St. Mary's emblem

St. Mary's Church

White Plains, NY

About

Spiritual Patrons

Of Blessed Memory

Patriarch of Antioch and All the East

H.H. Moran Mor Ignatius Zakka I Iwas, of Blessed Memory

H.H. Moran Mor Ignatius Zakka I Iwas
H.H. Moran Mor Ignatius Zakka I Iwas

Born Sanharib Iwas on April 21, 1931 in Mosul, Iraq. He was consecrated bishop in 1963 as Mor Severios Zakka and studied in New York, where he earned master's degrees from City University and the General Theological Seminary.

He was enthroned as Patriarch on September 14, 1980 in Damascus and led the Church for over 33 years. He served as a president of the World Council of Churches, founded St. Ephrem's Monastery at Maarat Saidnaya, and wrote many books on theology and church history.

In May 1983 he visited our parish and celebrated the Holy Eucharist in New York. He entered his eternal rest on March 21, 2014.

Catholicos of India

H.B. Mor Baselios Paulose II, of Blessed Memory

H.B. Mor Baselios Paulose II
H.B. Mor Baselios Paulose II

Born P. J. Paulose on June 12, 1914 in Cherai, Kerala. He was ordained a priest in 1938 and consecrated bishop in 1952 as Mor Philoxenos by Patriarch Ignatius Aphrem I Barsoum.

He served as Metropolitan of Kandanad and as Malankara Metropolitan, and led the Church in India as Catholicos from 1975 to 1996.

On September 9, 1979, during his visit to the United States, he formally dedicated our parish. He passed away on September 1, 1996, and rests at St. George's Monastery, Malekurish.

First Archbishop of the Syriac Orthodox Church in the U.S. and Canada

H.E. Mor Athanasius Yeshue Samuel, of Blessed Memory

H.E. Mor Athanasius Yeshue Samuel
H.E. Mor Athanasius Yeshue Samuel

As Metropolitan of Jerusalem, he acquired four of the first Dead Sea Scrolls discovered in 1947, including the great Isaiah Scroll.

He came to the United States in 1949, was named Patriarchal Vicar in 1952, and became the first Archbishop of the newly created Archdiocese of the United States and Canada in 1957.

Our parish was founded on January 14, 1979 with his blessing, and he celebrated its first Holy Eucharist. He passed away in 1995.

Metropolitan

H.G. Geevarghese Mor Gregorios (Perumpally Thirumeni), of Blessed Memory

H.G. Geevarghese Mor Gregorios (Perumpally Thirumeni)
H.G. Geevarghese Mor Gregorios (Perumpally Thirumeni)

Born October 10, 1933 in Puthupally, Kerala. He was ordained a priest in 1958 and consecrated Metropolitan on February 24, 1974 by Patriarch Ignatius Yakub III.

He served the dioceses of Cochin, Kottayam, Kollam, Niranam and Thumpamon, and was President of the Episcopal Synod of the Church in India. He founded the Hail Mary Residential School at Perumpally and wrote many of the Church's prayer songs.

He passed away on February 22, 1999, and rests at Perumpally Simhasana Church.