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The undivided Syro-Malankara Syrian Church founded by the Apostle St. Thomas regained full communion with the Catholic Church on 20 September 1930 through the untiring ecclesial re-union efforts of the Venerable Archbishop Mar Ivanios. The Holy Father, Pope Pius XI through the Apostolic Constitution Christo Pastorum Principi of 11 June 1932, established the Syro-Malankara Catholic Hierarchy and elevated it to the status of a Metropolitan Church. In 2005 Saint Pope John Paul II raised it to the status of Major Archiepiscopal Church.
The mission of the Malankara Syrian Catholic Church outside its proper canonical territory gradually began with the efforts of individual missionaries; however, a major landmark was the establishment of Bethany Ashram Pune on 24 October 1955. From Pune, the Bethany Fathers took care of the Malankara Catholic faithful in the Mumbai-Pune regions. Soon the Malankara Catholics in other cities of India began to organize themselves as Malankara Catholic Associations. From the beginning of 1970, the Malankara Syrian Hierarchy directly took the initiative and began sending priests from the Eparchies to these communities. From 1980 these communities began to be erected canonically as personal parishes in the dioceses where they were registered. The Hierarchy further supported them by appointing Rev. Fr. John Berchmans OIC, of blessed memory, in 1997 as the Co-coordinator of the Malankara Syrian Catholics outside the territorium proprium. Under his assiduous leadership, the communities got organized strongly under the banner of The Malankara Catholic Church Extra Territorial Regions in India (MCC-ETRI).
On February 2007, Most Rev. Dr. Bishop Jacob Mar Barnabas was appointed as the Apostolic Visitator of the Extra-territorial Region in India by the Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI. Later, the Holy Episcopal Synod of the Malankara Syrian Catholic Church officially entrusted Bishop Jacob Mar Barnabas with the pastoral care of the Malankara Syrian Catholic faithful residing outside of its proper territory in India.
On 26 March 2015 at 4:30 pm His Holiness Pope Francis by the Decree N 7780/15 erected the Eparchy of St. John Chrysostom, Gurgaon-Delhi, for the Malankara Syrian Catholic Church in India outside of her proper territory and Most Rev. Dr. Jacob Mar Barnabas, Apostolic Visitator of the undivided MCC-ETRI was appointed as its first Bishop. Bifurcating the MCC-ETRI, the Exarchate of St. Ephrem, Khadki- Pune was also erected on the same day and Most Rev. Dr. Thomas Mar Anthonios was appointed as its first Exarch. Indeed, with the establishment of these two canonical provisions, the Malankara Syrian Catholic Church has received an ecclesiastical jurisdiction to preach the Good News to all over in India.
Venerable Archbishop Mar Ivanios dreamed of and prayed for a Malankara Syrian Catholic Church that would be blessed with the charism of preaching the Word of God to the entire nation of India with full canonical autonomy. The long cherished prayer and dream of Venerable Mar Ivanios is now realized. And it also doubles the delight that the decision of the Holy See came during the Birth Centenary year of Archbishop Benedict Mar Gregorios of revered memory, who untiringly worked to bring the task of evangelization to the extra-territorial regions both in India and abroad. The Church is also greatly indebted to Moran Mor Cyril Baselios, the first Major Archbishop-Catholicos of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church for his deep theological and ecclesiastical vision and mission endeavours. Indeed, it is under the outstanding and efficient leadership of His Eminence Cardinal Baselios Cleemis, the Major Archbishop-Catholicos, the father and head of the Syro- Malankara Catholic Church, that the church became more vibrant in her evangelical perspective, and she is blessed with the new Eparchy of Gurgaon.
The Eparchy of St. John Chrysostom, Gurgaon-Delhi, is spread over 22 States in the Northern and Eastern regions of India. This Eparchy has a huge territory which includes 22 of the 29 states of India. The southern border of the circumscription includes the four central States: Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Orissa. Besides in these States, the faithful are diffusely present, especially in Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and West Bengal.
The Eparchy of St. John Chrysostom, Gurgaon is established under the name of St. John Chrysostom (the Greek name for Mar Ivanios). St. Mary's Malankara Syrian Catholic Cathedral situated in Neb Sarai, Delhi is the Cathedral Parish for the Eparchy. New Delhi is the Centre of the Eparchy, as it is the metropolitan area with the most substantial concentration of the Malankara Syrian Catholic faithful, distributed in nine parishes. The Bishop's residence and Chancellery are situated above the Cathedral Parish. Currently, there are sixteen institutions in the Eparchy, including two colleges, three higher secondary schools and two high schools.
The inauguration of the Eparchy of St. John Chrysostom, Gurgaon and the installation (Sunthroneeso) of Most Rev. Dr. Jacob Mar Barnabas took place on May 1, 2015 at St. Mary's Malankara Catholic Cathedral, Neb Sarai, New Delhi. The liturgical ceremonies and the public meeting were presided over by His Eminence Moran Mor Baselios Cardinal Cleemis, the Major Archbishop-Catholicos, the father and head of the Malankara Syrian Catholic Church. The presence of Archbishop Salvatore Pennachio, the Apostolic Nuncio to India, Hierarchs from the Latin Rite and the Syro-Malabar Rite and other sister churches, prominent political and social leaders of the country, priests, religious and number of faithful from all walks of life graced the occasion.
The Prachodana Social Service Society is the social work wing of the Eparchy is presently conducting three major social uplift programs
(i) Non-Formal Education Program,
(ii) Food for the Hungry Program, and
(iii) Home for the Destitute.
A good number of underprivileged children are attending the non-formal education program at Mansarovar Park and Neb Sarai. Through the Food for Hungry Program, the Social service wing of the Eparchy provides free luncheons to those marginalized living in the streets of Delhi. This program is supported by individuals, families, and institutions of all faith.
While distribution of food, seriously sick people found in the streets are take to Shanti Ashram, the Prachodana destitute home at Jasola and are provided with adequate nursing care.
The Eparchy of St. John Chrysostom, Gurgaon is a mission territory in the Malankara Syrian Catholic Church with a vast territory of 22 states in India. There are ample mission possibilities in this Eparchy. The Orissa Mission Animation program of the Eparchy is an exemplary model in this regard. The vision of the Eparchy is to make steady progress in the field of spreading the joy of the Gospel (evangelization) as well as the integral development of the people, particularly in those regions entrusted to its pastoral care. To this vision and mission the Mission Eparchy is committed and all our activities will be tuned primarily towards these noble goals.
Most Rev. Dr. Jacob Mar Barnabas of venerable memory, the First Bishop of the Eparchy, had given dynamic leadership as a zealous missionary to the Eparchy, which is having vast geographical regions of 22 States and 3 Union Territories. The untimely death of Bishop Mar Barnabas during the Covid-19 pandemic affected terribly the growth and development of the Eparchy. We thankfully remember the dedicated services of Rt. Rev. Fr. Varghese Vinayanand OIC as the Apostolic Administrator in leading the Eparchy in a calm and peaceful manner during the vacancy of the Eparchial See.
Now, by accepting the recommendations of the Holy Episcopal Synod of Malankara Catholic Church, Holy Father Pope Francis has appointed Most Rev. Dr. Thomas Mar Anthonios OIC, as the Second Bishop of the Eparchy of St. John Chrysostom, Gurgaon-Delhi on 7th May 2022. The Installation of His Excellency Bishop Mar Anthonios was held on 30th June 2022. The new shepherd is leading the flock with the same mission and vision through which it was started through the guidance of the Holy Spirit.