Thomas Paul Ramban, vicar of the St. Thomas church at Kothamangalam, near Ernakulam, has been pursuaded to move out of the area outside the church by the police and revenue department officials about 3 pm.
He, along with three bishops and 30 priests of the Orthodox group, had been camping outside to enter the church from about 9 am as the stand off between the Jacobite and Orthodox Church factions reached a flash point on Monday with the Orthodox group not being allowed to enter the Kothamangalam Cherya Palli.
The Jacobites have occupied the church while the Orthodox group is camping outside with a court order allowing them to offer prayers inside the church. A large posse of police personnel has kept the scene quiet so far.
