Kochi (Kerala) [India], July 31 (ANI): Pope Francis has appointed Archbishop Andrews Thazhath as the Apostolic Administrator of Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese of the Syro-Malabar Church.
The Pope also accepted the resignation of Mar Antony Kariyil from the post of Metropolitan Vicar of the Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese. The announcement of this was held at the Vatican on Saturday at 12 pm (Italian time).
This was informed by Fr Vincent Cheruvathur, Major Archiepiscopal Chancellor of The Syro-Malabar Major Archiepiscopal Curia in a press release.
Archbishop Andrews Thazhath, who is the metropolitan archbishop of Syro-Malabar Catholic Archeparchy of Thrissur will also continue in that post despite him having been appointed as the Apostolic Administrator today.
Antony Kariyil, the Metropolitan Vicar of Ernakulam-Angamaly archdiocese resigned on July 26, six days after he was summoned by the Vatican emissary, Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli, the Apostolic Nuncio to New Delhi. Leopoldo Girelli summoned Antony Kariyil to Delhi on July 19 and handed over a letter demanding his resignation.
On July 26, the emissary also met him at Kochi. Before his visit, a section of priests had on July 25 come out openly against the emissary, accusing him of making efforts to unseat Archbishop Kariyil from the post of its Metropolitan Vicar.
The protesting priests had adopted a resolution against the Vatican emissary. The resolution said, “We oppose the Vatican emissary forcefully demanding the resignation of Archbishop Mar Antony Kariyil, the Metropolitan Vicar. Vicar. He is a prelate fully committed to Jesus, the Word of God, and the Roman Pontiff. He never violates any canon or civil laws. Any attempt to jeopardize his bishopric will prove detrimental to Catholic communion and harmony.”
The Vatican emissary asked for Antony Kariyil’s resignation for not following the instructions of the Vatican and synod in the matters regarding Uniform Holy Mass. Antony Kariyil had also stood with the priests who raised allegations and protest against Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar church, Mar George Alencherry in the controversies over the Church land transactions and implementation of a uniform way of performing Holy Mass.
In July 2021, Pope Francis approved the uniform mode of offering mass and directed the church to implement it at the earliest. As per the uniform mode, priests and bishops across the Church in all dioceses have to perform the ritual of facing the altar throughout the service. Among the 35 dioceses, only the diocese of Antony Kariyil has refrained from adopting uniform Holy Mass. Kariyil was appointed Metropolitan Vicar of the Ernakulam-Angamaly archdiocese in August 2019.
Archbishop Andrews Thazhath, the Apostolic Administrator who has been appointed today was the metropolitan archbishop of Syro-Malabar Catholic Archeparchy of Thrissur from 2007. He is the founder of the Legion of Apostolic Families (LOAF), a lay pious association of consecrated families founded in 2009.
‘Sede Plena’, which is the Latin word for appointing an Apostolic Administrator by the Pope. It was mentioned in the Canon law and refers to the body of ecclesiastical law that developed within Christianity, particularly Roman Catholicism, governing the internal hierarchy and administration of the church. Before this, Bishop Mar Jacob Manathodath also served as the Apostolic Administrator of the Ernakulam-Angamaly archdiocese. (ANI)
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