The Hindu : `Orthodox faction fomenting feud'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Aug 08, 2002

Southern States

Southern States - Kerala

`Orthodox faction fomenting feud'

By Our Staff Reporter

PATHANAMTHITTA Aug 7. The Antiochia Visvasa Samrakshana Samithy (AVSS) floated by the laity and clergy of the Jacobite Syrian Church has alleged that the Orthodox faction led by Moran Mar Baselius Marthoma Mathews-II, who was recently declared as the Malankara Metropolitan by the Supreme Court, was fomenting factional feud among the believers by trying to sabotage the receptions to Catholicos Thomas-I organised by the former in different parts of the State.

Addressing a press conference here today, the AVSS president and the chief of the Manjanikkara Mor Ignathios Diara near Pathanamthitta said the reception to the Catholicos Thomas-I at Thiruvalla slated for August 25 has been postponed to September 22 following the alleged move by the Orthodox faction to make trouble there by organising another meeting there on the same day.

The AVSS had to postpone similar receptions organised for the Catholicos Thomas-I at Adoor and various other places following the provocative attitude of the Orthodox faction at these places, the Metropolitan alleged.

However, the AVSS leader said the Jacobite faction, which fully endorsed the supremacy of the Patriarch of Antioch, was duty-bound to protect the churches now in its control at any cost.

Joseph Mar Osthathios alleged that the so-called Orthodox faction was trying to create troubles by misleading the people and authorities through spreading false interpretation of the Supreme Court order.

He said the apex court had upheld the Patriarch of Antioch as the supreme head of the Jacobite Church. Moreover, the Patriarch had never anointed Baselius Marthoma-II as the Catholicos of the East, the Diara chief said.

He said the Manjanikara Mar Ignathios Diara and 27 other Simhasana churches were under the direct control of the Patriarch and the so-called Malankara Metropolitan had absolutely no power over them.

Fr. E.T.John, T.V.Thomas, T.V.Punnose, Fr Paul Nallila, Mr Koshy P.George and A.J.Abraham also spoke.

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