Kerala: Deadlock over church row continues

KOCHI: After holding marathon talks with the authorities of Jacobite and Orthodox churches, the mediators of Kerala Mediation Committee visited the  Catholicoes of both sides on Wednesday. However, they couldn’t break the deadlock on the row over the ownership of St Peter’s and St Paul’s church at Kolenchery as the rival factions couldn’t agree on key issues.  Advocate N Dharmadan and Sreelal Warriar, the mediators, along with District Collector P I Sheik Pareeth, held talks with the leaders of both the factions at Ernakulam Guest House. Separate meetings with each group were held first and later leaders of both groups sat together before the mediators.“In the talks attended by the representatives of both the sides, no issue of controversy were discussed,” said Thampu George Thukalan, secretary, Jacobite Syrian Church. He added that they were ready for any mediation. The authorities are pressing both the factions to stop the protests at least for a couple of days. “Consensus has been reached upon a slew of issues like burial. But, the ice is yet to melt on the issues related to the worship,”  District Collector P I Sheik Pareeth said.  The observers have asked the warring factions for keeping themselves off the path of agitations. They have informed both sides that any law and order issues can’t be viewed as faith and belief.The authorities of Orthodox Church made it clear that Catholicos Mar Thoma Paulose II will go ahead with the fast. “If anybody wants to visit the Catholicos, they are welcome. But, we want the authorities to first open the church for us as ordered by the court,” said E C Alias, secretary, Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church.