KOCHI: The Syro-Malabar Church, a major Christian denomination, is facing an escalating crisis, as tensions over governance and faith continue to grow. For six consecutive days, bishops and other church officials have been unable to enter the Ernakulam archdiocese headquarters, as a group of priests and believers have blockaded the entrance.

The dispute centers around the issue of the priestly license, which has become a flashpoint amidst the ongoing controversy over the implementation of the unified mass. The latest conflict stems from a requirement for newly trained priests to provide written consent to offer the unified mass as a condition for receiving their priestly license. However, church leadership has refused the demands of priests who wish to offer public mass under different conditions, leading to a standoff.

On September 27, in protest of the leadership’s stance, priests began a sit-in at the archdiocese headquarters, with many believers rallying outside in support.

Church administration paralyzed

The situation is particularly dire in Ernakulam, the headquarters of the Syro-Malabar Church, which oversees 35 dioceses worldwide. For years, a majority of priests and believers have opposed the leadership and the current protests have brought church administration to a halt.

Apostolic Administrator Bishop Bosco Puthur, Vicar General Fr. Varghese Pottaykal, Pro Vicar General Anthony Perumayan, Chancellor Fr. Martin Kallungal and Procurator Fr. Paul Madasseri are among those unable to access the archdiocese headquarters due to the blockade. With the protests showing no signs of abating, church governance has effectively come to a standstill.

"The protests have paralyzed the archdiocese, leaving the governing body unable to function," said Bishop Bosco Puthur, the Apostolic Administrator of the Archdiocese of Ernakulam.

A resolution may not be forthcoming anytime soon, as Major Archbishop George Alencherry is currently in the Vatican, attending the Global Synod of the Catholic Church. His absence has delayed potential negotiations and further complicated the situation.