KOCHI: Courts can’t change the beliefs that the people hold close to their hearts, said Moran Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of Antioch and all the East, in the public meeting held on Monday after the Holy Mass to commemorate the 40th day of Catholicos Aboon Mor Baselios Thomas I’s departure to heavenly abode.
The Holy Mass was celebrated at St Athanasius Cathedral, Puthencruz, where the late Catholicos has been interned.
“Courts can only give a ruling regarding the property, possessions and administration of an institution, but can’t decide the beliefs that the people hold close to their hearts,” said the supreme head of the Jacobite Church.
He said the issue that had caused disruption of peace in the church spans over 100 years. “However, the court rulings have been unable to bring any conclusion to it. Only dialogues can yield a solution. We have to tread the Christian path to attain peace in the church,” added the Patriarch.
While expressing gratitude for the proactive steps the state government had taken in trying to solve the conflict between the two factions, the Patriarch hoped that the assurances given by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan when he had attended the golden jubilee celebrations of the consecration and 95th birthday of Catholicos Baselios Thomas I will be fulfilled.
“The CM had assured that he would take measures to protect the existence of the Jacobite Church and help us get justice,” said the Patriarch.
He pointed out that the committee formed by him to spearhead the dialogues with the Malankara Orthodox Church in 2015 has not been dissolved. “The Orthodox Church are welcome to hold dialogues with the committee to arrive at a peaceful solution,” said the Patriarch.
Speaking about Mor Baselios Thomas I, the Patriarch said, “The Catholicos Baselios Thomas I was a great leader who worked hard day and night to lift the Jacobite Syrian Church out of crises.”