St. Ephrem Ecumenical Research Institute (SEERI) is a centre for

Syriac studies Syriac studies is the study of the Syriac language and Syriac Christianity. A specialist in Syriac studies is known as a Syriacist. Specifically, British, French, and German scholars of the 18th and 19th centuries who were involved in the study of ...

located in

Kottayam Kottayam () is a city in the Kottayam district of Kerala, India. It is the district headquarters of the district and is located about north of the state capital Thiruvananthapuram. As per the 2011 Indian census, Kottayam has a population of ...

Kerala Kerala ( , ) is a States and union territories of India, state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile ...

. It is a research centre of the Mahatma Gandhi University,

History

Named after the Syriac saint,

Ephrem the Syrian Ephrem the Syrian (; ), also known as Ephraem the Deacon, Ephrem of Edessa or Aprem of Nisibis, (Syriac: ܡܪܝ ܐܦܪܝܡ ܣܘܪܝܝܐ — ''Mâr Aphrêm Sûryâyâ)'' was a prominent Christian theology, Christian theologian and Christian literat ...

, SEERI was inaugurated on 14 September 1985 by Marthoma Mathews I, Catholicos of the

Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church The Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church (MOSC) also known as the Indian Orthodox Church (IOC) or simply as the Malankara Church, is an Autocephaly, autocephalous Oriental Orthodox Churches, Oriental Orthodox church headquartered in #Catholicate ...

. It works in collaboration with various churches that share the Syriac patrimony to foster

ecumenism Ecumenism ( ; alternatively spelled oecumenism)also called interdenominationalism, or ecumenicalismis the concept and principle that Christians who belong to different Christian denominations should work together to develop closer relationships ...

and deepen the mutual understanding of these churches in the study and search of their common heritage. It is sponsored and supported by the Archeparchy of Tiruvalla of the

Syro-Malankara Catholic Church The Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, also known as the Malankara Syrian Catholic Church, is an Eastern Catholic '' sui iuris'' particular church that employs the West Syriac Rite and is in full communion with the worldwide Catholic Church posse ...

. SEERI was developed to be a place for the advanced teaching and learning of the Syriac language and heritage in India, as well as making available manuscripts, documents, and source books necessary for such study and research. SEERI's first doctoral dissertation, ''The History of the Assyrian Church of the East in the Twentieth Century'', was completed by Mar Aprem Mooken in 2000.

Affiliations

SEERI is a research center of the

Mahatma Gandhi Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (2October 186930January 1948) was an Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalism, anti-colonial nationalist, and political ethics, political ethicist who employed nonviolent resistance to lead the successful Indian ...

and affiliated with the

Catholic University of America The Catholic University of America (CUA) is a private Catholic research university in Washington, D.C., United States. It is one of two pontifical universities of the Catholic Church in the United States – the only one that is not primarily a ...

Administration

Presidents and director

The President is

Thomas Mor Koorilos Thomas may refer to: People * List of people with given name Thomas * Thomas (name) * Thomas (surname) * Saint Thomas (disambiguation) * Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, and Doctor of the Church * Thomas the Ap ...

Metropolitan Metropolitan may refer to: Areas and governance (secular and ecclesiastical) * Metropolitan archdiocese, the jurisdiction of a metropolitan archbishop ** Metropolitan bishop or archbishop, leader of an ecclesiastical "mother see" * Metropolitan ar ...

Archbishop In Christian denominations, an archbishop is a bishop of higher rank or office. In most cases, such as the Catholic Church, there are many archbishops who either have jurisdiction over an ecclesiastical province in addition to their own archdi ...

Tiruvalla Thiruvalla, () also spelled Tiruvalla, is a municipality in Pathanamthitta district, Kerala, India. The town is spread over an area of and has a population of 52,883 people, down from 56,837 in 2001. It is also the Headquarters Of Thiruvalla ...

. The Director is Jacob Thekkeparambil.

Notable faculty

* Rev. Dr. Baby Varghese *Rev. Dr. Jacob Thekeparampil (Director) *Rev. Fr. John Kannanthanam *Rev. Dr. Johns Abraham Konat *Dr. Kuriakose Valavanolickal *Rev. Fr. Kuriakose Moolayil Corepiscopa *Rev. Fr. Mathew Kuttiani *Rev. Fr. Raju Parakkott (Asst. Director) *Rev. Dr. Sebastian Naduthadom *Rev. Dr. Stephen Plathottathil OIC * Rev. Dr. Thomas Koonammakkal (Dean of Studies) *Rev. Fr. Varghese Varghese, Kaloor

Publications

*''The HARP'': (English periodical) A review of Syriac, Ecumenical and Oriental Studies. Contains articles of renowned writers from all over the world. *''MŌRĀN ETH'Ō'' (Monographs - occasional English publications) *''S.C.C'': (SEERI Correspondence Course in English on Syrian Christian heritage. Complete set includes 12 books. The course is to be completed in two years. 9 books have already been published). *''Blue Series'': German translations of Syriac Liturgical text. *''Madrōsō'' (Malayalam) *''Nuhro'' (Malayalam) *''AWSĀR SLAWŌT'O'' (translations from Syriac to English)

References

External links

Syro-Malankara Catholic ChurchSEERI homepage
{{DEFAULTSORT:Saint Ephrem Ecumenical Research Institute Research institutes in Kerala Catholic universities and colleges in India Universities and colleges in Kottayam Research institutes established in 1985 1985 establishments in Kerala