St. Mary’s Malankara Syrian Orthodox Church Vienna is considered to be the first parish of the Malankara Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church in Europe. HG Thomas Mor Dionysius (now Catholicose H. B. Aboon Mor Baselius Thomas I) and Rev. Fr. Dr. Adai Jacob (now V. Rev. Dr. Adai Jacob Cor-Episcopose, Principal, MSOT Seminary, Mullanthuruthy) visited Vienna and celebrated Holy Qurbana on 23rd July 1989 at the Armenian Church, Kolonitzgasse 11, in the 3rd district of Vienna, for the Jacobite Syrian Christians from India.
That Holy Qurbana and their visit inspired the believers a lot and they requested to H. H. Moran Mor Ignatius Zakka I Iwas, the Patriarch of Antioch and all the east, to send a priest here for conducting liturgical services and providing the pastoral care to the believers. As a result Rev. Fr. Joseph Zacharia Maramkandathil arrived in Vienna for his higher studies and conducted a Holy Qurbana on 26th November 1989 at the Armenian Church, Vienna. On 10th December 1989, he called a General meeting after the Holy Qurbana for planning the future activities. This meeting named the congregation “St. Mary’s” because Rev. Fr. Joseph Zacharia celebrated his first holy Qurbana here in Vienna on the day of Annunciation to the Virgin Mary. Afterwards holy Masses were conducted twice in a month regularly. In April 1990, we began to conduct our Liturgies at the St. Ephrem’s Syrian Orthodox Church at Lainzerstr. 154A in the 13th District of the Vienna. Rev.Fr.Dr.Joseph Zacharia completed his doctorate and went back to India and the Congregation could not organize any Holy Masses in some months of the years 1996-97, because of the absence of the Priests. So the Congregation continued its activities mainly through the Prayer Meetings organized under the leadership of Rev. Dn. Saji Varkey Kodikuthiyil (now HG. Dr.Kuriakose Mor Theophilose Metropolitan) who was doing his doctorate at the University of Regensburg. As per the request of the Congregation, in December 1997, Rev. Fr. Biji Chirathilattu came to Vienna and agreed to conduct Holy Qurbono once in a month. He successfully completed his doctorate at the University of Marburg and settled down in Vienna in March 2002. It gave the Congregation the possibility to have its regular services again on the second and fourth Sundays of every month. Rev.Fr.Biju Parekkattil came to Vienna in September, 2006 and was appointed as the Assi.Vicar of the Church. In November 2008, Rev. Fr. Dr. Biji resigned from the Church responsibilities and Rev. Biju Parekkattil was appointed as the Vicar. Later in 2011 Rev. Biju Parekkattil was reassigned to Ireland and the church could not organize any Holy Masses in the following months. Then Rev. Fr. Aji George, who was doing his doctorate in Rome was appointed as the Vicar. The travel distance of Rome-Vienna was the hurdle this time to have regular services at the Church. Finally in January 2014, Rev. Fr. Joshy Markose Vettikkattil, who flew in to Vienna to do his doctorate was appointed as the new Vicar to St. Marys MSO Church Vienna . Now we are celebrating Holy Liturgies on every Sundays, Church feast-days and all the special occasions. Our Parish is enjoying the paternal and spiritual guidance, able and successful leadership of our Metropolitan HG Dr. Kuriakose Mor Theophilose Thirumeni.
Today the ministry of our Church is very wide and we engage in verity of activities such as Sunday School , Vanitha Samajam (Women’s Association), Youth Association, Prayer Meeting, Children’s Liturgical Choir, Theological forum, Vachanam Magazine, Charity fund, etc. In order to strengthen the solidarity and to provide opportunities to get-together of the members of the congregation, we are conducting annual picnics to different domestic and international destinations, barbeque party and sport competitions at the banks of Danube and Parish day with verity of Cultural programmes. To facilitate a close fraternal relationship with other Christian Churches and Ecclesial Communities, we give special emphasis to ecumenical meetings, inter-church gatherings and ecumenical programmes such as “Langenacht der Kirchen” etc. We are giving a great emphasis to Spiritual activities and charitable works on the one hand, and trying to maintain and to develop our Eastern heritage, Indian culture, Malayalam Language etc one the other
We cordially invite you to come and participate in our liturgical services and other activities of the church and also thank you for taking the time to find out more about us.