The Ernakulam district administration took over the Mulanthuruthy Marthoman Church (St. Thomas Church) and Sehion Church at Onakkur, near Piravom, in the early hours of Monday on the orders of the Kerala High Court.
Explained | The century-old rivalry among two Christian factions in Kerala
The churches are located about 30 km east of Kochi. The premises of these churches had been occupied by hundreds of Jacobites since Sunday evening.
Following the court order, the police broke open the gates, arrested those on the premises including bishops and priests. Among those are Joseph Mar Gregorios, Metropolitan trustee of the Jacobite Syrian Christian Church, and bishops Kurilos Mar Theophelos and Isaac Mar Osthathios. A spokesman of the Jacobite group said those arrested were later released by the police on bail.
An eyewitness, who was among the protesters, said the police used force to enter the church, evicted those inside, and locked up the premises.
Also read: Order to take over Mulanthuruthy church
The police took over the church premises as the High Court was slated to hear a petition from the Jacobite group on Monday on the church dispute. Joseph Mar Gregorios had said on Saturday that the Jacobite group was hopeful of a favourable decision from the High Court.
The Supreme Court had ruled on July 3, 2017 that control of all parishes of the Malankara Church should be handed over to the Orthodox faction and that all parallel administration of parishes should end.
1,500 years old
The Mulanthuruthy church is part of the Malankara Church history. It is about 1,500 years old and relics of St. Thomas, an apostle of Jesus, are believed to have been interred here. The Jacobite group claimed that there were around 2,500 families of the group in Mulanthuruthy against a much smaller number of the Orthodox group in the parish.
