as a Roman province, first in 214, and finally in 242. In 431 the Council of Ephesus declared Nestorianism a heresy. Nestorians, persecuted in the Byzantine Empire, sought refuge in the parts of Mesopotamia that were part of the Sasanian Empire. This encouraged acceptance of Nestorian doctrine by the Persian Church of the East, which spread Christianity outside Persia, to India, China, Tibet and Mongolia, expanding the range of this eastern branch of Syriac Christianity. The western branch, the Jacobite Church, appeared after the Council of Chalcedon's condemnation of Monophysitism in 451. Churches of Syriac traditions West Syriac Rite Oriental Orthodox The Syriac Orthodox Church (Non-Chalcedonian Oriental Orthodox Church of Antioch and all the East) The Jacobite Syrian Christian Church (Non-Chalcedonian Oriental Orthodox Church of India, within the Syriac Orthodox Patriarchate) The Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church (Autocephalous, Non-Chalcedonian Oriental Orthodox Church, based in Kerala, India, along with its constituent, the Brahmavar (Goan) Orthodox Church) The Malabar Independent Syrian Church or the Thozhiyur church (Independent Oriental Orthodox Church, based in Kerala, India, not part of the Oriental Orthodox Communion) Eastern Catholic Churches The Maronite Catholic Church The Syriac Catholic Church The Syro-Malankara Catholic Church (Syrian Catholic Church based in Kerala, India) Eastern Protestant Churches The Mar Thoma Syrian Church of Malabar, linked in full communion with the Anglican Communion The St. Thomas Evangelical Church of India, of Evangelical-style theology East Syriac Rite Church of the East The Assyrian Church of the East, traditionalist continuation that emerged from the Shimun line of patriarchs of the Church of the East that took this name in 1976 The Chaldean Syrian Church an archbishopric in India of the Assyrian Church of the East The Ancient Church of the East, split from the Assyrian Church of the East in the 1960s. The East Syriac Churches within the Catholic Communion The Chaldean Catholic Church, an Eastern Catholic Church that emerged from the Elia line of patriarchs of the Church of the East following splits in 1552, 1667/1668 and 1779 The Syro(Syriac) Malabar Church (Eastern Catholic Church based in Kerala that is independent from the Chaldean Catholic hierarchy since the Synod of Diamper in 1599.) East Syriac Christians were involved in the mission to India, and many of the present Churches in India are in communion with either East or West Syriac Churches. These Indian Christians are known as Saint Thomas Christians. In modern times, even apart from