A decades-long disagreement over the way Mass is celebrated in the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church has come to an end, following a key agreement reached in Kerala's Ernakulam-Angamaly archdiocese.
On 19 June, more than 300 priests met with Church leaders and agreed to celebrate at least one Sunday and feast day Mass facing the altar, as directed by the Church's synod. Other Masses may continue to be offered facing the people. The new arrangement takes effect from 3 July, the feast of St Thomas the Apostle, who is traditionally believed to have brought Christianity to India in the first century.
The Syro-Malabar Church, one of the Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with Rome, had been struggling with internal divisions for over 50 years over liturgical practices—specifically, the direction priests should face during Mass.
The dispute began after the Second Vatican Council introduced reforms encouraging active participation in the liturgy. Some clergy and laypeople preferred a more modern style, with priests facing the congregation throughout. Others supported the traditional practice of facing the altar during the Eucharistic prayer.
To bridge the gap, the Church’s synod approved a “unified” form of the Mass in 2021. Under this model, priests would face the people during the opening and concluding parts of the Mass but turn toward the altar during the central Eucharistic prayer. While most of the Church's 35 dioceses accepted the change, strong opposition remained in the Ernakulam-Angamaly archdiocese—home to around 500,000 Catholics.
The disagreement grew intense, sparking protests, hunger strikes, legal battles, and even temporary closures of churches. Some in the archdiocese threatened to separate from the Syro-Malabar Church entirely.
To address the crisis, the Vatican appointed Archbishop Cyril Vasil as a special delegate in 2023. However, he was unable to bring about a lasting solution.
This latest agreement reportedly includes further concessions, such as changes to the archdiocesan administration and the withdrawal of legal complaints filed against priests. A formal announcement from Major Archbishop Raphael Thattil and Archbishop Joseph Pamplany is expected soon.
The Archdiocesan Movement for Transparency, a group representing protesting clergy and laity, said they agreed to the compromise because their core demand—to continue facing the people during Mass—was acknowledged to some extent.
Although a small group supporting the synod-approved Mass protested the compromise, Church leaders hope this decision will finally bring peace and unity to one of the most influential dioceses of the Syro-Malabar Church.
Rewritten based on reporting by UCA News.
