ST.MARY PRAY FOR US
About Us
WELCOME TO ST. MARY’S JACOBITE SYRIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH, MELBOURNE
The antiquity of the Syriac Orthodox Church of Antioch can be traced back to the very dawn of Christianity. In AD 37, the Church was established by St. Peter the Apostle in Antioch, where disciples were first called Christians (Acts 11:26). Amidst the 5th century, the Bishop of Antioch and his counterparts in Alexandria, Byzantium, and Rome would be called Patriarchs. The Holy Apostolic See of Antioch continues to flourish to our day, with His Holiness Patriarch Ignatius Aphrem II being the 123rd in the line of the legitimate Patriarchs. The Church belongs to the Oriental Orthodox Church family and takes part in ecumenical and theological dialogues with the Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Churches. The Syriac Orthodox Church is quite unique for its Semitic culture and most ancient liturgy in Syriac language, an Aramaic dialect akin to the Aramaic spoken by Christ and the Apostles.
OUR INSPIRATION
OUR SPIRITUAL LEADERS
Come join us
Jesus is Lord! He is at the heart of our life together as a church, and he wants to be at the centre of your life as well. Why don’t you come and join us?
Events
UPCOMING EVENTS
28 MAY 2025 WEDNESDAY
@ 06:00 PM – At Church
08 Jun 2025 SUNDAY
@ 09:00 AM At Church
21 JUN 2025, SATURDAY
@ 08:30 AM At Church
22 JUN 2025SUNDAY
@ At church
29 JUN 2025 SUNDAY
@ At Church
ORGANIZATION
OUR SPIRITUAL ORGANISATIONS
St. Mary’s JSOC Sunday School, affiliated with The Malankara Jacobite Syrian Sunday School Association, under the Holy Apostolic See of Antioch and all the East, operates within our church. Classes range from grade I to X, each with its own curriculum. The Sunday school is crucial for preserving and passing on the Jacobite Syrian Orthodox faith to the younger generation. It teaches about the word of God and the Holy Apostolic tradition, ensuring the continuity of our faith. At the parish level, a Sunday school committee will be formed, with the Patriarchal Vicar/Metropolitan of the Diocese as its head, the Vicar as President, a secretary, and a principal.
The St. Mary’s Women’s Association, known as the Martha Mariam Vanitha Samajam, is a source of spiritual nourishment and connection for all women above the age of eighteen within the diocese. The Association aims to spiritually uplift women through regular prayer, retreats, assisting the needy, and organising religious events associated with our Holy Mother of God. St. Mary’s Women’s Association operates under specific Bylaws approved by the Patriarchal vicar/Metropolitan, Vice President, Secretary, Joint Secretary, Auditor, and Committee Members.
The youth association includes all individuals between the ages of 18 and 35 within the parish. The primary mission of the church’s Youth association is to empower and strengthen the younger generation of the Parish. The youth association meets regularly and as required in the parish. Office bearers, including a Secretary and Treasurer, are elected for a two-year term. The Youth Association engages in additional activities like the Students Ministry, College Ministry, and Ecumenical Youth Ministry.
(Syrian Orthodox Student’s Movement of Australia.)
The Syrian Orthodox Students Movement in Australia (SOSMA) is a spiritual organization of the Syriac Orthodox Church for high school students and above. It provides a platform for spiritual learning and personal development, aiming to build a community of church servants dedicated to meeting the unique spiritual needs of individuals raised in Australia.
