Birmingham St. Stephens Indian Orthodox Church

The inception of the new millennium marked the beginning of an ever-growing influx of the members of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church across the length and breadth of the United Kingdom, and Birmingham and its surrounding areas were no exception. In early 2002, the seeds for St. Stephen’s Indian Orthodox Church were sown in the form of prayer meetings that were conducted in the Birmingham area. With the support of many brothers and sisters from London and Bristol, the first ever Holy Qurbana in Birmingham was celebrated in November 2003.

By 17^th June 2007, the congregation was officially declared as St. Stephen’s Indian Orthodox Church- a parish under the Canada and Europe Diocese of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church by the then Diocesan Metropolitan H. G. Dr. Thomas Mar Makarios of blessed memory. The parish is greatly indebted to the Holy Trinity Church, Sutton Coldfield, St. Francis Hall at the University of Birmingham & The Walker Memorial Hall in Edgbaston for their warmth and generosity in allowing us to use their premises for worship, every 2^nd and 4^th Sunday, as well as during major feasts and fasts.

The desire to acquire an own place of worship was ever-present in the hearts of each parishioner. By God’s grace, the intercession of St. Stephen, and under the zealous leadership of our Diocesan Metropolitan, Vicars, Trustees, Secretaries, Committee Members, leaders of all spiritual organisation and with sincere prayers of every member of the parish, the current place of worship in Sheldon was purchased in April 2019. The church was consecrated by the then Diocesan Metropolitan, H. G. Dr. Mathews Mar Thimothios on 10^th & 11^th December 2021. Since the Holy Consecration, the parish has been blessed with a substantial growth in the number of new members, and from early 2023, Holy Qurbana is being celebrated every week.  

St. Stephen’s Indian Orthodox Church has made major contributions to the growth and development of the Diocese of U.K., Europe and Africa by providing gifted and able leaders to faithfully execute administrative duties, in addition to being elected as leaders of various Spiritual Organisations at the Diocesan Level. At the Parish level, all the major Spiritual Organisations of the Church, such as Sunday School, Martha Mariam Vanitha Samajam (MMVS), Youth Movement, Students’ Movement and AMOSS are functioning fully and bringing spiritual nourishment to all the members, and the local community. The other spiritual wings of the parish are the Prayer Group, Church Choir and Ecumenical Relations.

Under the pastoral care and leadership of our new Diocesan Metropolitan, H. G. Abraham Mar Stephanos, who played an integral part in the establishment of this parish in the early 2000s, the current Vicar, Rev. Fr. Mathew Abraham Palathinkal, and relying on the intercession of St. Stephen, the protomartyr, St. Stephen’s Indian Orthodox Church is gleefully looking to the future with great hope.