By Matters India Reporter

Kochi: Hundreds of people thronged the international airport at Kochi in Kerala on August 3 to receive the body of Father Martin Xavier Vazhachira, who died under mysterious circumstances in Scotland more than a month ago.

Representatives from the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate and Changanacherry archdiocese received the body that arrived at the airport around 9 am by Air Emirates.

The body was then taken in an ambulance to the CMI monastery at Muhamma in Alappuzha district. The earlier plan was to take it to the CMI Generate at Kakkanad, a Kochi suburb. The plan was abandoned because of heavy traffic.

The crowd at the airport

Those present at the airport were CMI Trivandrum provincial Father Sebastian Chamathara, his counselors Father James Mullassery and Robin Ananthakkatt. Father Jose Cleetus Plackal represented the CMI Rajagiri provincial. Changanacherry archdiocese was represented by vice chancellor Father Isaac Alencherry and lay leaders Luckson Kallumadickal and Cyriac Sebastian.

According to the original plan, the body will taken to Father Vazhachira’s home in Pulincunnu near Changanacherry where it will kept for an hour before being moved to Chethipuzha hospital.

The funeral is scheduled at 12:15 am on August 4 at Sacred Heart Monastery at Chethipuzha in Changanacherry.

Father Vazhachira’s body was discovered at 4 pm on June 23 in the West Barns area of East Lothian, some 50 km from St John the Baptist Church in Corstorphine in Scotland where he was the pastor. He was last seen around 1 pm on June 20.

The Scotland police have not yet disclosed the cause of his death.