As Lent begins, Syro-Malabar hierarchy faces opposition from rebels, supporters

With Lent season set to begin on Wednesday (March 5, 2025), a circular from Major Archbishop Andres Thazhath and his vicar for Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese Joseph Pamplany are facing resistance from both the rebel group and supporters, though for opposing reasons.

The priests and the faithful of the archdiocese rejected the circular on the Mass issue by the Major Archbishop and his vicar, calling it “blatant lies.” The circular offers no immediate solution to the archdiocese’s problems, said a statement by the Athiroopatha Samrakshana Samithi, a forum of rebel priests.

A statement by Almaya Munnettam, a forum comprising faithful opposed to the Synod Mass, said the joint circular had been issued unilaterally without consulting the priests or laypeople of the archdiocese. “The circular stands rejected in totality,” said Riju Kanjookkaran, the group’s spokesman. There would be no discussions on the Mass issue unless Archbishop Pamplany fulfilled his commitment to a discussion with 21 priests who had protested at the Bishop’s House, the statement added. The lay group said discussions would not be possible unless the “criminal curia” of the archdiocese was removed.

Father Jose Vailikodath, spokesman for the rebel priests’ group, also said that talks with the Church hierarchy could happen only if the current curia was removed.

Meanwhile, the Catholic Nazrani Sangham, a group supporting the hierarchy on the unified, synod-approved Mass, threatened to burn the joint circular on Monday (March 3, 2025) in protest against allowing both the “schismatic Mass” and the officially approved Mass to be celebrated at the same altar in churches. “This stance challenges the position taken by the Pope and the Vatican,” said the leaders of the group. The circular would be burned in protest before the headquarters of the Syro-Malabar Church on Monday, the statement added.

The joint circular by the heads of the official hierarchy, while appealing for a new beginning with the Lent season, also said that the Church community as a whole should refrain from trial by social media and stop making adverse public comments that bring shame to the Church. The hierarchy appealed for adherence to the agreement to celebrate at least one Synod Mass on Sundays and days of obligation as a starting point.