The St. Mary’s Basilica here reopened after a 486-day gap on Tuesday evening, based on an order issued by the Additional Munsiff Court, Ernakulam.
While permitting the faithful to visit the church and pray, the order bars the holding of Holy Mass at the church (where rival factions of the Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese are on different pages regarding the mode of worship). Based on the order, the basilica was reopened by Father Varghese Manavalan, the administrative rector. Two assistant vicars too were present, according to a release.
They joined in prayers with a few members of the congregation. People who wish to confess can visit the basilica on Wednesday. This will be followed by prayers in the evening. Prayers will be offered at the church from morning on Maundy Thursday and will conclude with the holy communion.
Expressing happiness at the reopening, members of the basilica’s parish council demanded that the mode of worship where priests faced the congregation be held there.
It had been reported a few days ago that the basilica would remain open for the holy week, without Mass celebration. Apostolic administrator Bishop Bosco Puthur consented to the decision of the parish council, claimed a spokesman of Almaya Munnettam, a group of lay people in the archdiocese who are opposed to the synodal diktat for unified Mass.
The archdiocese is sharply divided over the Mass liturgy. Those opposed to the synod fought to keep the tradition of full congregation-facing Mass alive, while the synod has prescribed a unified Mass for the entire Syro-Malabar Church in which the celebrant faced the congregation for the introductory part and blessings while turning away from the congregation for the consecration of the Eurcharist.
