"For nothing will be impossible with God" St.Luke 1:37
Welcome to St. Mary’s Indian Orthodox Church, Orlando. Come and join the holy celebrate the living Holy Eucharist in the tradition of Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church of India which is one of the Oriental Orthodox churches. We use the Syrian Orthodox Liturgy of the Oriental Orthodox Liturgical tradition.j
St.Mary's Orthodox Church, Orlando, Florida is the result of the vision and hard work of some orthodox members living in Orlando city, and is one of the new growing parish in South West American Diocese of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church. As of August 14 2013, Rev Fr Johnson Punchakonam was appointed as the Vicar of the congregation by His Grace Alexios Mar Eusebius Metropolitan; a growing orthodox community since 2013, united by a mix of young hearted faithful orthodox Christians in Orlando area.
The year 2014 is a milestone year of the parish. By the Grace of God almighty, On December 21st 2013, we purchased a new church
property at 808 4th street Orlando, Florida. The Parish started worshiping service at this new church on the Christmas day of year 2013. The Consecration and dedication of the Church was conducted by
the Catholicose of the East and Malankara Metropolitan His Holiness Moran Mar Baselios Marthoma Paulose II, the Supreme head of the church and the Diocesan Metropolitan His Grace Alexios Mar Eusebius
on the days of September 24th and 25th 2014.
God Almighty has blessed us in so many ways and this church is a testament to the strength God has given us. Thanks to all those who made our dream come to fruition. We are excited by the prospects
and opportunities this church brings and look forward to continue growing spiritually to serve God and the Church.
A few of the fundamental tenets upon which our Holy Orthodox Church:
1. The Orthodox Church has two great sources of authority:
HOLY SCRIPTURE AND HOLY TRADITION
Holy Scripture comprises the writings of both the New and the Old Testaments. The New Testament reveals the human and divine nature of Jesus Christ, and His sacred teachings that we are charged to
follow. The Old Testament is a history of the Hebrew people. It contains, among other sacred writings, the prophecies and the writings of the Prophets that foretold the coming of the Messiah. It
therefore serves as an introduction to the revelation and the saving message of the New Testament.
Holy Tradition, of which Holy Scripture is a part, includes the writings, teachings, and acts of the apostles, saints, martyrs, and
fathers of the Church, and her liturgical and sacramental traditions throughout the ages, the oral tradition of the early Church, and the decisions of the Ecumenical Councils. All of this collective
wisdom and experience through the centuries are combined to form this second great source of sacred authority.
2. THE CREED
The Creed contains the Church's basic summary of doctrinal truths to which we adhere as Orthodox Christians. It consists of the twelve articles of the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed, or the
"Pistevo," which is recited at each Divine Liturgy as follows...
We believe in one true God (John 10:29), the Father Almighty (Mat 5:16),
Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.
(Genesis)
And in one Lord (Exodus 20:2),
Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God,(John 3:16, Mat 3:17, 16: 16, 17:5, John 5:32, 37; Roma 1:4)
Who was begotten of the Father before all worlds (Colos. 1:15, 17);
light of light (John 8:12, 1:8), true
God of true God;(1 John 5:20)
begotten and not made (John 1:14);
and being of one substance with His Father (Colosi.1:15, Phili 2:6, 2 Cori 4:4, Heb 1:3),
by Whom all things were made; (John 1:3, 1 Cori 8:6, Col 1:16)
Who for us men and for our salvation
came down from heaven (Mat 1:21, Luk 2:11, John 4:42, Phili 2:6,8, 2 Cori 8:9, John 3:13)
and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit and of the Virgin Mary, Mother of God(Luk.
1:35, 43, 8:25, 23:50, 53, Mark 10:45, Isaiah 7:14, Hebrews 2:18, 4:15, John
19:5, Mat 8:20, 11:19, 13:54)
And He became man, and was crucified for us in the days of Pontius Pilate (Mat. 27:17, 26:35,50,59,60),
and He suffered, died and was buried (1 Peter 3; 18, 2:21, 4:1, Roma. 6:1, Colo.
1:20),
and the third day He rose according to His will(Mat 28: 6,7),
and ascended into heaven, and sits
at the right hand of His Father (Acts
1:9, 7:55, 56, 1 John 2:2);
and He will come again with great glory
to judge both the living and the dead (Mat 16:2, 2 Peter 3:13-16 Acts 10:42, 2 Timothy 4:1);
and His kingdom shall have no end (Luke 1, 12:32, 1:33).
And we believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of life to all (John
6:63, Roman 8:11),
Who proceeds from the Father (John 14, 16, 26, 15:26);
Who together with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified (John 16:14),
Who spoke through the Prophets and
Apostles (2 Peter1: 21, Mat 10:20, Acts 16:6, 28, 26, 27, 5:3).
And I n One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church (Mat. 16:18).
We confess one baptism for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38, 22:16).
And we look for the resurrection of the dead (Mat, 1 Thess.), and the new life in the world to come (1 Timothy)
3. THE SACRAMENTS
First of all we must say that traditionally the Orthodox never counted the sacraments. The number of seven was adopted in Orthodoxy very recently under the influence of the Roman Catholic Church.
Traditionally the Orthodox understand everything in the Church to be sacramental. All of life becomes a sacrament in Christ who fills life itself with the Spirit of God. They are the visible means by
which the invisible Grace of the Holy Spirit is imparted to us.
The Orthodox baptize infants as well as adults as the new birth into the new life of Christ. Baptism is understood and celebrated as the
person’s participation in the death and resurrection of Christ. It is the person’s Easter as he is born again into life eternal.
Chrismation (or confirmation) is the “sealing” of the new life in Christ by the life-creating Spirit. In Chrismation the person receives the “seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit” in order to have the
power to live the new life in the new humanity of Christ. In this sense, chrismation is the person’s personal Pentecost just as baptism is his Easter.
Holy Communion is the “sacrament of sacraments” in that it is the banquet of the Kingdom of God, the fulfillment of every other sacrament. In Holy Communion we partake of the Body and Blood of
Christ, the Eternal Passover Lamb, Who makes us alive and holy with Himself. Through Holy Communion we become sons of God the Father, together with Jesus, filled with the “communion of the Holy
Spirit.”
Marriage in Christ allows our human love to become divine and unending. There is no “until death do us part”. The point is just the opposite. Christ comes to our human love, frees it from sin and
grants it everlasting joy in His Kingdom of love.
By our anointing of the sick in Christ’s name, we consecrate our sufferings with the sufferings of Christ and we are healed by Him; if not for more time in this world, certainly for an eternity in
the Kingdom of God. Thus by anointing with oil in Christ’s name, our wounds become the way to Life and not to Death.
In confession, the sacrament of repentance, we come to Christ and receive His divine forgiveness. We are allowed once more to enter into Holy Communion with Him in the Church. We are reinstated into
that life which we received in baptism and are renewed with that power which we were given in chrismation.
The one sacrament within the Church which guarantees the identity and continuity of the Church in all times and places is the sacrament of priesthood, the “holy orders,” as they are called. The
priesthood exists within the Church as the sign of the certain presence in the community of Christ Himself. Christ is not absent from the Church. He is present as its head and is manifested in the
Body through the ministry of the priesthood. Thus the mystical life of the Church is fulfilled.
4. THE DIVINE LITURGY
The central worship service of the Church is the Divine Liturgy, which is celebrated each Sunday morning and on all holy days. The Liturgy is also the means by which we achieve union with Jesus
Christ and unity with each other through the Sacrament of Holy Communion.
We thank you for visiting and we hope that you have a wonderful time on our website. Our faith is 2000 years old and traces its roots to the day St. Thomas the Apostle arrived at the shores of the state of Kerala, in the southwest corner of India. On this website, we have attempted to share useful information on the tremendous amount of history, tradition and activities that have developed over the past 20 centuries. Please take your time exploring each of our links and learn a little bit about us. We hope you enjoy the stay and we hope that we have provided you with some insight into who we are, what we believe and how we live our faith.
St.Marys Orthodox Church
808, 4th Street,
Orlando, FL 32824
Ph: 407-574-2550
http://www.stmarysorlando.com/
Email: mail@stmarysorlando.com