Sacred Space

Our Altars

Three altars stand at the heart of the Cathedral, each dedicated to saints whose lives of holiness and faithful witness continue to intercede for the Church.

Three Altars

The interior of St Mary's Cathedral is ordered around three altars, each consecrated to the memory and intercession of saints who shaped the Syriac Orthodox tradition. The high altar in the centre draws the eye and the heart toward the Theotokos; the two side altars flank it with the witness of apostles, patriarchs, metropolitans, and martyrs who gave their lives for Christ.

Centre Altar · The High Altar

St. Mary, the Theotokos

God-bearer · Patron of this Cathedral

The high altar at the centre of the Cathedral is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary — the Theotokos, the God-bearer — patron saint of our church. The Jacobite Syriac Orthodox tradition holds Mary in the highest veneration as the Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is in her honour that this Cathedral is named: St. Mary's Jacobite Syriac Orthodox Cathedral. The centrality of this altar reflects her place of honour in our liturgical life.

St. Mary, Mother of God (Theotokos)

Left Side Altar

Manjinikara Bava & St. Thomas the Apostle

The left altar is dedicated to two pillars of our apostolic heritage.

Saint Ignatius Elias III

Manjinikara Bava

101st Patriarch of Antioch · 1867–1894

Patriarch Ignatius Elias III visited India and strengthened the bonds of the faithful here with the ancient See of Antioch. The place he stayed in Kerala — Manjinikara — came to bear his name, and his memory is deeply cherished by the faithful of the Jacobite Syriac Orthodox Church in India.

St. Thomas the Apostle

Apostle to India · A.D. 52

The Apostle Thomas brought the light of the Gospel to India in A.D. 52, founding the ancient Christian community from which the Syriac Orthodox tradition in India traces its origin. His witness continues to be the foundation of the Church in this land.

Right Side Altar

Parumala Thirumeni & St. George

The right altar honours two saints whose holiness was expressed through intercession and sacrificial witness.

Saint Geevargese Mar Gregorios

Parumala Thirumeni

Metropolitan of Niranam · 1848–1902

The first saint canonised by the Syriac Orthodox Church in modern times. Beloved for his healing ministry and life of deep prayer, Parumala Thirumeni is venerated as a wonderworker whose intercession continues to be sought by thousands of faithful across India.

St. George

Soldier-martyr

One of the most venerated saints in the Church universal, St. George's courage in faith has made him a beloved figure in the Syrian Christian tradition particularly. He is held up as a model of steadfast witness and sacrificial endurance in the face of persecution.