The Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church is ready to hold the elections to the managing committee of the St. Peter's and St. Paul's church at Kolencherry by calling a meeting of the general body at the earliest once the church is handed over to it as per the court directive, Fr. Johns Abraham Konatt, priest trusty of the Church, has said.
In a press note here on Monday, Fr. Konatt said this would enable the majority to run the administration of the church. If the elections are held under the auspices of an external agency such as an administrator or a receiver as demanded by the Jacobite Syrian Christian Church, it will create misunderstandings among the civil society as the proposal has already been rejected by the court, he said.
According to Fr. Konatt, the Orthodox Church will not deny the right to pray to anyone. However, only those priests who are legally appointed have the right to hold service at the place of worship. This is true even in places of worships such as Sabarimala and Guruvayur, he added.