Al Ain Mar Thoma Church History 

With the discovery of oil in the Arabian Gulf, people from all over India started moving to various countries in the  Gulf including United Arab Emirates . The Mar Thoma Christians who arrived in  Al-Ain, the garden city of the U.A.E., formed a prayer group in Al Ain in 1970 with 10 members initially, under the leadership of Rev. K.S.Varghese, Vicar of Bahrain Mar Thoma Parish. The respected Episcopal synod recognized and approved the Al Ain Prayer Group  as a chapel in May 1980. Al-Ain chapel which was under Abu Dhabi Mar Thoma Parish was elevated to the status of an independent parish on1st January 1985.Until April 2000, Vicars of Abu Dhabi Mar Thoma church (mother parish) visited Al Ain once or twice a week and celebrated Holy Qurbana and gave necessary pastoral services and leadership.From May 2000, Al Ain parish was assigned with a full time vicar Rev. K.M.Issac was the first resident Vicar of Al Ain Mar Thoma Parish. Rev.K.C. Abraham served as Vicar from 2003-06, Rev.K.M.Johnson from 2006-09 and Rev.K.C.Varghese is serving as the present Vicar since May 2009.

His Grace the Most Rev Dr Joseph Mar Thoma Metropolitan is the head of Mar Thoma Church. Now Al Ain parish is under the Chennai-Bangalore Diocese and Rt. Rev Dr Issac Mar Philoxenos is our Diocesan Episcopa. Presently the Al Ain Mar Thoma Parish has a strength of 148 families with around 458 members.

It has been our prayer and long cherished dream that the government would allot for us a plot where we can construct a place of worship. We are thankful to the UAE government who has allotted us land in Al Khrair.The foundation stone of the church and the parsonage was laid by the then doicesan bishop Rt. Rev. Dr Geevarghese Mar Theodosius Episcopa on 17th October 2008.The Church construction has been completed and dedicated for service by His Grace the Most Rev Dr.Joseph Mar Thoma Metropolitan in the presence of the Doicesan Episcopa,. Rt. Rev Dr Issac Mar Phioxenos on 11th December 2009.