THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A meeting held here on Wednesday to bring about a consensus between the Jacobite and the Orthodox factions of the Malankara Church on the Thrikkunnathu Seminary row was inconclusive.
The meeting was convened by Chief Minister V.S.Achuthanandan and was attended by Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan and Fisheries and Registration Minister S.Sharma.
The Chief Minister suggested that the Jacobite faction should be allowed to hold prayers at the graves of the deceased Metropolitans and the adjoining St Mary’s Church on January 25. The Orthodox faction should perform the rites on January 26, he said. But the Orthodox faction opposed the suggestion.
However, the Chief Minister has directed the Orthodox faction to submit its decision on the issue in writing to the Chief Secretary. The Government will convene another meeting shortly to discuss the issue.
A meeting convened by Ernakulam District Collector M.Beena on January 12 too had proved inconclusive.
The Jacobite faction was represented by Synod secretary Bishop Joseph Gregorios, Bishop Kuriakose Mar Theoskoros, Church secretary Thampu George Thukalan and Thrikkunnathu Seminary manager Fr Varghese Thekkekkara.
Church secretary Dr George Joseph, Thrikkunnathu Seminary manager Fr Mathew Edayanal and trustee Fr John Abraham Konattu represented the Orthodox faction.
The Thrikkunnathu seminary and the adjoining St Mary’s Church have remained closed for 32 years since December 6, 1977, owing to the ownership dispute between the two factions. The Jacobite faction has demanded that they be allowed to hold prayers at the graves of Metropolitans Kadavil Paulose Mar Athanasius (Senior), Ambattu Geevarghese Mar Koorilose and St Paulose Mar Athanasius.
Meanwhile, Malankara Jacobite Syrian Church head Catholicos Baselios Thomas I will launch a prayer campaign at the Mar Athanasius Study Centre near the Thrikkunathu Seminary on January 18, Church spokesperson Fr Varghese Kallappara said.
Fr John Abraham Konattu said that the Orthodox faction was not averse to letting the faithful of both factions worship in the Church, but the top Church officials of the Jacobite faction cannot be allowed in. ``We had presented our objections in the meeting,’’ he said.