Kochi: The UDF-led state government has informed the Kerala High Court that it is seeking to resolve the long-running dispute between the Orthodox and Jacobite factions of the Malankara Church through discussions led by Chief Minister V D Satheesan.
In a statement submitted before a Division Bench, Chief Secretary Bishwanath Sinha said both factions are part of an ancient Christian tradition that has made significant contributions to Kerala’s social, educational, healthcare and charitable sectors, transcending caste and religious boundaries. The government said it holds both churches in high regard, noting that they have been an integral part of Kerala’s history since AD 52 and have played a vital role in shaping the state’s spiritual and cultural heritage.
The government told the court that decades of litigation and recurring disputes have caused hardship and anguish not only to believers of both factions but also to the wider public. According to the statement, the Chief Minister has intervened in the matter and is engaging with senior leaders of both churches to find an amicable, lasting solution to issues that have remained unresolved for generations.
The government expressed hope that the dialogue process would help bring about a permanent settlement and restore peace among the faithful.
The statement was submitted through Additional Advocate General Mohammed Shah P A in connection with cases relating to the administration of six disputed churches under the Malankara Church.
The Orthodox-Jacobite dispute centres on church governance and authority. While both factions trace their origins to the ancient St Thomas Christian tradition, they differ on the question of ecclesiastical leadership. The Orthodox faction maintains that the Malankara Church is an autonomous church headed by the Catholicos of the East in India, while the Jacobite faction recognises the Patriarch of Antioch in Syria as its supreme spiritual authority. The disagreement, which dates back more than a century, has led to prolonged legal battles over the administration of churches and control of church properties across Kerala.
A major turning point came in 2017 when the Supreme Court upheld the 1934 Constitution of the Malankara Church and recognised the authority of the Orthodox-led church administration. However, the verdict did not end the conflict. Disputes have continued in several parishes where a majority of worshippers identify with the Jacobite faction, resulting in repeated confrontations over church management, worship rights and implementation of court orders.
The present proceedings before the High Court relate to six churches: St Mary’s Orthodox Church, Odakkali; St John’s Besphage Orthodox Syrian Church, Pulinthanam; and St Thomas Orthodox Syrian Church, Mazhuvannoor in Ernakulam district, and St Mary’s Church, Mangalam Dam; St Thomas Orthodox Syrian Church, Erikkinchira; and St Thomas Orthodox Syrian Church, Cherukunnam in Palakkad district.
The litigation stems from the implementation of the Supreme Court verdict and the administration of these churches. In March this year, a Division Bench comprising Justices Anil K Narendran and S Muralee Krishna set aside a single-judge order that had directed the district collectors of Ernakulam and Palakkad to take possession of the six churches and hand them over to administrators appointed by the courts.
The Division Bench held that civil courts could not direct the state administration to take over possession of churches in disputes relating to religious affairs. At the same time, it clarified that police protection could be granted whenever necessary to maintain law and order and to facilitate worship in accordance with court orders.
Against this backdrop, the government’s latest submission signals an attempt to move the dispute from the courtroom to the negotiating table, with the Chief Minister taking the lead in efforts to bring the two factions together and arrive at a mutually acceptable resolution.
