Syro-Malabar Catholics in India clash over liturgical dispute
The COVID-19 pandemic, which led to millions of deaths worldwide, is also being blamed for intensifying a liturgical dispute within the Syro-Malabar Church, the second-largest of the 23 self-governing Eastern Churches in the Catholic fold. Despite involvement from the pope and the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches, a resolution remains elusive.
The dispute stems from the introduction of a uniform mode of Mass, implemented by the Syro-Malabar Church's synod in August 2021 to establish consistency across its 35 dioceses. Under this directive, the priest faces the altar during the Eucharistic prayer and turns to the congregation during the rest of the Mass, including Communion. While most dioceses adopted this change, the Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese strongly opposed it, continuing the tradition of celebrating Mass with the priest facing the congregation throughout, similar to the Latin rite churches.
More than 400 of the archdiocese’s 470 priests, along with most of its 550,000 Catholics, claim that their stance aligns with the teachings of the Second Vatican Council (1962-65). Fr. Kuriakose Mundadan, presbyteral council secretary of the archdiocese and a leading dissident, attributes the resistance to shifts in participation patterns during the COVID-19 lockdowns. The introduction of online Masses led to a surge in subscriptions for people-facing Mass, reinforcing its appeal among the faithful. Mundadan alleges that the Syro-Malabar hierarchy, fearing a loss of influence, hastily convened an online synod to enforce the uniform Mass.
The archdiocese’s vicar general, Fr. Jacob Palackappilly, condemned the defiance of priests, calling it a violation of their pledge of obedience to the pope. He acknowledged that the pandemic intensified the issue but refuted claims that the synod acted due to increased online engagement with people-facing Masses. According to Palackappilly, differing liturgical practices had created confusion, necessitating the synod's intervention. He emphasized that Vatican II recognized the uniqueness of Eastern Churches, including the tradition of priests facing the altar during Mass.
Despite appeals from the Vatican, including a direct video message from Pope Francis urging obedience to the synod’s decision, the dissenters have remained steadfast. Jesuit Archbishop Cyril Vasil, appointed as the pope’s delegate to resolve the dispute, reinforced the mandate for uniformity and warned of excommunication for those who defied it. However, his efforts were rejected by the dissident priests, who accused him of bias and failing to understand their grievances.
Mundadan maintains that the Vatican has been misinformed by the synod, leading to a one-sided response. He traces the origins of the people-facing Mass in the archdiocese to Cardinal Joseph Parecattil, who served as Archbishop of Ernakulam from 1956 to 1984 and participated in Vatican II. Parecattil's teachings are regarded as central to the faith and identity of many in the archdiocese, who argue that the synod’s decision disregards the principles of Vatican II, which advocated restoration, revision, and adaptation rather than strict adherence to past practices.
The controversy has led to violent clashes, public protests, and disruptions within the archdiocese. St. Mary’s Basilica Cathedral, the archdiocese’s main church, was closed following clashes between opposing factions on November 27, 2022, and remained closed for Mass until July 16, 2023. The conflict escalated further on February 1, 2024, when dissidents assaulted Fr. John Thottupuram as he attempted to celebrate the synod Mass at St. Sebastian’s Church in Thalayolaparambu.
The Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese, a key seat of the Syro-Malabar Church’s major archbishop, comprises approximately 10% of the church’s over 5 million members. It coexists with Latin-rite dioceses in Kerala, where people-facing Mass is standard. Meanwhile, the primary supporter of the synod Mass, the Changanacherry Archdiocese, is surrounded by denominations that do not recognize papal authority, such as the Jacobite, Orthodox, and Marthoma Churches, which traditionally conduct Mass with the priest facing the altar.
The origins of the dispute date back to a 1999 synodal proposal to implement the altar-facing Mass. At the time, six dioceses, including Ernakulam-Angamaly, opposed the change, leading the synod to recommend further study. However, no consensus was reached, and the differences in liturgical practices persisted. The issue became more pronounced during the pandemic, as online Masses highlighted the contrasting approaches.
Riju Kanjookaran, spokesperson for the Archdiocesan Movement for Transparency, asserts that successive archdiocesan administrators have failed to address the concerns of the faithful. While insisting on retaining the people-facing Mass, he also demands the withdrawal of legal cases against priests who staged a hunger strike and the appointment of a new curia.
Fr. Rajan Punnackal, injured in police action against protesting priests, vowed that the archdiocese would continue its fight for justice. Meanwhile, laypeople such as Cyriac Sebastian believe that the synod’s insistence on liturgical conformity is an attempt to distract from financial scandals within the church. He argues that in mission stations across India, Mass is celebrated in diverse settings—under trees or on rocks—without rigid adherence to directionality. For many, the essence of worship transcends such disputes, highlighting the need for the church to evolve in response to its people rather than imposing unilateral decrees.
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