Kerala Church Rebels Against New Worship Method Mandated by Pope

Opponents of a new uniform ritual in the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church in Kerala burned copies of an ultimatum issued by the apostolic administrator of Ernakulam-Angamaly archdiocese on Sunday.

The Syro-Malabar Church in India has been locked in a bitter dispute over liturgy for months. The dispute centers on a new ritual that was imposed by Pope Francis in March 2022. The new ritual, known as the “uniform mode,” represents a middle ground between the ancient tradition of the Syro-Malabar Church, where the priest faced east, and the post-Vatican II practice of having the priest positioned towards the people throughout the liturgy.

The new ritual has been rejected by the vast majority of priests and lay people in the Ernakulam-Angamaly archdiocese, which is the largest archdiocese in the Syro-Malabar Church. Opponents of the new ritual argue that it is a betrayal of their tradition and that it makes it difficult for them to connect with the Mass.

The dispute has led to protests, hunger strikes, and the burning of effigies. In December 2022, St. Mary’s Cathedral Basilica in Ernakulam was closed after clashes between supporters and opponents of the new ritual.

In an attempt to defuse the crisis, the Bishops of the Syro-Malabar Church held an emergency meeting in June. Cardinal George Alencherry, the head of the Syro-Malabar Church, noted that the Church’s other 34 dioceses had embraced the change and advocated the importance of the uniform mode of ritual. However, he also agreed to consider a request from the Syro-Malabar Church’s Synod of Bishops to appoint a papal delegate to find consensus.

On June 22, Andrews Thazhath, the Apostolic Administrator of Ernakulam-Angamaly, issued a warning letter saying that the vicar and parish council of the archdiocese’s cathedral would be removed if they continued to block the celebration of Holy Qurbana in the “uniform mode” of the Syro-Malabar.

This letter resulted in fresh dispute and a protests on Sunday and is likely to continue for some time. It is a complex issue with deep roots in the history and tradition of the Syro-Malabar Church. It is also a test of the authority of Pope Francis and the ability of the Syro-Malabar Church to find a way to move forward together.

As reported in The Pillar, Riju Kanjukkaran, a representative of Alamaya Munnettam, a forum supporting the current practice of the celebrant facing the congregation during the Mass, said that the protest was arranged at a regional level. The forum has scheduled a larger prayer protest in front of the basilica on July 2, the deadline established by Thazhath. Delegates from all parishes under the archdiocese are expected to attend.

The Indian Syro-Malabar Church is the second largest of the eastern Catholic Churches in communion with Rome.