KOCHI, India — The unprecedented violence and protests witnessed during the past weekend due to the protracted feud over the liturgical posture of the priest — facing the people or facing the altar — in the Ernakulam Archdiocese of the Syro-Malabar Church (SMC) has prompted the Church's synod to take initiatives to end the strife.

With Church leadership enlisting police to restrict entry, even to priests, to the archbishop’s house, 21 members of the clergy began a surprise hunger strike Jan. 9 at the house, demanding an end to “unresponsive curia” and police control of access to the diocesan headquarters.

The worst events in the protracted feud unfolded Jan. 11, when dozens of police entered the house of the archbishop's during the early-morning hours to evict the priests staging the sit-in. Viral videos on social media show police dragging some of them and even tearing their cassocks.

“The police dragged me brutally and even twisted my hand deliberately, resulting in a fracture. I don’t know why did they unleash such brutality on us?” Father Rajan Punnackal, with a sling on his arm and cast on the leg, told the Register on Jan. 12.

Soon, the adjacent St. Mary’s Basilica compound was besieged by hundreds of furious lay protesters who pushed past police barricades and returned the “expelled” priests to the archbishop’s compound. Dozens of priests came to join the protests.

Amid the chaos, protesters rushed to the front gate of the archbishop’s house, breaking the iron gate, despite police efforts to keep the protesters away.

As TV channels broadcast live the dramatic protests, the weeklong worldwide synod of more than 50 SMC bishops was in its closing day at Mount St. Thomas, SMC headquarters at Kakkanad, about 15 miles from the archbishop’s house.

“The synod holds close to its heart the Ernakulam Archdiocese to address its concerns,” said Archbishop Joseph Pamplany of Thalassery, who was chosen by the SMC synod on Jan. 11 to coordinate the administration of Ernakulam Archdiocese on behalf of Major Archbishop Thattil. Archbishop Pamplany’s installation to the post of vicar was held at the archbishop's house on Jan. 12. Ernakulam is the largest of 35 SMC diocese, with more than 600,000 members and 450 priests.

“I have been entrusted with the responsibility to resolve the differences that exist peacefully and amicably and pave the way for a united one voice,” Archbishop Pamplany said during a news conference Sunday morning, Jan. 12, in the presence of Major Archbishop Thattil and outgoing apostolic administrator Bishop Bosco Puthoor. 

Archbishop Pamplany also reiterated that “it is impossible to go back on the synod decision regarding Holy Mass approved by the Pope.”

In August 2021, the SMC synod mandated a “uniform Mass” format, with the priest saying the Mass facing the altar (ad orientem) after the Offertory. 

However, the overwhelming majority of the priests of Ernakulam Archdiocese refused to follow it and continued to say Mass facing the people (versus populum) throughout, as practiced since the Second Vatican Council, with lay groups also supporting the clergy stance.

In May 2024, Pope Francis met with the major archbishop and insisted on liturgical unity. In July, the feud was practically settled, with the compromise directive that all 330 parishes of Ernakulam Archdiocese should have at least one “uniform Mass” on Sundays and days of obligation.

Tensions resurfaced in late October after the curia appointed by Bishop Puthoor was rejected by a majority of priests and the lay group Almaya Munnettam (Laity Forward) that even burned the bishop’s circular on Nov. 3 in several parishes.

“We humbly admit the reality that we have not been able to resolve completely the problem related to Ernakulam Archdiocese we have been trying to resolve,” acknowledged the SMC leadership in last week’s post-synod communiqué to the entire SMC Church.

Asserting that “the dawn of unity is certainly not far away,” the synod said the Vatican had accepted the resignation of administrator Bishop Puthoor and chose Archbishop Pamplany as “vicar” of Major Archbishop Thattil, whose authority over the archdiocese was restored, ending the apostolic administratorship that has been in place since 2022. 

The statement of the synod expressed “pain over the liturgical dispute spilling over to the street and becoming a law-and-order issue,” in reference to earlier clashes between rival faction lay groups.

The synod statement also deplored the activities of “self-professed supporters” of the SMC synod, who, “by creating furore in the street and social media, are defaming the church and indulging in anti-church activity only.” 

Meanwhile, the laity leadership and priests had announced a big protest Sunday afternoon against the police brutality on the priests, which evoked a huge response — thousands came.

The biggest surprise of the protest was the presence of hundreds of nuns of different congregations and religious priests, joining the laypeople, who marched a mile to return to the basilica for an open-air Mass celebrated by protesting priests in the backyard of the major archbishop’s house before the address by the leaders. 

The basilica, which has not been permitted to hold Mass due to a court stay for two years, proved a refuge for nuns and laypeople in prayer before the start of the protest march out in the sizzling sun. 

N.S.K. Umesh, the Ernakulam district collector (highest government official), intervened and talked to the leaders of both priests and laypeople. 

Later in the night, Umesh requested Archbishop Pamplany speak with the protesting priests who were continuing the sit-in.

Archbishop Pamplany retuned to Kochi at 22.30 to hold a three-hour-plus discussion with the 21 priests, and they vacated the next morning.

Archbishop Pamplany assured them there would be a reconciliatory meeting held on Jan. 20 with key leaders; he also assured them of restoring within a month defunct canonical bodies of the archdiocese to allow open access to the major archbishop’s house and changing the controversial curia whose appointment had led to the hunger strike.

On Jan. 17, the 21 priests traveled to Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of Kerala, 150 miles south of Kochi, to register complaint against the police brutality with the State Human Rights Commission and political leaders.

Father Kuriakose Mundadan, secretary of the archdiocesan Presbyteral Council, told the Register Jan. 17, “We trust the assurances that Archbishop Pamplany has made will be fulfilled; hope this will lead to peace and prepare the way for serious dialogue to sort out the problems.”