The renowned Latin liturgist and scholar, Adrian Fortescue, once described the Antiochian liturgy as “one of the most beautiful in Christendom” [The Lesser Eastern Churches, London: Catholic Truth Society, p. 350]. This is no exaggeration. The Malankara Church, in her historical journey, came to inherit this venerable and profound liturgical tradition through the West Syrian bishops who arrived in India following the tragic schism of 1653. It was through them that the treasures of the Antiochian Rite, with its theological depth and poetic beauty, were planted in Indian soil. In 1930, at the Reunion led by Archbishop Mar Ivanios, this rich liturgy entered into full Catholic communion, giving the universal Church a unique witness: the ancient Antiochene liturgy celebrated with the heart and soul of Indian culture.

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The liturgical and spiritual patrimony of the Malankara Catholic Church is thus firmly rooted in the Antiochene Rite, yet its expression has developed in a distinctly Indian way—through the cadence of local chant, the symbolism of cultural expressions, and the lived spirituality of the faithful. At the center of this heritage stands the Anaphora of Mor Yacob (St. James), the principal Eucharistic prayer of the Syro-Malankara Church. It is regarded as the most ancient and apostolic of all Christian anaphoras, tracing its origins to the earliest centuries of the Church. Great Syriac theologians such as Dionysius Bar Salibi and John of Dara testified to its apostolic character in their commentaries, and Fortescue himself affirmed its antiquity and theological depth.

In the Malankara tradition, the Divine Liturgy is known as the Holy Qurbono—a Syriac word meaning “offering.” The Qurbono is not merely a ritual but the supreme act of worship: an offering of praise, thanksgiving, adoration, and love. Its scope is cosmic, uniting heaven and earth, angels and saints, the living and the departed, all gathered before the throne of the Lamb. Within the Qurbono, the Church commemorates the entire economy of salvation: Christ’s eternal pre-existence, His Incarnation, earthly ministry, Passion and Death, glorious Resurrection and Ascension, and the promised Second Coming in glory.

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The Antiochian liturgy, as celebrated in the Malankara Church, is marked by profound symbolism and poetic expression. Its prayers, hymns, and gestures do not remain at the level of the intellect alone but touch the heart, drawing the worshipper into a living communion with the Triune God. The Fathers of the Church—Syriac and Greek alike—carefully preserved and transmitted this treasure, ensuring that the faithful could approach the ineffable mystery of God through words and actions steeped in beauty and theological depth.

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Today, the Malankara Catholic Church stands as a living witness to this tradition. In her liturgy, one hears the echoes of Antioch, sees the imprint of India, and experiences the universality of the Catholic faith. For this reason, the Malankara liturgy is rightly counted among the most beautiful and sublime in the entire Christian world.