A day after the Kottayam district administration took over the Marthasmooni Jacobite Syrian Church at Thiruvarppu, Thomas Mor Alexandrios, the Metropolitan of the Mumbai diocese of the Malankara Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church, staged a satyagraha on Friday.
Geevarghese Mor Coorilos, the Metropolitan of Niranam diocese inaugurated the protest, which commenced at the Kochupalam shrine at Thiruvarppu. Episcopal Synod secretary and Metropolitan of Kottayam diocese Thomas Mor Thimothios presided.
Mor Alexandrios demanded that the State government enact a law to end the ‘unilateral takeover of the Jacobite churches.’ “If the government is not willing to implement Church Act 2019, it should bring in a new legislation to ensure justice,” he said.
Protest plans
Holding that no court had directed the authorities to expel the faithful from churches, he said believers would continue to enter the Marthasmooni church once it was reopened. The Metropolitan also spoke of the plans to launch similar protests at all the churches take over by the government.
“No political party has helped the Jacobite Church in its cause. We will lend our support to those who help us and this will reflect in the upcoming local body election,” he said.
Metropolitans Mathews Mor Antheemos, Mathews Mor Thimothios, diocese secretary Fr. Kuriakose Kadavubhagam, Thiruvarppu church vicar Fr. Sanju Manuel Kidangeth and Fr. Thomas Kurian Kandathra spoke.
The Metropolitan will stage a satyagraha every day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
