Kochi: A tense atmosphere prevailed outside the Bishop House of the Angamaly-Ernakulam archdiocese here, after the police on Saturday evacuated from there several priests who were on an indefinite fast demanding withdrawal of certain documents issued by an Apostolic Administrator.
Believers and priests strongly criticise the police action. They claimed before TV channels that the protesting priests were forcibly evacuated by the police from the Bishop House in the wee hours of Saturday. Visuals on TV channels also show that some of the protesting priests were injured in the police action.
Several believers and priests, thereafter, began arriving in numbers at the St Mary’s Basilica where the protesting priests were relocated and police were also seen in large numbers. The believers also got into a heated argument with police outside the Angamaly-Ernakulam archdiocese headquarters.
They also accused Ernakulam ACP C Jayakumar of saying that the government was against the Angamaly-Ernakulam archdiocese. The officer denied the allegations and said the accusations were being made to create news.
"We are still open to discuss the issue with them and resolve it," he told reporters here. On Friday, unruly scenes were witnessed at the Angamaly-Ernakulam archdiocese headquarters following a protest by a section of priests demanding the dismissal of the newly constituted curia of the archdiocese.
Curia is a body that helps the church run smoothly and efficiently, sources had said, adding that the clash erupted on Thursday after 21 priests began a fast prayer at the archbishop's house. The protesting priests belong to the Archdiocese Protection Committee (Athiroopatha Samrakshana Samithi).
The protestors have sought withdrawal of the documents, issued by Apostolic Administrator Bosco Puthur, "unjustly suspending priests in violation of both canon and civil laws", according to a statement issued by the Athiroopatha Samrakshana Samithi.
Meanwhile, the Syro-Malabar Church Synod has ordered disciplinary action against the protesting priests.
The Synod of Bishops of the Syro-Malabar Church unanimously condemned the wrongful and "unchristian actions" of certain priests from the Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese, who were on a hunger strike and occupying the archdiocese building in defiance of the decisions approved by the Pope, a release issued on Friday by Fr Antony Vadakekara V C, PRO of the Syro-Malabar Church had said.
