The Jacobite Church Working Committee has welcomed the Left Democratic Front’s recommendation to the State government to take the legislation route to resolve the long-standing dispute between the Jacobite and Orthodox factions of the Syrian Church.
At its meeting at Puthencruz near here presided over by Metropolitan Joseph Mor Gregorios, the recommendation was hailed as a bold move based on a strong sense to protect democracy. The Church felt that such a legislation would resolve the dispute permanently and facilitate the laity to have ownership of the parishes depending on numerical majority besides allowing them to conduct worship with the priests of their choice and as per their beliefs.
In a communication, the Church said the Supreme Court had made it clear that the State should make law to put the lid on the dispute. But the 2017 verdict of the Supreme Court was being misinterpreted [by the Orthodox faction] to take control over parishes in the possession of the Jacobite Church and to deny the faithful of the Jacobite Church their rightful funeral rites.
“If the Orthodox faction really has a majority in Jacobite parishes, why are they afraid of the State making a law?” it asked.
The Jacobite Church would not discriminate against anyone and the desire of the public was to conduct worship and administration in disputed parishes based on the decision of the majority of the laity. When the government conducted a referendum, nearly 12 lakh members of the laity and many prominent personalities favoured making a law to put an end to the dispute, the Church said, thanking former Supreme Court judge K.T. Thomas for recommending the Bill.
Such a legislation would also ensure that money from the exchequer would not be wasted in the efforts to resolve the dispute between the two factions of the Church, it hoped, announcing all support to the LDF and the State government in their endeavour to resolve the issue once and for all.
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