Claims of right over the Bethel Suloko Church (St. Mary’s Church), Perumbavoor, by the rival factions of the Malankara Church spilled out into the street once again on Sunday with the Jacobite-Orthodox face-off that prevented the Orthodox group from celebrating the Sunday Mass at the church.
Orthodox Church sources claimed that while its rival faction celebrated Mass on Sunday morning, the vicar, Father Eldho Kuriakose of the Orthodox group, was prevented from entering the church.
For resolution
Even as the standoff continued, sources said that Catholicos Baselios Thomas I met Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday reportedly to request him to expedite a meeting of the Cabinet subcommittee on resolution of the Malankara Church problems.
The subcommittee is convened by Minister for Industries E.P. Jayarajan. The Minister is learnt to have met members of the Malankara Church Peace Committee early this month to prepare ground for a future meeting with the Church leaders.
Meanwhile, a strong contingent of police personnel is keeping vigil as the Jacobite group members have gathered inside the church and on the church premises while over two hundred Orthodox Church members are camping outside the gates. Church sources said that Orthodox bishops Youhanon Mar Polycarpus of Angamaly and Thomas Mar Athanasius of Kandanad East are present along with their followers.
Court order
The trouble began reportedly after a Perumbavoor munsif court issued an injunction allowing the Orthodox group to take charge of the church. The munsif court injunction is backed by the July 2017 Supreme Court judgement, according to the Orthodox group. It is learnt that an appeal by the Jacobite group was not admitted. There have been no untoward incidents on Sunday despite the standoff.
