Hundreds of members of the Jacobite faction of the Malankara church have gathered outside more than a score of churches across Kerala that have been handed over to the Orthodox following a Supreme Court verdict in July 2017.
The Jacobite group members are in a bid to enter the churches and offer Sunday prayers.
Peter K. Elias, prominent lay leader of the Jacobite Church said that members of the group entered the 1,500-year-old St. John's Church at Vadakara, near Piravom, about 20 kms east of Kochi, and offered prayers despite the presence of a large number of police personnel in the church compound. He said that the entry was peaceful and that there were no untoward incidents.
Also read: Jacobite group observes protest day
A spokesman for the Jacobite church said, who is among those gathered before the St. Mary's Church, Vadavukode, about 22 kms from Kochi, said that the Jacobite group members had gathered outside the gates of the church even as a large posse of police personnel kept vigil. The Orthodox group has held prayers and the usual Sunday Mass despite the threat from the Jacobite group to enter the churches.
At the popular pilgrim centre St. Peter’s and St. Paul's Church, Kolencherry, about 20 kms east of Kochi, there is a large gathering of Jacobite group members. The members had not been allowed to enter the church premises even as the Orthodox group celebrated Sunday Mass inside the church.
Also read: Orthodox, Jacobites harden their stance
Jacobite group members have been gathering before churches in Varikkoli, Putehkurisu, Kolencherry, Piravom and Kadamattom, among others, from about 7.30 a. m. in a bid to forcefully enter these churches.
The group has targeted 47 churches recently taken away from them by the State government following the Supreme Court of India verdict in July 2017 that all the churches should be handed over to the Orthodox group .
Metropolitan Thomas Alexandrios is among those leading the protest against the Jacobite church takeovers.
