KOCHI: Around 50,000 parishioners took part in the ‘Viswasa Samrakshana Maha Sangamam’ organised by the laity and priests of the Ernakulam-Angamaly archdiocese on Sunday. The parishioners took out a rally around the Kaloor stadium, lasting nearly two hours.
“Parishioners from around 320 parishes assembled. Nuns, priests and representatives of various dioceses took part,” the organisers said. The protest followed recent developments in the archdiocese including the resignation of Metropolitan Vicar Mar Antony Kariyil and the appointment of the new apostolic administrator.
The faithful held up placards extending support to Mar Kariyil and against the unification of the Holy Mass. “Priests in the archdiocese will conduct mass facing the people. Five enquiry committee reports arrived at the same conclusion that there were faults in the sale of the archdiocese lands,” said Monsignor Varghese Njaliyath during his presidential address.