Marth Mariam Vanitha Samajam (MMVS) is one of the major spiritual organizations within the Malankara Orthodox Church. It began in 1920 as a women’s prayer group and, as it grew, established branches in various parishes across India. In 1928, under the patronage of the Very Rev. M. C. Kuriakose Ramban and the leadership of K. M. Annamma and her colleagues, the parish-based women’s prayer groups were unified under one umbrella and named Marth Mariam Vanitha Samajam. The term “Marth” is the feminine form of “Mar,” which means “Saint” in Syriac, and thus the organization is named after Saint Mary.

The Samajam primarily aims at the spiritual growth of women, drawing inspiration from its patron, the Virgin Mary. According to tradition, Mary grew up in the temple, where she gained deep knowledge of the Scriptures and developed unwavering faith in God. The Bible records that she accompanied her Son, Jesus, throughout His ministry, was present at the wedding at Cana and at His crucifixion, and later remained in prayer with the disciples in the upper room until Pentecost (Acts 1:13–2:4).

From its inception, the motto of the Samajam has been “Pray, Act, and Illumine,” reflecting Christ’s call to prayer, to serve the needy, and to be the “Light of the World.” The visionary behind this movement was Mrs. K. M. Annamma of the Kandathil family, who served as the first secretary and worked tirelessly for 36 years to establish the organization. Her efforts culminated in the recognition of its constitution by the Holy Apostolic Synod in 1964.

The Association’s first President was the Very Rev. M. C. Kuriakose Ramban (1928–1931). He was succeeded by Puthencavu Geevarghese Mar Philoxenos, who served as President from 1931 to 1951. The current President is H. G. Yuhanon Mar Theodoros, and the present General Secretary is Mrs. Mary Mathew. The headquarters of the Association is in Kottayam, and today, more than 100,000 women of the Malankara Orthodox Church are members of this organization.