The discord between the two factions within the Malankara Church appears to be widening with the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church coming out against a call by the Jacobite faction for coexistence like sister churches.
In a press note on Friday, the Orthodox Church demanded the Jacobite faction to return all the infrastructure of the Malankara Church.
“The opposite faction (Jacobite Church) has made it clear that it is a different church and want to continue as a sister church. It is the one who dragged Orthodox Church into the cases. The Malankara Orthodox Church has fulfilled the responsibility of proving the truth there. The Supreme Court has repeatedly clarified that the Malankara Church is a trust and that the trust should be governed in accordance with the 1934 Constitution. People hold the right to leave the trust and embrace other beliefs. Even if someone leaves, the trust will always remain under the governance of the trust, which is the law of the land,” the note read.
It further pointed out that the court had ruled that the Malankara Church was a trust and that the trust would remain forever. “Therefore, those who wish to leave the trust should voluntarily withdraw from the Malankara Church,” it said.
The Orthodox Church also came down on the Patriarch of Antioch, alleging that the Patriarch was once again trying to undermine the peace in Malankara Church.
“By establishing parallel centres of power, a foreign citizen is mocking at the Indian judicial system. The Malankara Church strongly opposes the government and political parties for supporting this move. In contrast, the Orthodox Church has no issue with any religious institution installing its own leader,” the Church said.
The Orthodox Church added that the fundamental right to establish a new church and worship had never been questioned. However, there should be no attempt at implementing a parallel rule within the Malankara Church, which must be governed in accordance with the 1934 Constitution.
“A parallel Constitution is not possible as the Supreme Court has unequivocally ruled against parallel rule within the Malankara Church,” it added.
Published – March 14, 2025 09:22 pm IST
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