St. Gregorios Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, Edinburg, TX

How We Got Our Start

In the 1990s there were very few Malayalee Christians in the Rio Grande Valley, Texas. However, by the turn of the century, a substantial number of Keralites had migrated to the region.  In 2003, an ecumenical prayer group was formed in the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) and regular prayer meetings were held in houses or apartments. This prayer group even attracted Christians migrated from other parts of India (Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Andra Pradesh).  The meetings took place in Brownville, Mission, Edinburg, and even included the neighboring city of Reynosa in Mexico. Families travelled as many as 100 miles or more to attend the prayer meetings. and a prayer group of all denominations of Malayalee Christians had been formed.  As time went by, a handful of faithful Malankara Orthodox Syrian Christians in the McAllen, Texas area formed a separate prayer group in Nov.27, 2010 and began conducting regular prayer meetings to uphold their orthodox faith.
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Mr. Johnson Joseph initiated an effort to form a Malankara Orthodox Syrian Christian prayer group with just four families, starting November 27, 2010.  Further, Johnson started efforts to find a Malayalee priest from Houston area to help us with our spiritual growth associated with the Malankara Syrian Orthodox faith.  Eventually, Johnson got introduced to Rev.Fr. Dr. V. C. Varghese of Sugarland, TX.  We gratefully acknowledge the acceptance and sacrifice of Achan and Kochamma to travel and to lead a church in the Rio Grande Valley.  During those days, the Catholic community already started the Devine Mercy Syro-Malabar Church in a house building at 4108 West Sprague St., Edinburg, TX – 78539. We were given permission (free of charge) to conduct our Qurbana at this location. Thus, the First Holy Communion of Malankara Orthodox Church was offered in Edinburg, TX on Sunday, June 19, 2011. We acknowledge the assistance of Mr. Thomas Poovathoor, his son Vivek and other members of his family (San Antonio, TX), assisting the vicar in this first Holy Communion.  Eventually, a congregation was formed under the name of St. Gregorios Orthodox Syrian congregation, McAllen.   On August 29, 2011, the Diocesan Bishop officially appointed Rev. Fr. Dr. V.C. Varghese as the Vicar.
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Under the guidance of the new vicar, the members of the congregation began the daunting project of starting a church.  The Holy Qurbana continued ones a month in the Divine Mercy Catholic Church-building, and on Oct. 19, 2011, the Diocesan bishop elevated the congregation to a Parish.  With the generous donations and supports from St. Thomas Orthodox Church in Lufkin, St. Thomas Orthodox Church in Houston, St. Mary’s Orthodox Church in San Antonio, and local community members, the parish was able to purchase a building to conduct services in Edinburg, Texas.  On Sep. 13, 2012, the 1st Holy Qurbana was held in the newly purchased building, 1605 Crimson St., Edinburg, TX 78541. On Feb. 02, 2014 the St. Gregorios Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church in Edinburg had the honor of the temporary consecration of the church by the diocesan bishop, H.G. Alexios Mar Eusebius Metropolitan. Today, while this Church is small, it looks forward to the growth of its congregation and it contains a group of ten close-knit families united by their faith and hope in the Lord.