About St. Jude Syro-Malabar Catholic Church · Chantilly, Virginia
St. Jude Syro-Malabar Catholic Church is an Eastern-rite Catholic parish in Chantilly, Virginia, serving the Keralite Catholic faithful of Northern Virginia under the St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Catholic Diocese of Chicago. The parish belongs to the Syro-Malabar tradition, one of the 23 Eastern Catholic churches in full communion with Rome, whose identity traces back to the evangelization of the Malabar Coast by St. Thomas the Apostle in AD 52. After years of sharing worship spaces with other communities, St. Jude moved into its own permanent home on Lafayette Center Drive in February 2019, when Bishop Mar Jacob Angadiath consecrated the building and elevated the long-running Northern Virginia mission to parish status. Today the parish celebrates Holy Qurbana (Mass) in Malayalam and English, runs a robust Children's Faith Formation program, and gathers for regular novenas and devotions.
- Established
- 2006 (community); 2019 (parish status / consecration of current building)
- Patron
- St. Jude Thaddeus (Apostle)
- Rector
- Fr. Ligory Philips Kattiakaran (Vicar)
- Diocese
- St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Catholic Diocese of Chicago (Eastern Catholic, sui iuris)
Why belong here
St. Jude offers Northern Virginia's Keralite Catholic community a permanent home of its own to celebrate the Syro-Malabar Qurbana in full communion with Rome. Worship is offered in both Malayalam and English with weekday and weekend Masses, weekly novenas to St. Jude and Our Lady of Perpetual Help, and the regular availability of Confession. Families raising children in the faith benefit from a parish-run Faith Formation program (Pre-K through 12th grade) with dedicated classrooms, plus community events like Vacation Bible School, First Holy Communion, and Christmas programs. It is a parish where the Eastern tradition of St. Thomas the Apostle meets everyday life in the Washington, D.C. suburbs.
Mass times at St. Jude Syro-Malabar Catholic Church
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Before and after Holy Qurbana on all days except Sundays
- First Fridays at 6:00 PM
About St. Jude Syro-Malabar Catholic Church
St. Jude Syro-Malabar Catholic Church is an Eastern-rite Catholic parish in Chantilly, Virginia, serving the Keralite Catholic faithful of Northern Virginia. It is a community of the St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Catholic Diocese of Chicago, established by Pope St. John Paul II in 2001 to shepherd Syro-Malabar Catholics in the United States. The parish welcomes visitors to 'celebrate our Faith and Fellowship in Lord Jesus Christ' and asks St. Jude, the patron of the church, to intercede for every family that walks through its doors.
History
The parish grew out of a small monthly gathering of Syro-Malabar families in Northern Virginia that began around 2006 with the permission of Bishop Paul S. Loverde of the Diocese of Arlington. As families arrived to support the region's technology boom, the Mass quickly became weekly and the community cycled through rented worship spaces — including St. Andrew Lutheran Church in Centreville and, from July 3, 2016 (Feast of St. Thomas), St. Andrew the Apostle Church in Clifton. Weekday Masses during that era were offered at Corpus Christi Church in South Riding, while larger feasts were sometimes held at Liberty High School in Bealeton.
- Community forms around 2006 under Bishop Paul S. Loverde's permission
- Worships at St. Andrew Lutheran Church, Centreville
- Moves to St. Andrew the Apostle, Clifton, on July 3, 2016
- Closes on 4219 Lafayette Center Dr building in December 2018
- Building consecrated Feb 16, 2019 by Bishop Mar Jacob Angadiath
- Mission elevated to parish status the same day
The Syro-Malabar Tradition
The Syro-Malabar Catholic Church is an Eastern-rite Oriental Catholic Church in full communion with Rome. Its origins are traced to the missionary work of St. Thomas the Apostle, who landed at Kodungallur on the Malabar Coast in AD 52. The name combines the East Syrian (Chaldean) liturgical heritage with the Malabar region of Kerala. As Fr. Placid Podipara wrote, Syro-Malabar Catholics are 'Indian in culture, Christian in religion and Syro-Oriental in worship.'
- One of the 23 Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with Rome
- Faith traces to St. Thomas the Apostle in AD 52
- Second largest Eastern Catholic rite in the world
- Identity rooted in Kerala and the Syriac (Aramaic) liturgical tradition
Clergy & Parish Leadership
The parish is currently served by Vicar Fr. Ligory Philips Kattiakaran, who also serves as Director of the Faith Formation Program. He is supported by a parish council and board of trustees that have guided the community through its growth from a rented monthly Mass to its own consecrated building.
- Fr. Ligory Philips Kattiakaran — Parish Vicar and Faith Formation Director
- Blessy Sebastian — Director of Religious Education (DRE) / Principal
- Antony John Zacharias — Assistant DRE / Vice Principal; Safe Environment
- Smitha Ann Raju — Assistant DRE / Vice Principal; Safe Environment
- Parish Trustees and Council drawn from the laity
Devotions & Novenas
The parish maintains a strong devotional life centered on its patron, St. Jude, and on Our Lady of Perpetual Help — two beloved Eastern- and Latin-tradition devotions united in one parish calendar.
- Novena to St. Jude — Tuesdays (English) and Fridays (Malayalam)
- Novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help — Saturdays
- Rosary prayed 30 minutes before Qurbana during May
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The Children's Faith Formation Program complements parents as the primary educators of their children in the faith, providing classes from Pre-K through Grade 12 on Sundays during the academic year (September–June). The curriculum and guidelines follow the Department of Catechesis of the St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Catholic Diocese of Chicago. Classes begin promptly at 9:00 AM and are followed by the 10:30 AM English Qurbana, with attendance credited only when students attend both class and the Mass that follows.
- Faith Formation classes Pre-K through Grade 12
- DRE/Principal: Blessy Sebastian
- Assistant DREs: Antony John Zacharias & Smitha Ann Raju
- Contact: [email protected]
- Two exams per year (semi-annual in January, annual in June)
- Registration fee: $100 per child, $350 family cap (per 2023-24 schedule)
- Safe Environment / Virtus training required for adult volunteers
- Annual Christmas Program (e.g., December 21)
Parish Life & Upcoming Events
Beyond Mass and catechesis, the parish gathers for milestone celebrations and formation events throughout the year. Children preparing for First Holy Communion and a week-long Vacation Bible School for grades K–8 are regular highlights, alongside the May Rosary devotion and the Christmas program.
- First Holy Communion — June 13, 2026
- Vacation Bible School — June 22–26, 2026 (KG through Grade 8)
- Rosary 30 minutes before Qurbana during May
- Faith Formation Christmas Program
Contact & Visit
Parishioners and visitors can reach St. Jude Syro-Malabar Catholic Church by phone or email, or visit the church at its location in an office park off Lafayette Center Drive in Chantilly.
- Address: 4219 Lafayette Center Dr, Chantilly, VA 20151
- Phone: 703-731-9731
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: http://stjudenva.org/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Mathew Punhayil
Previous Mission Director
- Fr. Joseph Elamparayil
Previous Mission Director
- Fr. Tijo Mullakkara
Previous Mission Director
- Fr. Justin Puthussery2015–
Led the community from 2015; oversaw the move into the Chantilly building and its Feb 16, 2019 consecration
- Fr. Nicholas
Previous Pastor/Vicar
- Fr. Ligory Philips Kattiakaran
Current Vicar; serves as Parish Vicar and Faith Formation Program Director