THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : Two factions of parishioners faced off over converting the 116-year-old Mateer Memorial CSI Church into a cathedral, sparking tensions at LMS Junction in Thiruvananthapuram on Friday.
The church was upgraded to the cathedral status by the faction led by Bishop Dharmaraj Rasalam.
The standoff started around 7am when believers arrived for Mass. When the Mass was going on, the faction led by Bishop Rasalam came to the church to declare its conversion into a cathedral.
Since the church gate was closed by a section of church committee members who were against the bishop’s move, the team led by him entered the premises after knocking down one side of the gate with a bulldozer.
Later, the parishioners who were against the bishop’s move were asked to clear the compound. After the eviction, they blocked the road in front of the church. Despite the opposition, the bishop made an official announcement later in the church and a board was also installed in the compound. A large posse of police was present to bring the law and order situation under control.
A parishioner, seeking anonymity, alleged that a group of people, who favour the conversion of church into cathedral, barged into the church with the help of goons and took away the records. They also seized the church and stopped the believers from entering it and locked the gate, he said.
Over 2,400 families are members of the parish, which was being governed by the representatives they elected. Once the church is converted into a cathedral, the administerial authority will be with the bishop. The faction led by the bishop claimed the church committee was disbanded earlier and a 20-member ad hoc committee was constituted. At present, the church has an income of Rs 3.5 crore annually.