminary at Kottayam was his headquarters and later when Valiya Thirumeni (St. Athanasius Paulose) assumed the responsibility, Thrikkunnathu Seminary at Aluva became the central office. This was later shifted to Muvattupuzha when Catholicos Baselios Paulose II Bava headed the Indian Church from 1975 to '96.  Due to the various trials and tribulations in the past century, the Church was not able to develop any of these centers as permanent HQs until the present Catholicos Aboon Mor Baselios Thomas I took the initiative to develop the Church centre at Puthencuriz.  Also with the change of times it became an absolute necessity for the Church to have a permanent headquarters complex to fulfill the various and manifold services and for the effective and prompt functioning of its administrative system.  For the hundreds of parish churches and about more than one million faithful, the new complex at Puthencuriz was a long cherished dream.

Consecration of the Patriarch Centre

The site for the headquarter complex was blessed on April 9, 2000 by H.H. Moran Mor Ignatius Zakka I when His Holiness visited Malankara to inaugurate the Episcopal jubilee of the late Chief Metropolitan of the East Mor Clemis Abraham.

During the Patriarch's third apostolic visit to Malankara, on 24th September 2004, the Holy Father consecrated the main portion of the Church Head quarters in co-operation with His Beatitude the Catholicos and the Metropolitans.  H.H. Ignatius Zakka I Bava stayed here for 3 days during this short historic visit to India.  The Malankara Syriac Christian community is greatly indebted to His Holiness for the Apostolic blessings and whole hearted support for this dream project.

Patriarch H.H. Ignatius Zakka I Iwas consecrating the new Church Headquarters

at Puthencuriz on 24 September 2004

Salient Features

The Head quarter Complex is named as "Patriarch Ignatius Zakka I Iwas Centre", in remembrance of the silver jubilee year of the Patriarchal enthronement.  The Central office of the Church, including the Catholicate office now functions here.  When completed, the complex established in 5 acres of land, will have a beautiful Chapel, special suites for Church dignitaries, The Holy Episcopal Synod Chamber, Working Committee & Managing Committee halls, office rooms for all the office bearers of the Church, central offices for the spiritual organizations, Library and Archives, guest rooms, etc. The total plinth area will be 40,000 sq.ft. in three storeys.

It is the main part of the building that is now completed and consecrated. The construction of the remaining section will begin later.

St. Athanasius Cathedral

The church established at the Patriarchal Centre complex was named after St. Athanasius Paulose (Valiya Thirumeni), the former Malankara Metropolitan and the head of the Malankara Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church.  The foundation stone for the church was blessed on 24 September 2004 by the Patriarch Moran Mor Ignatius Zakka I and was laid on 25 January 2005 by His Beatitude the Catholicos Mor Baselios Thomas I.  Two years later on December 26, 2006, the consecration ceremony of the St. Athanasius Cathedral was held under the auspices of the Catholicos Aboon Mor Baselios Thomas I and assisted by all the Metropolitans of Malankara Church.

St. Athanasius Cathedral

[Photo: 25 April 2007]

Patriarchal centre:

Patriarch Ignatius Zakka I Iwas Centre

(Patriarchal centre)

Puthencuriz - 682 308

Ernakulam, Kerala,  INDIA.

Tel:  0484 - 2732804

Fax: 0484 - 2732804