KOCHI: Reacting to the Malankara Jacobite Syrian Church’s offer of talks if the takeover of churches stops, Baselios Paulose II, Catholicos of Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church (MOSC) on Thursday said there is no point in holding discussions with those who do not obey court orders.
“The 1934 constitution of the Church has been accepted many times by the Supreme Court. Questioning it is akin to challenging God’s justice and the country’s judicial system. Efforts by the Jacobite faction to overturn the judicial process by criticising courts and judges will not work. Many discussions have been held since the time this dispute started,” said the Catholicos in a press release. “In 1995, the Supreme Court had prepared a plan for the resolution of the dispute through discussions. Though committees had been formed by both factions under the mentorship of Justice Malimath, the Jacobites had withdrawn from the discussions. It was a golden opportunity to resolve issues amicably, which they turned down. The case, which saw closure on July 3, 2017, was filed by the Jacobite faction,” said the Catholicos.
“The Orthodox (Church) has not stood in the way of any of the parishioners’ rights, and do not intend to do also. Neither have we driven true believers out of churches. The Jacobites created the commotion at Mulanthuruthy Marthoman Church and other churches. When the police action happened, none of the Orthodox members were even present. It is natural that the police will take action against those who break the law. It is only cheap to try and use the Patriarch of Antioch to portray the Orthodox faction in bad light in front of other Christian denominations,” he added.