According to the unified system, the priest is expected to face the congregation for the first half of the mass and then away from them, and towards the altar, for the second half of the mass.
Ernakulam-Angamaly archdiocese has, however, demanded that the priest should be allowed to face the congregation during the entire duration of the mass. This has been the practice for about 50 years now, the archdiocese has argued.
“Why must the priest turn his back towards the congregation? Why must we hold on to the Syrian identity and culture, we must have our own culture,” he says.
However, there are many from the diocese’s laity or community who have been wanting to follow the unified system, for the sake of unity and for the sake of ‘obedience’ to the church’s orders. Many among them have also been staging protests and hunger strikes for the same.
But the Pope Francis got involved and supported the uniform mass. Following the Pope’s letter, Archbishop Alancherry conducted uniform mass at St Mary’s Cathedral. A section of cathedral’s congregation, however, opposed the move. Others were in support.
The parish priest at the cathedral refused to follow the mass in the unified system, which resulted in protests. The church was closed from 18 April to 22 April as a sign of protest.
A section has, however, offered their support to the Pope and the Archbishop.
“We have also received a letter from the Pope regarding the uniform mass. Since the bishop conducted the mass in the unified system the rest of us must follow it. The St Mary’s Cathedral, being the cathedral church here should have followed it, but they did not,” says George Joel, who has been attending masses in the Ernakulam-Angamaly diocese.
Meanwhile, Fr Paul Karedan, former PRO of the Syro Malabar church is of the opinion that “beauty lies in diversity. Destroying the vibrancy will damage the beauty of India. We can’t sacrifice unity for the sake of uniformity. We want to, however, be more flexible and acceptable to the people.”
Now the protest is ‘on hold’ for another week and those for and against the order are awaiting directives from authorities to know the way forward.
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