KOCHI: Among those arrested were hundreds of faithful and also Joseph Mar Gregorios, Metropolitan Trustee of the Jacobite Church. The district administration took the action as per the High Court directive issued on August 12.
“In the history of the Jacobite Syrian Church, this day will be considered as a black day. Here, there are around 2,500 Jacobite families and the Orthodox families number only 200 and they also have another church at Mulanthuruthy. We are denied justice again,” said Fr Sleeba Paul Vattavelil, priest trustee of the Jacobite Church.
Sub-Collector Snehil Kumar Singh, Ernakulam Rural SP K Karthik and revenue officials arrived at the church. In the wake of the Covid spread, around 50 police officials wearing PPE kits were deployed.“Around 65 faithful including bishops who protested at Mulanthuruthy and 22 faithful who protested at Onakkoor church were arrested and later released. The churches were locked and the keys handed over to the district administration,” said a police official.
In 2017, the Supreme Court had ruled in favour of the Orthodox faction in the century-old dispute. The Orthodox faction criticised the officials for allowing the Jacobite faction to assemble on the church premises.However, as a protest against the move, the Jacobite faction hoisted a black flag at St Thomas Church (Marthoma Cheriyapally) in Kothamangalam.
Church taken over, Collector tells HC
Kochi: The Ernakulam District Collector on Monday informed the Kerala High Court that he has taken over the Marthoma Jacobite Syrian Cathedral, Mulanthuruthy and its premises and the lock is presently under his custody. The collector took over the church following a directive of the division bench. The court adjourned the case to Tuesday to consider a review petition filed by the parishioners of the church.