Patriarch of Antioch and the supreme head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church Mor Ignatius Aphrem II has called for reconciliation between the Jacobite and the Orthodox factions of the Malankara Church to bring an end to the century-old dispute between the two Christian sects.
The Patriarch, who wrapped up his three-week-long visit to the country in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday, lamented that the scenario has worsened since his last Apostolic visit to Kerala in 2015.
Referring to the 2017 verdict of the Supreme Court that ruled in favour of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church by upholding its Constitution of 1934, the Patriarch said unpleasant and painful incidents have happened ever since, throwing a spanner in the reconciliation efforts.
“This is an important issue for both sides. I hope peace will be established here in Malankara between the two factions of the Church. After all, the people belonging to both sides belong to the same family and share the same heritage. There is no reason for them to be quarrelling and fighting,” he said.
The Jacobite Syrian Christian Church, which has pinned its hopes on the Malankara Church Bill, had reiterated the demand during the Apostolic visit.
“While thanking the Chief Minister for passing the Cemetery Bill [Kerala Christian Cemeteries (Right to Burial of Corpse), Bill, 2020], we requested him to continue his efforts to introduce the Church Bill in the Assembly and enact the legislation. It will guarantee freedom of worship for everyone. He has pledged efforts to do all he can to ensure this Church continues with its own identity,” the Patriarch pointed out.
Delving into the ethnic and communal strife that has shattered peace in Manipur, the pontiff felt it is the responsibility of every government, be it State or Centre, to ensure that the people live in harmony and everyone is protected. “All religions and other components that define the society must also be protected with the same spirit of tolerance that India is known for.”
He also voiced his disapproval towards mixing politics with religion for ulterior motives. “Many people use religion for their political ends, but we as a Church always want to respect that space between religion and politics. We prefer the two (domains) to be kept separate because they touch different aspects in the lives of the people. We would like to see politicians respecting all religions and giving freedom to each, while religions respect the law of the country,” the Patriarch said.
