A writ petition was filed by two parishioners of St. Mary's Syrian Orthodox Church, Piravom, on Tuesday challenging the consecration of Catholicos scheduled at Parumala on October 15.
The petitioners K.A. John and another person alleged that the consecration of Catholicos was going to be held without canonically inviting the Patriarch of Antioch. They contended that canonical invitation for the Patriarch for the consecration was a mandatory condition. The decision of the Synod of Malanakara Orthodox Syrian Church to consecrate Catholicos was against the 1934 constitution of the Malankara church and orders of the Supreme Court.
The petitioners said that urgent steps were being taken to consecrate the Catholicos on October 15. Therefore, they had submitted representation to the State Government to ensure that no law was violated. If the consecration took place, it would amount to a clear violation of the Supreme Court verdict.
The petition pointed out that there was no question of non-recognition of Patriarch by the Malankara Church in view of the Supreme Court judgment in the K.S. Varghese case.
H.G. Kuriakose Mar Clemis, president, Malankara Syrian Christian Association, and H.G.Yuhanon Mar Diascorose, secretary, Holy Episcopal Synod of Malanakara Orthodox Syrian Church, could not take the stand that the Malankara Church would not recognise the Patriarch. The action taken by the Synod to consecrate Catholics without complying with the Supreme Court judgment was illegal and unlawful. The State was duty-bound to ensure that the judgment was implemented.
