ORTHODOX CHURCH WARNS KERLA GOVERNMENT AGAINST TESTING ITS PATIENCE

 

ORTHODOX CHURCH WARNS KERLA GOVERNMENT AGAINST TESTING ITS PATIENCE

Orthodos church authorities urged the government to cease what they called a ‘drama’ with the police in support of the Jacobite faction and to implement the court order in the six parishes under the Angamaly and Thrissur dioceses. “After summoning our priests and supporters to these parishes under the pretext of implementing the court order, they are sent back due to protests staged by the Jacobite faction. This drama is orchestrated by giving the rival faction prior notice and ample time to resist,” stated Youhanon Mar Diascoros Metropolitan, president of the Church’s media wing.Highlighting that messages were widely circulated through social media to mobilise women and children against implementing the court order, he also alleged that no action was taken against such moves. “All these actions point to an attempt to avoid implementing the court order by citing the possibility of large confrontations. This indeed throws up a challenge to the country’s legal system itself,” he added.According to him, the Orthodox Church is not asking for leniency but for the enforcement of an order issued by the county’s highest court. “This ongoing drama ridicules an institution that abides by the law, and it is highly improper for the political and government systems to continue supporting these lawbreakers,” he said.Despite the dispute over the St. Mary’s church at Odakkali being settled by a court order about six and a half years ago, the government is yet to take any effective steps to implement it. “Even this morning, they again staged this drama by summoning the Orthodox priest and parish members to the Odakkali church, only to find the parish compound locked from the inside by the rival group,” said Johns Abraham Konat, Rees Arch Cor Episcopa.

Prof, John Kurakar