Orthodox priest of Syrian church shifted to hospital

Priest of Orthodox Syrian church shifted to hospital Kochi,Dec 21 (PTI): Amid the continuing standoff between two church factions,a priest of the Orthodox Syrian Church,who was prevented by Jacobite Church followers from entering a church in Kothamangalam, was Friday shifted to a hospital by police after his health condition deteriorated. Fr Thomas Paul Ramban, the appointed vicar of the Orthodox faction, who had reached the place Thursday, armed with a high court order to offer holy mass, continued to remain in his car till this afternoon, insisting that he be allowed to enter the Church to do his duties.

Insisting that he had no health issues, Fr Ramban however, decided to go to the hospital on the suggestion by police and the Ernakulam district administration. Tension has been prevailing at Kothamangalam in Ernakulam district since Thursday after Jacobite Syrian Church followers prevented the entry of the priest of the Orthodox Syrian Church into the 'Marthoma Cheriya Palli' to offer holy mass. Hundreds of Jacobite church followers, comprising women and priests, assembled at the church and blocked the entry of Ramban.

Many of them were arrested, but others remained on the church premises and staged a demonstration Friday. Ramban was Thursday shifted from the area following mounting protests. Later, he returned to the church, but protesters again prevented him from entering the chapel. Jacobite church head Baselios Thomas I has said no one would be allowed to take over the church and its property. Ramban had reached the church amid tight security two days after the Kerala High Court dismissed a petition filed by the Jacobite faction against the Muvattupuzha Munsif Court order, granting police protection to him.

Jacobites have claimed that a majority of the devotees living in the parish belong to their faction, while Orthodox Church followers are very less in number. Ramban has alleged that the protest by Jacobite followers and clergy were in violation of the court order. Recently, a famous church in Piravom, controlled by the Jacobite faction, had witnessed high tension as police entered the premises to implement last year's Supreme Court order, giving control of the church to the Orthodox faction. In its order, the Supreme Court had ruled that 1,100 parishes and their churches under the Malankara Church should be controlled by the Orthodox faction, as per the 1934 Malankara Church guidelines.

(With inputs from agencies.)