KOCHI: The collector’s decision to step in and take control of St Mary’s Syrian Cathedral at Piravom followed the Kerala High Court’s direction early in the day asking the district administration to take charge of the entire church premises after removing the supporters of Jacobite faction who have been squatting inside.
A Division Bench headed by Justice AM Shaffique issued the order on a petition filed by Fr Skaria Vattakattil and two other vicars of the Orthodox faction seeking police protection to discharge their spiritual and managerial duties based on the 1934 constitution of the Malankara Church.
When the petition came up for hearing, the petitioners informed the court that the Jacobite faction was preventing the entry of Orthodox faction vicars into the church. The court observed that it was a case in which the court had given a positive direction to the police to implement its order. Besides, the High Court had directed the police to ensure maintenance of law and order on the church premises.