They were organized as a Church in the 8th century, served by foreign bishops and with a hereditary local chief called Arkadiyokon or Archdeacon.

In the 16th century the overtures of the Portuguese padroado to bring the Saint Thomas Christians into the Roman Catholic Church led to the first of several rifts in the community and the establishment of Pazhayakūr and Puthenkūr factions.

Since that time further splits have occurred, and the Saint Thomas Christians are now divided into several Eastern Catholic, Oriental Orthodox, and independent bodies, each with their own liturgies and traditions.

[7][8] After the Coonen Cross Oath incident, Archdeacon Parambil Thoma was ordained as bishop by the laying on of hands by twelve priests.

The 'Travancore State Manual' Vol II Page 187, records the arrival of Gregorios as follows - "Two years afterward, in 1665, the position of the Archdeacon Thomas altered by the arrival on this coast of a Bishop named Gregory, Patriarch of Jerusalem sent by the Jacobite Patriarch of Antioch Ignatius XXIII the quarter whence had come Ahathalla, thirteen years previously".

Knowing the prevailing political climate, he traveled further south by land in disguise until he came across some Syriac Rite Christians from the North Paravur church.

The ultimate aim of the Synod was to transform the Syriac Rite Christians into the Roman Catholic fold by use of force and in this process, they managed to destroy all the earlier records.

The Perunal (Malayalam) or Dhukrono (Syriac) of Mor Gregorios Bava is celebrated for 4 days starting from 24 April every year and culminating on the 27th.

During these days, the North Paravur is declared as a festival area by the Kerala government considering the large flow of pilgrims.