The Apostolic Foundations of the Church: Mar Ivanios’ Vision of Apostolicity

Mar Ivanios’ ecclesial vision was profoundly rooted in his understanding of apostolicity as the foundation of the Church’s identity. Drawing inspiration from both scripture and tradition, he articulated a theology that emphasized the Church’s continuity with the apostles, particularly St. Thomas, the Apostle to India. For Mar Ivanios, the St. Thomas Christians in India were not just an isolated community but an apostolic Church entrusted with preserving and transmitting the faith handed down from the time of Christ. He saw the Malankara Church’s unique traditions, liturgy, and spirituality as treasures that both affirmed its apostolic heritage and connected it to the universal Church.

The concept of apostolicity, one of the four marks of the Church mentioned in the Nicene Creed, was central to Mar Ivanios’ theology. He defined apostolicity not only as historical continuity with the apostles but also as fidelity to their teachings, mission, and spiritual vision. For him, the Church’s apostolic nature was threefold:

1. Historical Continuity: The Church must trace its roots to the apostles, who were chosen by Christ to preach the Gospel and establish communities of faith.
2. Doctrinal Faithfulness: The Church must uphold the teachings of the apostles without deviation.
3. Missionary Commitment: The Church must embody the apostolic zeal to evangelize and bear witness to Christ in every age and context.¹

In this framework, Mar Ivanios viewed the St. Thomas Christians of India as an integral part of the apostolic tradition. He often referred to the arrival of St. Thomas in India in 52 AD as a singular event that placed the Malankara Church within the broader tapestry of the universal Church.

Mar Ivanios held a deep reverence for St. Thomas, the Apostle who brought Christianity to India. He believed that the St. Thomas Christians bore a unique responsibility to continue the apostolic mission entrusted to their forebears. In one of his writings, he stated:

“We are the children of St. Thomas, the apostle who touched the wounds of Christ and proclaimed, ‘My Lord and my God.’ This faith, born of encounter and strengthened by sacrifice, is our inheritance.”²

For Mar Ivanios, the apostolic legacy of St. Thomas was not merely a historical fact but a living tradition. He saw the Malankara Church’s distinct liturgical practices, spiritual disciplines, and theological insights as manifestations of its apostolic character. These elements, he believed, were gifts that enriched the universal Church and bore witness to the diversity and unity of the Body of Christ.

Mar Ivanios placed great emphasis on the unique traditions of the Malankara Church as a reflection of its apostolic heritage. He saw these traditions as treasures that connected the community to its past while providing a foundation for its future.

West Syriac Liturgy:
The Malankara Church’s adoption of the West Syriac Rite in the 17th century enriched its liturgical identity while maintaining continuity with its apostolic roots. Mar Ivanios viewed the liturgy as the lifeblood of the Church, a means of entering into communion with the apostolic faith and the mystery of Christ. He insisted that the preservation of the liturgy was essential for safeguarding the Church’s apostolic identity.³

Spirituality and Asceticism:
The Malankara Church’s spiritual disciplines, including its emphasis on fasting, prayer, and ascetic practices, were seen by Mar Ivanios as direct continuations of the apostolic lifestyle. He particularly valued the monastic traditions that emerged in the Malankara Church, such as the Bethany Ashram, as modern embodiments of apostolic zeal.⁴

Doctrinal Fidelity:
Mar Ivanios was committed to ensuring that the Malankara Church remained faithful to the apostolic teachings handed down through scripture and tradition. This fidelity, he argued, was not static but dynamic, requiring continual renewal and re-appropriation in light of the challenges of each age.

For Mar Ivanios, the apostolic foundations of the Malankara Church did not isolate it from the universal Church but connected it to the wider Christian community. He believed that the Church’s apostolic nature could only be fully realized in communion with the See of Peter, the center of unity in the Catholic Church.

“An apostolic Church cannot exist in isolation,” Mar Ivanios wrote. “To be truly apostolic is to be universal, to share in the one faith of the apostles as proclaimed by the successors of Peter.”⁵

This conviction underpinned his efforts to reunite the Malankara Church with Rome. He saw the reunion not as a betrayal of the Church’s apostolic heritage but as its fulfillment. By entering into full communion with the Catholic Church, Mar Ivanios believed that the Malankara Church could preserve its apostolic identity while contributing its unique gifts to the universal Church.

Mar Ivanios often lamented the divisions within the St. Thomas Christian community in India. He viewed these schisms as betrayals of the apostolic vision of unity. In his addresses and writings, he repeatedly called for reconciliation and healing within the community, emphasizing that unity was not an optional ideal but an essential characteristic of the Church.

He also warned against the dangers of reducing apostolicity to a merely historical or cultural concept. For Mar Ivanios, apostolicity was a living reality, expressed in the Church’s worship, teaching, and missionary activity. He challenged the Malankara Church to rediscover its apostolic zeal, particularly in its witness to the Gospel in a pluralistic society like India.⁶

Mar Ivanios’ understanding of the Church’s apostolic foundations continues to resonate within the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church. His emphasis on the St. Thomas Christians’ apostolic heritage has inspired generations to preserve their unique traditions while engaging in the Church’s universal mission.

His vision of apostolicity as both a gift and a responsibility remains a guiding principle for the Church. By rooting its identity in the apostolic faith and remaining open to the broader communion of the Catholic Church, the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church embodies Mar Ivanios’ dream of a Church that is both deeply rooted and globally connected.

1. G. Chediath, The Malankara Catholic Church: History and Mission, Carmel International Publishing, 1997.
2. Mar Ivanios, Reflections on the Apostolic Faith, Bethany Publications, 1933.
3. Antony Valiyavilayil OIC, The Ecclesial Vision of Mar Ivanios, Malankara Library, 2015.
4. Archives of the Bethany Ashram, Letters of Mar Ivanios to the Community, unpublished collection, 1920–1930.
5. Pope Pius XI, Rerum Orientalium, Vatican Press, 1928.
6. Placid Podipara, The St. Thomas Christians and Their Apostolic Heritage, 1950.

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