Our Church History

The establishment of our parish reflects the unwavering faith, trust, and discipline that is essential to the mission of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church. Our story begins on November 6th, 1988, with the birth of our parish, a day that coincided with the feast of St. Gregorios of Parumala. For this, we give all praise to our Lord and God for His mercy and grace.

Founding

Our founding vicar, Rev. Dr. K. K. Kuriakose, celebrated the very first Holy Qurbana at Zion Church, White Plains, New York, on that significant day—November 6th, 1988. He led the parish through its early formation, along with Mr. Joy Kuriakose, who served as the first secretary, and Mr. Cherian Pooppallil, our first treasurer.

To better accommodate the growing number of parishioners, our church moved to the Macedonia Community Center in Mount Vernon on March 16th, 1989. On June 4th, 1989, we were blessed with a visit from His Grace Dr. Thomas Mar Makarios, then the Metropolitan of the American Diocese, who celebrated Holy Qurbana with us for the first time.

Growth and Relocation

As our congregation continued to grow, it became essential to find a permanent and suitable place for worship. Under the leadership of Rev. Fr. Ninan T. Easo, appointed as vicar on January 16th, 1996, the parish relocated to its current home at 42 Parkhill Ave., Yonkers, in October 1996.

In 2009, after much prayer and planning, we achieved the long-held dream of owning a permanent place of worship. A General Body Meeting on March 22nd, 2009, elected a building committee, with Mr. Cherian Pooppallil as the convener, to assist with the purchase of the church building. By the grace of God, we successfully purchased the church from the United Methodist Church, NY, for $760,000 on October 1st, 2009.

Consecration and Expansion

With the intercession of St. Gregorios of Parumala and God’s continual grace, we renovated our church and Madbaha. The consecration of the church took place in two parts—on October 10th and 11th, 2014—with our Diocesan Metropolitan, Dr. Zacharia Mar Nicholovas, as the chief celebrant, assisted by numerous priests, deacons, and seminary students.

In another blessing, we were able to purchase a parking lot at 181 Waverly Street, Yonkers, in 2014, which now accommodates around 40 vehicles, providing our growing congregation with much-needed convenience.

A New Era

Through God’s abundant blessings, on September 4th, 2015, St. Gregorios Orthodox Church, Parkhill merged with St. Gregorios Orthodox Church, Underhill, bringing us into a new era of growth and vibrancy. This merger represents the culmination of our parish’s journey of faith, unity, and service, and has strengthened our mission to serve Christ and His people.