By Matters India Reporter

Kochi, March 26, 2024: The main church of the archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamaly opened March 26 after being closed for 486 days because of a liturgical dispute.

On the orders of the Ernakulam Munsiff Court, Father Varghese Manavalan, administrator of St Mary’s Basilica opened the archdiocese’s cathedral at 6 pm for the faithful in the evening.

The court has also directed to conduct all religious services except Mass in the church from March 26.

After opening the basilica with Assistant Vicars Fathers Robin Vazhapilli and Jins Njanakkal, Father Manavalan conducted the Stations of the Cross and recited the Rosary along with hundreds of parishioners.

He also announced that facilities for confession will be available from March 27 morning.

In the evening, the church will conduct the Rosary and the Stations of the Cross.

On Maundy Thursday, the basilica will conduct morning services ending with the breaking of the bread. It will also hold the Good Friday liturgies.

The basilica was closed on November 27, 2022, by the police following a stand-off between two groups over the mode of celebrating Mass.

The order from the First Class Additional Munsiff Court came on a petition filed by a group of the Catholics.

The court said if anyone obstructs or interrupts the church opening, the petitioners and the church authorities can approach the police.

The court said mediation talks shall be initiated by the parties concerned to see if the Mass as formulated by the Synod can be conducted on Easter Day.

The parishioners attend reopening of the basilica
On conducting the unified Mass, the two parties will explore the possibility of arriving at a consensus and the result will be submitted to the court on March 27.

The church was shut after the premises of the basilica witnessed a protest after Archbishop Andrews Thazhath, the then apostolic administrator, insisted that he wanted to celebrate the uniform way of Mass at the church.

He was prevented from celebrating Mass at the cathedral by the dissident group that wanted the priest to face the congregation throughout Mass.

In the uniform way, imposed by the Syro-Malabar Synod, the priest faces the congregation at the beginning and the end of Mass. He faces the altar the rest of the time.

The Syro-Malabar Church Synod had tried to reopen the shrine in 2023, but the attempts were thwarted by a section of protesting priests and laity.