Saji George stands outside the gates of the Marthoman Syrian Cathedral at Mulanthuruthy with folded hands and closed eyes, silently praying for his grandparents, who are buried in the cemetery on the premises. The Holy Mass has just got over at the Jacobite chapel nearby and he has walked over to offer prayers for his forefathers.
The iron gates of the cathedral are partly opened and police stand guard in front, to prevent any clash between the two Malankara Church factions. Members of the parish for centuries, his family used to attend the Mass every Sunday without fail at the cathedral, till it was taken over by the Orthodox faction just six months ago.
Anger, sorrow, agony and despair filled the hearts of thousands of Jacobites like Saji, who felt cheated and shortchanged in their own strongholds. These are certain to resound in the assembly elections.
Saramma, 72, recalls the day she was dragged out of the cathedral premises, where she had been sitting and praying to resist the takeover. “For us, the elderly, there are a lot of bittersweet memories associated with the church as our entire lives have centred around its hallowed precincts. In the good old days, we used to walk barefoot as a family for miles to the church for the Mass. At 72, I am now an outcast in the very same church, built centuries ago by my forefathers,” sighs Saramma.
“My grandparents and great grandparents are buried in the cathedral cemetery. Though we have been permitted to offer prayers at the cemetery and church, I have chosen not to. The scenes that unfolded here a few months back, when our bishops and loved ones were dragged and thrown out of the cathedral premises, have left deep scars in our hearts. That pain will never settle down until justice is served,” says Saji, a salesman residing at Mulanthuruthy.
The Jacobites have lost 52 churches, including St Mary’s Church, Piravom, and Mulanthuruthy Marthoman Syrian Cathedral, to the Orthodox faction so far as part of the implementation of the Supreme Court order. They have pinned their hopes on the next government to get their churches restored to them. Some families, sworn UDF supporters for decades, have changed their loyalty, deeply hurt and dissatisfied by the attitude of some of the senior front leaders against their sentiments.
“Wherever there is a majority of Jacobite members in the parish, that fact should be acknowledged. Here, nearly 3,000 families of the cathedral parish are Jacobites. The LDF government has supported us in our fight to some extent, by passing the Kerala Christian Cemeteries (Right to Burial of Corpse) Act. They have also proposed plans for a referendum to find out which faction is in majority in each of the parishes. My family comprises ardent UDF supporters for more than 70 years, but now we will be supporting LDF, for standing with us when no other political party did,” says Jose P J, a resident in Mulanthuruthy.
George K K, Jose’s neighbour and also a Jacobite member of the parish, busy with some tile work at his home, joins in the conversation to agree with Jose.A tough fight is on the cards for Anoop Jacob, KC(J) candidate contesting from the Piravom constituency, though he had won the last assembly elections by a margin of over 6,000 votes. “Nearly 60 per cent of the people in the constituency are Christians and a majority of these support the Jacobites. This time, it will not be an easy win for the UDF. The sentiments of many Jacobites towards the LDF government, especially Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, are very strong. This factor is very likely to affect the polls here,” says Jose Kuroor, a businessman.
“We welcome the support of any political party that can help restore our churches to us, and prevent our churches from being forcibly taken over. For that matter, even if it is the NDA, we will offer our support to them in their political fight. The tide is certainly not favourable for the UDF here,” said K U Paulose, a 70-year-old retired professor residing in Piravom.
The Church dispute, which has been simmering for decades, has affected thousands and ruined peace in many families. “Even family members turn against you once it comes to matters of faith. One of my family members has filed a case against me related to this church dispute,” said Jose K V, a retired KSRTC official.
The mood in the Kothamangalam constituency is not as sombre. The St Thomas Church (Marthoma Cheriapally) still remains under Jacobite control. The activities at the church continue as on any normal day, though a few months back, violent standoffs and dramatic events had unfolded in front of the church. The church had been closed for many days, barring entry for any faithful. Now, during the last days of Lent, the faithful peacefully come in for offering prayers.
“Kothamangalam is a place of religious harmony and the church is a pillar of the community here. All business opportunities and developmental activities of the region have taken roots from the church itself over many centuries. Here, unlike other constituencies where the faithful have lost their churches, people and families with a UDF background would stick to the front and those who swear allegiance to other parties would continue to do so. Therefore, one cannot foretell exactly the turn of events in the assembly elections,” said K M Kuriakose, retired principal of Baselios Paulose II Catholicos College (BPC), Piravom and a resident of Kothamangalam.
“Votes will be cast based on party loyalty and infrastructure development in the region. The Twenty20, which has entered the fray, will not make much ground. As far as the matters relating to the churches are concerned, all businesses in the region will be affected in case the church is forcibly taken over by the Orthodox. Many Jacobites have the trust that their church can be retained with the help of the LDF government,” said Bobby P Kuriakose, a businessman at Kothamangalam.
While the Jacobite Syrian Church has officially taken a stand to be open to all political parties, they have also reminded the faithful that they should not forget those who have helped the Church during its time of crisis. “The Church does not involve in politics. With the situation we are going through, defending our centuries-old faith, however, is strong in emotion and sentiment. We all have a moral responsibility to be thankful towards those who had supported us,” said Metropolitan Kuriakose Mor Theophilose, spokesperson of the Jacobite Church.