Crisis in Syro Malabar Church deepens after nine bishops protest

KOCHI: The crisis in the Syro Malabar Church worsened after nine bishops protested against forcing of the revised holy communion. Even after the intervention of the Synod and the Vatican, the differences in the Ernakulam Angamaly Arch Diocese are not solved.

The new challenge began after an effort was made to implement the offering of holy communion facing the altar and the people at Ernakulam before Christmas. Majority of the priests and the laity are in favor of the holy communion facing the people. In Ernakulam St. Mary’s Cathedral, Arch Bishop Andrews Thazhath tried to implement the revised holy communion leading to a tussle which ended up with the church being lockdown.

Criticizing Andrew Thazhath, nine bishops including Arch Bishop Antony Kariyil, and Kuriakose Bharanikulangara wrote a letter to the church leadership. This has shocked the church leadership. In the letter they warned that this will spread to other dioceses. Out of the 47 bishops, the revolt of nine bishops brings out the deep differences in the church.