Tension on Christmas eve at Kochi church over unified mass code

High drama unfolded at a prominent church in Kerala's Kochi on Christmas eve as two sections of priests and believers entered into an altercation inside the church late Friday, resulting in minor clashes on Saturday morning.

St Mary's Cathedral Basilica in Kochi, the principal church of the Ernakulam Angamaly archdiocese under the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, saw the incident unfold over the unified mass code, an issue persisting for over a year. As per the code, priests face the congregation during the introduction and conclusion of the mass and face the altar during the main part of the mass.

A fresh row started on Friday with the section backing the code performing prayers accordingly, and the opposing section making the priests face the congregation throughout the mass.

By night, priests and believers opposing the unified mass code continued with a relay mass in the church which continued till Saturday morning when a section backing the unified mass code entered the church and tried to disrupt the relay mass. This led to minor clashes inside the church leading to damage to some lamps and religious objects at the altar. Police was deployed at the church following the clash but they restrained from using force. They subsequently asked both factions to leave the premises.

The issue has kept the temperature high in the church in recent times and the police had even taken control of the church after clashes last month.

Kochi city police deputy commissioner also invited representatives of both sides for talks. A section of priests alleged that the police was trying to take control of the church again.

Priests opposing the unified mass code said that the synod that took the decision to enforce the unified mass code should immediately meet and take appropriate action.

Last month, the church witnessed a clash with apostolic administrator Archbishop Andrews Tazhath being blocked by a section of priests and parish members opposing the implementation of the code. The cathedral was subsequently under the control of the district administration till recently. A few days back a section of priests and parish members prevented newly appointed administrator Father Antony Puthuvelil from conducting mass at the church in the unified format.