The protest by a section of the laity and priests in Ernakulam Angamaly archdiocese against the unified Mass system intensified and took a new turn on December 20 with the newly appointed administrator of basilica cathedral being prevented from celebrating the unified Mass or the synodal Mass by the protesters.
Father Antony Puthuvelil arrived at the cathedral this morning to celebrate the Mass. However, as soon as the cathedral was opened those protesting against the synodal Mass intervened to prevent the celebration of the Mass. Fr. Puthuvelil was then asked to go back and he returned to the Archbishops house.
The group of protesters, both lay persons and priests have launched a perpetual prayer session against what they claimed was an attempt by archbishop Andrew’s Thazhath, administrator of the archdiocese and the synod of the Syro Malabar church to impose the synodal Mass.
The protesters have said they stood for a Mass system in which the priest faced the congregation throughout the Mass against the synodal Mass in which the priest faced the congregation for the first half and then turned away from them for the second part.
A meeting of priests on Monday had also imposed a ban on Mar Thazhath for allegedly acting in a one sided manner and for not holding talks on the Mass issue.
