The Syro-Malabar Archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamaly had a tumultuous start to its Christmas preparations with the first Sunday of Advent 2022 witnessing a stand-off between two groups at the St. Mary’s cathedral basilica. The police shut down the basilica and the district administration will take a call on its reopening in due course.
On Sunday, Archbishop Andrews Thazhath, the apostolic administrator, arrived at the basilica at 6 a.m. to celebrate the unified Mass. However, a group of priests and lay persons opposed to the unified Mass reportedly locked the gates from inside, preventing the Archbishop from entering the basilica.
Another group in favour of the unified Mass tried to make way for the Archbishop into the Church, which triggered tensions.
Devotees staging a protest against implementation of the unified mass system in Angamaly Archdiocese, at the The St Mary’s Cathedral Basilica in Kochi November 27, 2022. | Photo Credit: PTI
The police later intervened to remove those who had locked themselves inside the basilica compound. They also took two persons into custody, but later released them. The police also seized some vehicles parked inside the compound.
A senior police officer said the basilica was now under the control of the district administration and that the Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO) will decide when to reopen it.
The row in the archdiocese is centred on the way the Mass is celebrated. The unified system of Mass, ordered by the synod of the Syro-Malabar Church in August last year, involves the celebrant or the priest facing the congregation or those participating for the first half of the Mass. He will then turn away from the congregation or turn towards the holy of holies for the second half of the ceremonies.
However, a large number of the nearly half-a-million members of the archdiocese and the vast majority of the priests are in favour of continuing with the present system of the celebrant facing the congregation for the full duration of the Mass. The group has vehemently opposed the synod diktat, the protest often spilling into the streets.
The present round of protests and standoff between the groups was triggered by a circular from the archdiocesan administration, led by Mar Thazhath that the basilica cathedral and the minor seminary in Kakkanad will switch to the unified Mass from the first Sunday of Advent.
