KOTTAYAM: The Malankara Orthodox Church alleged that the Patriarch has ridiculed the Judiciary by visiting Piravom Church. The Patriarch was led to the feuded Churches, despite the Court order banning the entry of Bishops. “He could have been misled by the followers. Yet, he, being a foreign spiritual leader, challenged the law of the land. This has put out the enthusiasm for reconciliation,” the Catholicos said.
A similar opinion was aired by the Metropolitan of the Kandanadu East diocese Dr. Thomas Mar Athanasius two days ago. He said the Patriarch’s visit to Piravom Church was not in the program schedule approved by the state government. By arranging such a program later, the state has also shown partiality. The Orthodox Church will present an official response on the affair at a Holy Synod to be convened on February 23.
The Patriarch constituted a panel to hold mediation talks between the two churches during his first ecclesiastical visit to India last week. The decision was welcomed by the supreme head of the Malankara Orthodox Church also. However, now HH Baselios Marthoma Paulose II, Catholicos of the Malankara Orthodox Church, had said that certain actions by the Patriarch had disturbed the mediation attempts.
The Orthodox Church alleged that there are certain people within the other Church with vested interests, though the Patriarch yearned for peace between both.