KOCHI: The Patriarch of Antioch, Ignatius Aphrem II, arrived in Kerala on Friday as part of his four-day visit to the state. His visit gains significance as the internal rift in the Malankara Church’s Jacobite faction peaked after losing most of the churches under its control to the Orthodox faction.
The Patriarch was welcomed by the Catholicos of India Baselios Thomas I and other bishops along with the laity at Cochin International Airport (CIAL) at 9 am. It is learnt the Patriarch might take crucial decisions on the election of a new leader for the Jacobite Church in Kerala and on the measures to be taken to find a peaceful solution to the conflict between the warring factions.
“A meeting between the Jacobite and Orthodox factions might be convened by the Patriarch at Kumarakom on Saturday. The meeting might find a peaceful solution to the conflict. Following the meeting, he might also convene a synod, managing committee and working committee at Puthencruz to resolve the internal rift in the Jacobite faction,” said Fr Varghese Kallapara, a senior priest.
The internal rift in the Church began when the Catholicos sent his resignation letter to the Patriarch recently, saying some forces were trying to defame him with baseless allegations of financial irregularities.
The rift deepened when a section of the laity and priests extended support to Mar Timotheos Thomas who ran against the Catholicos for the position of the Metropolitan Trustee in a secret ballot.
“The Patriarch might have received several memorandums from the state seeking a peaceful solution to the conflict currently gripping several churches across Kerala. The Patriarch might also order an investigation into the past financial dealings of the Church,” said sources.