The Constitution of the Malankara Orthodox Church

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The church had no written constitution until 1934, but was governed by consensus, traditions and precedence. It was the vision of Mor Dionysius, Vattasseril to have a clearly defined uniform constitution to govern the church administration. 

The Canon Law accepted and followed by the Orthodox church of Malankara was collected and codified by Mar Gregorios Bar Hebraeus, Catholicos of Edessa (AD. 1226-1286) in the thirteenth century 

The Episcopal Synod with the Catholicos as its president is the apex body of all bishops. The authority of the synod is final and binding.

It was in the Mulamthuruthy synod summoned by the patriarch peter III in 1876 that resolved to have an elected body called the Malankara Syria Christian Association to manage and control all the religions and social concerns of the whole church.

In the Mulamthuruthy synod which formulated the Malankara association had laid down the provision for the managing committee, a smaller body to look into the financial and other administrative matters. 

It is a small body of members nominated by the Malankara Metropolitan. This body prepares the agenda for the Managing Committee and helps the Malankara Metropolitan in his administrative functions. 

Every diocese will have a Diocesan Assembly. The Diocesan bishop presides over the meetings. All matters related to the Diocese is discussed and decided in the General body assembly including the budget and accounts. If necessary the Malankara Metropolitan can also convene the diocesan General body. The representation of the lay people is based on the number of parishioners. The term of members will be five years.

The members of the Parish Managing Committee excluding the priests will be elected by the Parish Assembly and their term of office will be one year. Every Parish Managing Committee will have a minimum of 5 and a maximum of 15 members excluding the Priests. The Parish Assembly will decide the required number of members with in these limits. In the event of any vacancy arising in the Parish Managing Committee, the remaining members of the committee may fill up such vacancy by co-option from the members of the Parish Assembly. If in any circumstances special to any Parish, it is found necessary to extend the term of the Parish Managing Committee, the Parish Assembly may with the special permission of the Diocesan Metropolitan extend the term of office of that Parish Managing Committee to a period for three years. 

Every parish is within the frame work of the church constitution. It is neither outside the umbrella of the constitution nor an independent entity.

Each Parish has a general body. The membership is confined to all male and female members above the age of 21 and who have made their annual confession and communion, and who are not defaulters in the parish dues for more than six months. All matters related to the parish are discussed and decided by this body. This general body elects the ‘church managing committee’, ‘the secretary’, and the ‘lay trustee’. The parish managing committee, the trustee and the secretary are elected every year.