Orthodox Catholic Apostolic Church – Decree

  1. Whereas the Orthodox Catholic Apostolic Church, otherwise known as the Apostolic Church of the Indies and the Church of India, Ceylon and Malaya, was formed in or before 1938 when Mar Petros (Jonas Gnanadiravian Peters) received a Protestant form of episcopal commissioning from three Anglican presbyters.
  2. And whereas the Orthodox Catholic Apostolic Church, otherwise known as the Apostolic Church of the Indies and the Church of India, Ceylon and Malaya, asserted that it was the successor jurisdiction of the Independent Catholic Church of India (Metropolis of the Diocese of Ceylon, Goa and India (excluding Malabar)) of Mar Julius I Alvares, who had died in 1923, being a presbyteral continuation of his movement.
  3. And whereas the Orthodox Catholic Apostolic Church, otherwise known as the Apostolic Church of the Indies and the Church of India, Ceylon and Malaya, was incorporated in India under the Societies Registration Act 1860.
  4. And whereas the Orthodox Catholic Apostolic Church, otherwise known as the Apostolic Church of the Indies and the Church of India, Ceylon and Malaya, entered into intercommunion with the Catholicate of the West on 14 February 1948.
  5. And whereas on 20 September 1953, consequent upon a Mandate issued by Mar Paulos (in his capacity as Primate of the American Catholic Church, an affiliated jurisdiction of the Catholicate of the West), Mar Petros was episcopally consecrated at the hands of Mar Columba (Odo Acheson Barry), at which point Mar Petros was affirmed as Bishop of Ambur in the Orthodox Catholic Apostolic Church.
  6. And whereas on the death of Mar Petros in April 1956, he having neither consecrated any bishop nor nominated a successor, the Orthodox Catholic Apostolic Church, otherwise known as the Apostolic Church of the Indies and the Church of India, Ceylon and Malaya devolved upon Mar Paulos of the Catholicate of the West as his canonical head-at-line.
  7. Now therefore the lineage of the Orthodox Catholic Apostolic Church is as follows:
  • Mar Petros (Administrator from 1938; Primate 20 September 1953-April 1956)
  • Mar Paulos (April 1956-29 April 1965)
  • Mar David I (29 April 1965-8 August 1976)
  • Mar David II (8 August 1976-26 December 2000)
  • Mar Timotheos III (26 December 2000-5 February 2015)
  • Mar Joannes Edmundus (5 February 2015-)