The bishops of the Syro-Malabar Church want the pope to appoint a delegate to the Archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamaly, Major Archbishop Card George Alencherry writes in a circular issued following the Church’s recent special synod.
The great diocese has been at the centre of a major dispute that has divided this Eastern Rite Catholic Church.
The bone of contention is a unified Holy Qurbana, the local traditional Mass, which is the result of a decision reached by the Syro-Malabar Synod in the summer of 2021 in response to Pope Francis’s repeated calls for unity.
In his statement, Card Alencherry explain that the task of the delegate would be to promote true synodality, understood as "walking together with the people of God". The Synod insisted that the unified form service will be implemented and that opposition from any diocese will not influence its decision.
The crux of the liturgical dispute is the direction of the priest during the celebration. In the "uniform" or “unified” liturgy – a compromise between the different practices previously in use – the priest is turned towards the faithful during the first part of the service and in the liturgy of the Word, then turns towards the altar (in the direction in which the faithful also look) during the central part, that of consecration and Eucharistic rites. At the end, after communion, the celebrant turns around again to look towards the assembly.
This solution – in force since Advent 2021 – has been strongly opposed in the Archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamaly, whose clergy has so far refused to apply it, backed by the faithful.
On this matter, “Representatives of the Synod held discussions at various levels," Alencherry writes. “We urge the Holy Father to create a situation in which more productive discussions can be held.”
To this end, the prelate urges the pontiff “to allow a papal delegate for the Ernakulam-Angamaly archdiocese” in order to “correct anti-Church stands and explain the necessity of synodality. The Holy Father has given assurances that he will consider this.”
“The Synod does not intend to divide the archdiocese or change its geographical boundaries. Instead, it intends to appoint an archbishop with independent governing powers;” for this reason, it “has urged the Holy See to make arrangements to this effect.”
In the meantime, the Synod on Wednesday decided during a meeting of the episcopal committee appointed by the Syro-Malabar Synod and representatives of the basilica to reopen the Basilica of Ernakulam, which was closed for 202 days due to the ongoing dispute.
The Synod announced that no Eucharistic celebration will be held in the basilica until the unified liturgy decided by the Synod is implemented. No other rites will be interrupted.
Vicar Mon said that the Qurbana can be officiated only in accordance with the rite approved by the Synod. If this is not the case, the basilica will be closed again.
This decision was greeted by protests in front of the church.