Tension prevailed at Kulanada, near Pandalam, after nine members of the laity were injured in clashes between members of the Malankara Orthodox Church and the Jacobite Syrian Church over the ownership of the Manthalir St. Thomas Church at Kulanada at 7.30 a.m. on Thursday.
The clash erupted when a group belonging to the Orthodox church entered the St. Thomas Church citing a High Court verdict. The Jacobite church members too assembled at Kulanada to prevent the Orthodox group from entering the church which had been remaining closed since 1974 following an ownership dispute.
Those injured were admitted to a private hospital at Pandalam.
‘Favourable verdict’
The Orthodox group said they were in possession of a favourable High Court verdict in the ownership case. Though the police sought the cooperation of the laity to implement the order, both the groups stuck to their stance. The police removed the protesters from the scene. Youhanon Mar Theodorus, Metropolitan of the Kottarakkara-Punalur diocese of the Malankara Orthodox Church, was the chief celebrant of a Holy Eucharist held at the church.
Johns Abraham Konatt, lay trustee of the church; Fr. Thomas Kokkapparmbil, Fr. Mathew Varghese; Fr. Kurien Joseph; Fr. Ninan V. George; and Fr. John P. Oommen were the co-celebrants.
The Catholicos of the East and the Malankara Metropolitan, Baselius Mar Thoma Paulose-II, visited the church.
Published - June 19, 2015 12:00 am IST
