Priests Protest Against Uniform Holy Mass in Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese

Priests in the Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese are protesting changes to the Holy Mass proposed by the Syro-Malabar Church. They reject a new note from the church’s Synod, claiming it incites conflict. The controversy revolves around a directive for uniform Holy Mass, which many local priests and parishioners oppose.

On Saturday, priests across the Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese voiced their opposition to recent changes in the Holy Mass regulations laid out by the Synod of the Syro-Malabar Church. The protesting clergy dismissed the Synod's latest note, calling it an incitement to conflict among parish communities.

The priests reiterated their refusal to adopt the Uniform Holy Mass, a directive from the Synod aimed at standardizing the ceremony across all churches under its jurisdiction. Despite pressure, they maintained that the current format of Holy Mass would continue in their parishes.

This ongoing dispute comes in the wake of a circular issued by the Syro-Malabar Church head, Raphael Thattil, on June 9, 2024, which set a July 3 deadline to comply with the new mass format. However, the local clergy remain steadfast in their opposition, labelling the move as a 'betrayal' and alleging it could lead to unrest within the community.