Church feud in Kerala reaches personal level

The feud between the Orthodox and Jacobite factions of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church in Kerala seems to be turning further murkier with reports that a priest of one of the factions will keep away from all functions at the houses of members of the opposite faction, even if they are close relatives.

Church sources said that though no formal restrictions were issued, there was an informal understanding among the members of the factions to keep off from events at houses of members of other factions.

Spokesperson of the Orthodox faction, father Johns Abraham Konat, said that no bars were imposed by the church leadership on priests.

Sources said that subsequent to the recent tension at a church in Piravom on the outskirts of Kochi, the hostility between members of the two factions aggravated further and lead to emotionally charged decisions.

Meanwhile, the Kerala High Court on Tuesday directed that members of the Jacobite faction could offer prayers at the church at Piravom even though they would not have any authority over the assets of the church as the rights over the church would be with the Orthodox faction as per an earlier Supreme Court order.