The Hindu : Kerala / Kochi News : Rival groups submit list of disputed churches to Cabinet subcommittee

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Friday, Aug 05, 2005

Kerala

Kerala - Kochi

Rival groups submit list of disputed churches to Cabinet subcommittee

Staff Reporter

Panel looking for unified list of places of worship to be opened before August 15

KOCHI: The Cabinet subcommittee expects the two groups of the Malankara Church to submit a prioritised list of churches that is to be opened before August 15. This was decided at the second meeting of the Cabinet sub-committee on the dispute between the two groups in the Malankara Church held here Thursday evening.

The sub-committee comprised the Ministers Babu Divakaran, K. K. Ramachandran and M. K. Muneer.

Mr. Muneer said that both the groups submitted the lists separately on Thursday. But the sub-committee was looking for a unified list.

He said the issue of opening of the Thrikkunnathu seminary at Aluva was likely to be solved during the meeting to be held on August 15.

Both the factions of the Malanakara Church had submitted, on Wednesday, lists of the churches they looked forward to being opened and were under dispute.

The lists were scrutinised before the meeting of the Cabinet sub-committee at the Ernakulam Guest House on Thursday evening.

The Jacobite delegation was led by Joseph Gregorios, Synod Secretary. Thomas Thimotheus, Metropolitan of Kottayam diocese, Thampu George Thukalan, Secretary of the Church, George Mathew Thekkethalakkal, Trustee and M. A. Paulose were members of the delegations.

The Jacobite group had put up a list of 17 churches that include the St. Mary's Church, Thrikkunnathu, near Aluva, that is shut for about 28 years now. The Kadamatam St. George's Church and Kolancherry St. Peter's and St. Paul's Church have been shut for about seven years now. They were also part of the Jacobite list.

Among the churches listed by the Orthodox group were the St. Peter and St. Paul's Church, Puthencruz, St. George's Church, Kadamattam and St. Peter's and St. Paul's Church, Kolancherry. Churches in Thrissur, Kottayam and some parts of Ernakulam were in the list submitted to the sub-committee.

The Orthodox group, led by Mathews Severios, Metropolitan of the Kandanadu West Diocese, had made it clear to the State representatives that the group was keen to hark back to the days of the first Cabinet sub-committee (in 2002-03) that had made an abortive bid to pave the way for opening of some of the disputed churches.

The Orthodox group wanted to know how the Government planned to open the churches and maintain them for believers in both the groups to offer worship.

Thomas Athanasius, Metropolitan of the East Kandanad Diocese, O. Thomas and K. M. George, both priests of the church, were part of the Orthodox team.

The Cabinet sub-committee had met for the first time last Saturday with delegations from both factions of the Malankara Church.

A consensus had been reached during the discussions last Saturday and the sub-committee had expressed satisfaction.

The State Government had constituted the sub-committee on July 23 to look into the opening of the disputed churches of the Malankara factions and find a lasting and acceptable solution to the differences between the two groups.

It was also decided that the tombs of the three Metropolitans at the St. Mary's Church, Thrikkunnathu, Aluva, would be open to the people of both the factions to offer prayers.

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