Orthodox Church lambasts Government

PIRAVOM: The Malankara Orthodox Church on Saturday lashed out at the government for allegedly disrupting the conduct of ‘Ezhinmel Qurbana’ and a meeting in connection with the elevation of St Mary’s Church, Piravom, (Valiya Palli) as a cathedral. The metropolitans of the Orthodox faction, at a press conference, held at the Mar Gregorios Catholicate Centre, here alleged that instead of resolving the issue, the Oommen Chandy government had unleashed a saga of violence.“The government is biased and bent on instigating the ruffle. The permission which was granted to us earlier to conduct the ‘Ezhinmel Qurbana’ and a meeting was  withdrawn unilaterally,” said Catholicos Baselios Mar Thoma Poulose-II. He said the government is inefficient and sluggish in its approach to resolve the issue.“The government has promised that it would resolve the Kolencherry Church dispute within 15 days. But so far, it has kept mum in this regard. If the government does not change its attitude, we will be forced to undertake protests,” he said. The metropolitans said that they will take out a protest rally and meeting at 3 pm on Sunday.The Holy Mass and other religious rites were scheduled to be held in compliance with the decisions taken at a meeting convened by the District Collector on April 12. According to the decisions taken at the meeting, both the Jacobite and Orthodox factions could conduct ‘Ezhinmel Qurbana’ at a pandal erected on the premises of the church during the allotted time. The district administration had earlier granted permission to both the Orthodox and the Malankara factions to conduct Holy Mass on April 14 and 21 respectively. Though the Jacobite faction performed the Holy Mass, the Orthodox faction could not perform it as the district administration withdrew the permission following the protest from the Jacobite faction.Metropolitan Yuhanon Mar Polycarpos of Ankamaly Diocese and  Metropolitan Thomas Mar Athanasius of Kandanad East Diocese also spoke at the press meet.