The Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese of the Syro-Malabar Church has requested the faithful to desist from impeding peace, creating pressure and posting scenes of unpleasant incidents on social media.
An official statement of the archdiocese from Matin Kallungal, public relations officer, said the vast majority of churches in the archdiocese witnessed peaceful holding of unified mass during Christmas. However, in some churches, there were incidents leading to police intervention which has been regrettable. Creating an atmosphere of disunity and conflict, violating the sacredness of the altar and preventing priests from celebrating mass are not in line with the essence of Christian values.
Meanwhile, lay people’s forum Almaya Munnettam said members of the archdiocese organised a protest on Sunday against those who were engaged in spreading scandalous remarks on social media against Father John Thekkan, vicar of St. Antony’s Church, Kochal. A statement from the forum alleged that those who engaged in such activities were “Chaldean goons”. It also claimed that there was a protest by a group of parishioners at Kochal against senior priest Antony Perumayan who had reached the parish to bless a marriage.
