KOCHI: Callimg upon the faithful to cast their votes for the Jacobite Syrian Christian Church in the coming assembly elections, metropolitan trustee Bishop Joseph Mar Gregorios asserted on Tuesday that the faction should ensure it gets back the churches it lost to the Orthodox faction. The bishop was speaking to reporters after an urgent synod meeting of the Jacobite Church at the Patriarchal Centre in Puthencruz. The bishop said the management committee would take a final call on the Church’s political stand.
Referring to the implementation of the 2017 SC order granting the Malankara Orthodox faction possession of over 1,000 churches and properties attached to them, the bishop asked the faithful to bear in mind to ensure they don’t lose more churches.
Jacobite bishop: We have to accept all ideologies
“Instead, we should be striving to take back our churches,” he said.Hinting at the possibility of the Church extending its support to the BJP in the polls, he said, “India is a diverse country and we have to accept all ideologies. We have been able to talk to the BJP-led Central government and convince them of the injustice meted out to us. Currently, we are searching for the people who can actually deliver us justice.” Reiterating that the Church doesn’t have any politics and has no plans to field a candidate, he said it would, however, persuade the faithful to vote for its future.
When asked about the Church’s stand on apolitical outfit Twenty20, the bishop pointed out that the family members of the Twenty20 coordinator are Jacobites. “However, Twenty20 is still a political party and the Church doesn’t have any relationship with it,” he said.Synod secretary Thomas Mar Thimothios, media cell chairman Kuriakose Mar Theophilos and others were present at the press meet.