Kerala: Orthodox faction lock gates of Perumbavoor church during Jacobite mass

Perumbavoor: A clash broke out in Bethel Perumbavoor church after the Orthodox faction locked the church gates while the Jacobite faction was conducting Sunday holy mass. The Jacobites weren’t able to exit the church.

As per sources, earlier both factions worshipped in the church with different timings for their respective mass. But the groups had fights in the recent past which led to disagreements in the schedule of worship and the issue only escalated from thereon. 

On December 20, the Jacobite devotees blocked the Orthodox Ramban, Fr Thomas Paul from entering the Mar Thoma church in Kochi. Subsequently, a massive protest and clashes between Orthodox and Jacobite groups were witnessed outside the church premises in Kothamangalam.

The Jacobite group was upset after the Kerala high court dismissed its petition filed on December 18. Jacobite devotees filed a case against the Muvattupuzha munsif court order which granted police protection to Fr Paul to enter the Mar Thoma church.