Believers clash at Angamaly-Ernakulam archdiocese headquarters

Kochi, Jan 10 (PTI) A protest by a section of priests demanding the dismissal of the newly constituted curia of the Angamaly-Ernakulam archdiocese at its headquarters here witnessed unruly scenes as believers engaged in a clash.

The visuals of the clash surfaced on several media on Friday.

The police intervened and pacified, a church source said. No case has been registered so far, police said.

Curia is a body that helps the church run smoothly and efficiently, church sources said adding the clash erupted on Thursday after 21 priests began a fast prayer at archbishop's house.

The priests belonging to Archdiocese Protection Committee (Athiroopatha Samrakshana Samithi), protested, urging the expulsion of curia members involved in multiple cases from the diocesan administrative committee.

"We will not relent until the atrocities carried out by Apostolic Administrator Bosco Puthur, with the backing of the criminal curia members, are brought to an end," a statement issued by Fr Jose Vailikodath of the Athiroopatha Samrakshana Samithi said.

The priests have jumped in an indefinite fast, demanding the withdrawal of documents issued by Bishop Puthur. Those documents "unjustly suspended priests in violation of both canon and civil laws", the statement claimed.

"We will not tolerate such misuse of power, which threatens to alienate us from the Archdiocese's headquarters and assets that our ancestors and we have painstakingly built," the statement said.

Meanwhile, the Syro-Malabar Church Synod has ordered disciplinary action against the protesting priests.

The Synod of Bishops of the Syro-Malabar Church unanimously condemned the wrongful and unchristian actions of certain priests from the Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese, who are on a hunger strike and occupying the archdiocese building in defiance of the decisions approved by the Pope, a release issued by Fr Antony Vadakekara V C, PRO of the Syro-Malabar Church said.

The Synod urged the priests to cease such actions and advised the Syro-Malabar Catholic faithful not to support them, it added. The Synod also directed to take disciplinary actions against the 21 priests involved in occupying the archdiocese building. PTI ARM ARM ADB