Tense atmosphere in Angamaly-Ernakulam archdiocese in Kerala following police action

Kerala: A tense atmosphere prevailed outside the Bishop House of the Angamaly-Ernakulam archdiocese here, after the police on Saturday evacuated from there several priests who were on an indefinite fast demanding withdrawal of certain documents issued by an Apostolic Administrator.

Believers and priests strongly criticised the police action. They claimed before media that the protesting priests were forcibly evacuated by the police from the Bishop House in the small hours of Saturday, an allegation denied by the police.

Meanwhile, amid the tensions in the archdiocese, there was a change in its leadership. Bishop Puthur's resignation from the Office of Apostolic Administrator of the Archeparchy of Ernakulam-Angamaly was accepted by Pope Francis on Saturday, a statement issued by the Syro-Malabar Major Archiepiscopal Curia said. Bishop Puthur had submitted his resignation in September 2024 citing health reasons, the statement said.

It also said that Archbishop Mar Joseph Pamplany was appointed as the Vicar of the Major Archbishop for the Archeparchy of Ernakulam-Angamaly after his election to the post was confirmed by the Pope. With the resignation of the Apostolic Administrator being accepted, the governance of the Archeparchy of Ernakulam-Angamaly has been entrusted to the Major Archbishop by the Apostolic See, the statement said.

Earlier in the day, visuals on TV channels showed that some of the protesting priests were injured in the police action. Several believers and priests, thereafter, began arriving in numbers at the St Mary's Basilica where the protesting priests were relocated and police were also seen in large numbers. The believers also got into a heated argument with police outside the Angamaly-Ernakulam archdiocese headquarters.

They also accused Ernakulam ACP C Jayakumar of saying that the government was against the Angamaly-Ernakulam archdiocese. The officer denied the allegations and said the accusations were being made to create news.

"We are still open to discuss the issue with them and resolve it," he told reporters here. Later in the day, the believers tried to enter the Bishop House, but the police pushed them back out. Subsequently, they tied a rope to the Bishop House gate and broke open one half of it. The police, thereafter, put up barricades in front of the gates to prevent the believers from entering the Bishop House. Following the tense situation, District Collector N S K Umesh arrived at the spot and held discussions with all stakeholders at the Bishop House, church sources said.

The discussions were inconclusive and will continue on Sunday also, the sources said. On Friday, unruly scenes were witnessed at the Angamaly-Ernakulam archdiocese headquarters following a protest by a section of priests demanding the dismissal of the newly constituted curia of the archdiocese.

Curia is a body that helps the church run smoothly and efficiently, sources had said, adding that the clash erupted on Thursday after 21 priests began a fast prayer at the archbishop's house. The protesting priests belong to the Archdiocese Protection Committee (Athiroopatha Samrakshana Samithi).

The protestors have sought withdrawal of the documents, issued by Apostolic Administrator Bosco Puthur, "unjustly suspending priests in violation of both canon and civil laws", according to a statement issued by the Athiroopatha Samrakshana Samithi. Meanwhile, the Syro-Malabar Church Synod has ordered disciplinary action against the protesting priests.

The Synod of Bishops of the Syro-Malabar Church unanimously condemned the wrongful and "unchristian actions" of certain priests from the Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese, who were on a hunger strike and occupying the archdiocese building in defiance of the decisions approved by the Pope, a release issued on Friday by Fr Antony Vadakekara V C, PRO of the Syro-Malabar Church had said.