THRISSUR: This was neither a zombie insurrection nor a shaman ritual. But, when the ‘dead’ of the Little Flower Church in Poomala, Thrissur, decided to pray for their own souls, they looked decidedly alive!
Their “demise” was the price parishioners paid for questioning the financial transactions of church authorities. On Sunday, a group of believers, under the Poomala Cherupushpam Devalaya samrakshana samithi (protection committee), decided to play the part and pray for their own peace -- by observing the seventh-day prayer for the departed.
The protesters sought the transfer of the vicar who had termed them “as good as dead” and conducted prayers for them on Pentecost Day -- which is commemorated on the 50th day after Easter. Fr Joyson Koroth had assumed charge of the church around seven years back. His predecessor, with the support of the faithful, had initiated steps to demolish the old church and construct a new one in its place. Upon his arrival, Fr Joyson actively oversaw the work. But, after it took six years for the project to be realised, parishioners started questioning the delay.
“The church work could have been completed in three years’ time. Parishioners donated wood, including teak, and even sold their gold to raise money. Despite having sufficient funds, the work was delayed. It was when a title-deed issue cropped up that construction was expedited by the parishioners themselves and the ‘koodasha’ (sacrament of blessing the new building) held. This had irked the vicar. When doubts arose, we urged the vicar to clear the financial aspects of the construction work,” said Prakash John, of the samithi.
“The priest took this personally and targeted those who raised the complaint, even using foul language against them during mass. Out of spite, he even refused to conduct prayers in the two cupolas under the church,” Prakash added.
As the tension continued to simmer, Fr Joyson conducted prayers for the departed on Pentecost Day, May 28, when such a ceremony is not held. He termed the entire congregation dead for not coming out against those who had questioned him. Sunday’s protest of the ‘living dead’ — which also involved floral tributes — was to call out this act of the vicar.
Though complaints were lodged with Wadakkanchery police station and the Thrissur archdiocese, there have been no interventions on their part to resolve the issue. Calls made by TNIE to Fr Joyson went unanswered.