When warring factions besieged the priest of Orthodox Syrian Church in Kochi

Rival factions kept the priest of Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church captive for hours on Sunday.

The head of Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church was besieged for hours on Sunday as two factions clashed at the St Mary's Church at Varikkoli. Mass turned into a mess on Sunday with followers of the Syrian Jacobite Church and Malankara Syrian Orthodox Church clashed for several hours.

The police had to intervene and also resort to lathi-charge to bring the situation under control after the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church supremo was besieged by the Syrian Jacobite faction. The faction was protesting against an alleged attempt by the Orthodox group to take over the administration of Jacobite churches.

Baselios Marthoma Paulose II, the head priest of Malankara Orthodox church was kept under siege till Sunday evening. He was visiting the church to conduct the Sunday mass but was blocked by the Jacobite faction while exiting the Church.

People started climbing up the church tower attempting to deface the emblem of the patriarch by pouring paint over it. The police who arrived at the spot stopped the situation from going overboard.

Following Sunday's ruckus, the Church has been locked up by the district authorities. The officials stated that the church will be reopened only after the impasse between the two factions ends. The drama began as early as 6.30 on Sunday morning when the priest entered the church to lead a Mass. The rival faction shut the Church's gates and prevented him from leaving the premises. The emblem of patriarchy has been a matter of dispute ever since the orthodox faction took control of the church based on an SC verdict a few weeks ago.

The Jacobite faction of the Church is led by the Patriarch of Antioch, based in Damascus. The feud between the two factions, officials said, has been raging on for more than a century.

OneIndia News