The uncertainty over the wedding of Justin from Kottody in Kasaragod on Thursday continues, though the 31-year-old stands in the cusp of creating history.
He is now slated to become the first person to retain his membership with the Knanaya Archeparchy of Kottayam while marrying a woman from outside the sect. The marriage of Justin with Vijimol has already garnered much attention as the occasion is expected to mark the end of endogamy practised by the community.
After much wrangling with the administrators of his parish, St. Anne’s Church in Kottody, which even witnessed police intervention, the youth is now expected to receive a ‘vivaha kuri’ or consent on Thursday morning. “This is a difficult situation as I am keen on receiving a consent from my Church,” he said.
The stand hitherto
The development assumes significance as the Church has hitherto refused to acknowledge its members’ marriage to those from other sects and made them apply for Permission to Leave Eparchy of Kottayam (PLEK). Mr. Justine, however, could secure consent for his betrothal last month in view of a recent High Court order in this regard.
The Knanaya Catholic community traces its origin back to Jewish-Christian immigrant community that migrated from southern Mesopotamia to the Malabar coast of Kodungallur in AD 345 under the leadership of merchant Thomas of Cana.
On August 29, 1911, Archeparchy of Kottayam, the only archdiocese for the Knanaya members, was formed through a Papal bull for the Knanaya community to maintain their ethnic identity. They formed an endogamous community by not allowing members to marry persons from other Christian communities.
Challenged in 1989
The practice was first challenged by Biju Uthup in 1989 when the Church refused permission for his marriage sacrament citing that Uthup’s grandmother did not belong to the Knanaya Church. The fight was eventually taken up by the Knanaya Catholic Naveekarana Samithi (KCNS), a reformation group.
On the basis of a petition filed by the KCNS on April 30, 2021, the additional subcourt in Kottayam had issued a decree of permanent injunction prohibiting termination of the membership of any person of the Knanaya archeparchy of Kottayam for marrying a Catholic from any other diocese. After an appeal against this order was dismissed by the district court, the Church approached the High Court for a stay on the judgement. A single Bench of Justice M.R. Anitha on March 10, however, declined to stay the lower court order but has agreed to hear the Kottayam archbishop’s concerns.
