The Jacobite group of the Malankara Church has launched a three-day hunger strike demanding, among other things, that the State government pave the way for its members to offer prayers at the churches that had been seized by the State to be handed over to the rival Orthodox group.
Priest trustee Sleeba Paul Vattavelil and lay trustee C.K. Shaji Choondayil said the hunger strike was launched in front of the headquarters of the Jacobite group at Puthenkurisu.
Fast till Saturday
The relay hunger strike would continue till Saturday. The fast was inaugurated by the Metropolitan of Niranam diocese Geevarghese Mor Kurilios.
A statement by the Jacobite group said that 46 churches had been seized by the State government following the Supreme Court order of July 2017. The order had ended all parallel administration of the Malankara Church. The Supreme Court said that the administration of all the churches should be handed over to the Orthodox group.
To take part in meet
The State government has invited the Malankara church factions for discussions on September 10. Father Sleeba Paul said that the Jacobite group would participate in the meeting in Thiruvananthapuram. The grievance of the Jacobite group is that they are not being allowed to pray in the churches they had built. A group of the Jacobite community had also called for a referendum within the Malankara Church to decide the fate of the parish churches.
