KOLENCHERY CHURCH

KOLENCHERY CHURCH

The district administration has sought the help of the Kerala high court to solve the Jacobite Orthodox dispute regarding the Kolenchery church. The administration sought the help of mediation cell of the HC. The District collector informed the HC that the dispute has become a law and order issue. District collector approached the HC as the Jacobites section is planning to conduct two marches on Tuesday (12-09-2011) evening. Talks between representatives of Jacobites, Orthodox and district administrators for solving the Kolenchery church dispute yielded no results. Both the representatives of the church said they will convey the decision after consultations with heads of both the churches. Meanwhile, heads of Jacobite and Orthodox factions of the Malankara Church began a fast on Sunday(12-09-2011). The Jacobite faction on Saturday held protest marches demanding status quo at the Kolenchery St. Peter's & St. Paul's Church, after a court order which went in favour of Orthodox faction.

The formula forwarded by the district administration was to open the Kolenchery church for devotees and end the fast. Orthodox section had made it clear that there is no problem in allowing devotees to the church but they won't allow priests to enter the church. They vehemently demanded continuation of the constitution of 1934. The district court also ordered the same earlier. The orthodox faction said they are sticking to the court ruling and added if Jacobites get a favorable order from the apex court, they would consider that. On the other hand Jacobites said they are not ready for any compromise on spiritual matter and the status quo should be maintained in the church. They said they won't intervene in the governance matters of the church.

Curfew has been declared at the tension-gripped Kolenchery where the Orthodox-Jacobite factions of the Malankara Syrian Orthodox Church are protesting over the Kolenchery church. It was on Sunday 2.30 pm that RDO R Maniyamma declared curfew as per district collector's direction. The area has been under tension ever since both the factions decided to organise separate functions the same day. Though the police had advised the rival factions to organize the function on a different date, the leadership did not oblige The Orthodox faction, under the leadership of His Holiness Baselios Mar Thoma Paulose II, started fasting 200 metres away from Kolenchery St. Peter's & St. Paul's Church (where curfew has been imposed) around 4 pm on Monday. The Jacobite faction under Catholicos Baselios Thomas I began their fast at 6 pm near the shrine at Kolenchery Junction.

                                                              Prof. John Kurakar