The foundation of the Syrian Orthodox Church of Antioch goes back to early Apostolic days. This event in the history of Christianity is recorded in the Book of Acts 11:26

Apostle Peter Himself established his See 37 AD. He is, therefore, rightly considered the founder and first Patriarch of the Syrian Orthodox Church of Antioch.

The history and name of our Church is also intimately associated with the Arameans or Syrians, the inhabitants of the land of Aram or Syria where Antioch is located.

The dialect of the Arameans (Aramaic) became the common language of that area. Still later, just before and after the opening of the Christian era, Aramaic underwent a particularly rich evolution. This evolved new form of Aramaic known as "Syriac", the language of the amalgamated or unified Syrian People.

THE ABOVE ARE EXTRACTS FROM
"THE SYRIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH OF ANTIOCH AT A GLANCE"
A BOOK BY
H.H. MORAN MOR IGNATIUS ZAKKA I IWAS
PATRIARCH OF ANTIOCH AND ALL THE EAST