28-November-2006
New Indian Express dt. 28th Nov. 2006
Jacobite Church to
form 3 new dioceses outside state
Tuesday November 28 2006
12:29 IST
KOCHI: The Jacobite Church will form three new dioceses
outside Kerala. The new dioceses will be based in Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore.
The Malabar diocese will be divided into two Malabar and Kozhikode.
Jacobite Church episcopal synod secretary Joseph Mor Gregorious Metropolitan
said in Kochi that the Church was compelled to increase the number of dioceses
as the number of members of the church had increased during the past few years.
The Angamaly diocese has been divided into four regions for administrative
convenience and auxiliary metropolitans will be appointed for these regions
soon. Development committees and regional offices will also be set up, the
Metropolitan said.
He said that the Jacobite Church was ready to cooperate with the government to
avert law and order problems and issues regarding worship. We would like to end
the disputes through discussion with the authorities. The government should take
a decision without delay after studying the rights of the Jacobite Church and
previous court orders, he said. He expressed concern over the entry of police
into churches.
He urged the State Government to make arrangements to open the Thrikkunnath
Seminary and restore worship. As many as 17 churches which were closed down due
to the disputes are falling into ruin. We are sure that Christmas can be
celebrated at these churches peacefully if the Chief Minister takes the
initiative to settle the dispute, he said.
Joseph Mor Gregorious Metropolitan handed over the first copy of ‘Bible
Prabhashana Dhyana Chinthakal’, authored by Fr Varghese Kallappara, to PWD
Minister T U Kuruvila at a function after the press meet.