Liturgical battles escalating in Syro-Malabar Church
December 23, 2022
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CWN Editor's Note: An intense liturgical dispute within the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church continues, with Archbishop Andrews Thazhath of Ernakulam-Angamaly threatening rebellious priests with “disciplinary actions, even on the part of the Holy See.”
The archbishop, who was appointed by Pope Francis in July as administrator of the leading archdiocese, has ordered his priests to implement liturgical changes that were approved by the Vatican and have been adopted in the other sees of the Syro-Malabar Church, which is based in India’s Kerala state. The clergy of the archdiocese have strongly resisted the changes—supported by Archbishop Thazhath’s predecessor, who resignation the Vatican forced last year.
Unhappy priests tried to prevent Archbishop Thazhath from entering his cathedral. More recently, they have celebrated the Eucharistic liturgy using the old Syro-Malabar rite, while the archbishop simultaneously uses the new rite—and police are on hand to prevent physical confrontations.
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