Violence erupted on Monday at Kochi’s St. Mary’s Cathedral Basilica, where a group led by the Archdiocese Protection Committee, opposing the unified Holy Mass, prevented Archbishop Cyril Vasil, the Pope’s representative, from entering. In response, police used force to disperse the protesters, eventually allowing the papal delegate to enter the church under police protection. Archbishop Vasil offered prayers within the church premises, as reported by Manorama News.
Amidst these tensions, Fr. Antony Poothavelil assumed the role of church vicar in the presence of the papal representative. Meanwhile, members of the Archdiocese Protection Committee continued their protests outside the church.
Earlier, Archbishop Vasil had conducted the unified Holy Mass at St. John’s Parish Church in Kalamassery, along with engaging in conciliatory discussions with parishioners opposed to the unified Mass. His intention was to address the concerns and put an end to the ongoing protests at St. Mary’s Basilica.
The church has been embroiled in a series of protests against the unified Holy Mass since the previous year. The adoption of the new worship mode had led to disputes among devotees, resulting in the indefinite closure of the church.
This dispute revolves around the standardized form of worship introduced by the Vatican in 2021, involving the priest facing the congregation during certain portions of the Mass. The Synod of bishops of the Syro-Malabar Church had mandated the unified mass practice to be implemented across all churches starting November 28, 2021. However, a faction within the Angamaly Archdiocese has vehemently opposed this change, demanding that priests continue facing the devotees throughout the holy mass, consistent with the previous practice.
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