KOCHI: Cardinal George Alencherry has stepped down as Major Archbishop of Syro Malabar Church, ending a months-long row between a section of the priests of the Ernakulam Angamaly Archdiocese and the Cardinal.
Archbishop Andrews Thazhath, the apostolic administrator of Ernakulam archdiocese under Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, has also stepped down from the post.
The announcement was made by Mar Alencherry at a news conference held at St Thomas Mount, the headquarters of the Syro Malabar Church in Kakkanad. "I am voluntarily stepping down from the post," he said.
Former Melbourne Bishop Bosco Puthur will be taking charge as administrator of Ernakulam Angamaly archdiocese, in place of Thazhath.
While Mar Alencherry will continue as Cardinal, curia bishop Sebastian Vaniyapurakkal will be holding the charge as the head of the Syro Malabar Church.
Mar Alencherry was the first elected Major Archbishop of the Syro Malabar Church in 2011. He was elevated to Cardinal in 2012.