Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

Church ups the ante

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The dispute between the Orthodox and Jacobite factions of the Malankara Church over who should have control over the Thrikkunnathu St. Mary’s church near Aluva in Ernakulam district has taken a new turn with the Orthodox faction observing a day of protest against the government for the permission it had granted to Catholicos Thomas I of the Jacobite faction to offer prayers at the church and the nearby seminary.

Resolutions taking strong exception to the government stand were read out and adopted at various churches of the Orthodox faction across the State on Sunday after the holy Eucharist as a mark of symbolic protest against the government stand. The resolution termed the grant of permission for offering prayers to Thomas I and Metropolitans of the Jacobite faction as violation of the relevant Court verdict and unauthorised.

Catholicos Thomas I and nine Metropolitans of the Jacobite faction had offered prayers at the tombs of Poulose Mar Athanasius and Geevarghese Mar Gregorius at the Thrikkunnathu seminary on January 25 amidst tight police security even as the faithful belonging to the Orthodox faction were offering prayers at the seminary under the leadership of Catholicos of the East and Malankara Metropolitan Baselios Mar Thoma Didymos I and other Church leaders.

An attempt had been made at the level of the Chief Minister to avert tension in the area, but in vain. Following this, the Ernakulam Collector had imposed prohibitory orders within one kilometre radius of the church, which has been the bone of contention between the factions for decades now.

Meanwhile, a working committee meeting of the Jacobite faction condemned attempts by the Orthodox faction to create tension at the seminary by violating status quo. The meeting demanded that the government evict Metropolitans of the Orthodox faction residing in the Thrikkunnathu seminary and its establishments.

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