നീതി നിർവഹണത്തിനൊരു കൈതാങ്ങൽ Need ur help for justice

Need ur help for justice

St. George Orthodox Church Kathiparathadom is one of the earliest church constructed and consecrated in High Ranges of Idukki to serve the religious services of the people. The history of the place where the Church stands starts only to a half century back. People started migrating to the High Ranges of Idukki due to the poverty and economic crisis they came across. Majority of migrants are from Kottayam and Eranakulam district.  With the hope of a good future they entered the forest of Idukki and started the working in the land. Now also many in the area earn their livelihood from Agriculture and related activities.  No difference is in the parish members of St. George Church Kathiparathodom. One can see this when looking the details of the 55 families of the Church. More than 70% are depended fully on the agriculture and jobs with daily wages.

The St. George Orthodox Church Kathiparathadom was consecrated on 1977 and is a constituent of Kandanadu East dioceses of Malankara Orthodox Church, also called as Indian Orthodox Church. The parish is governed according to the 1934 constitution and the church standing firm with the Catholicos and Malankara Methropolitan till then. By sending the elected members to attend the Malankara Association held at Parumala in 2002 it show the loyalty to the Throne of St. Thomas and the Catholicos Enthroned. Also it was a likeness to the peace in the Church.

The unfortunate incident happened in the history of St. George Church Kathiparathadom was that in 2006 the peace got disturbed for the first on 25 year, that to even after 4 years from the final verdict. The all issue started when a group of people started obstructing the vicar from discharging his religious functions in the Church. The group was later called the Patriarch fraction. Patriarch faction started disturbing the religious services of the church and obstructing the duly appointed vicar from conducting the religious services in the church and obstructing him from residing in the Parsonage building situated in the church property. The issue was taken up to the local legislative body. But the justice was denied for the orthodox fraction and worst happened was that the biased officials allow restrict Orthodox fraction to enter church and allowed Patriarch fraction to conduct services and locked the property there after. A case 28865/06 was filed on Honorable High court on this regard from where the Orthodox fraction got the Justice. Court reconfirm that the St George Orthodox Syrian Church must be governed by the constitution of 1934 and under the authority of the Catholicos to administer the Church in accordance with the provisions of the 1934 Constitution. Executing the court order regarding Kathipprathadam Church, Idukki dist. belonging to Kandanadu East Diocese, on Sunday March 11th 2007 with the Holy Qurbana conducted by the lawful vicar Rev. Fr. K. K. Varghese appointed by H. G. Dr. Thomas Mar Athanasius and the key of the Church was handed over by the civil authorities.

The church constructed 30years back was on alarming condition when it was handed over to Orthodox.  Parishioners wished to reconstruct the church and demolished to old one as it was almost difficult to be used even with maintenance. The big challenge then thought was the fund raising for the construction but parish faced yet another big challenge. The patriarch group obstruct the reconstruction and with the help of some government officials they managed to stop the construction process. The authorities were very reluctant to pass any documents related to the church. Even after multiple chase ups and long wait the No Objection Certificate (NOC) for construction of church was not issued.  This behavior of the authorities forced the parishioners go takes the issue to court again. Honorable high court of Kerala takes this issue, 29035/2013 D, and at 8th Oct 2014 it was judged in favor of St George Orthodox Church. Court has directed the district collector to give the NOC for the construction.

The Judgment of St. George Orthodox Syrian Church is yet another victory of Malankara Orthodox Church against the group which tries to break the peace. The judgment reconfirm the 1934 constitution governs the affairs of the parish Churches established even after the beginning of the case in 1974. The St. George Orthodox Syrian Church was established in 1977, but attended the 2002 Parumala Association. The patriarch faction cannot claim that the Church which is a member of the Malankara Association is not liable to be governed by the 1934 constitution or that the Patriarch of Antioch continues to have supremacy over the Church in preference to the Catholicos

The Church has tackled down all the legal hindrance and now getting ready for the reconstruction. As mentioned earlier the parish is only having 55 families and most of them are poor farmers and depend only of Agriculture for livelihood. The fund raising for the reconstruction still stays as big problem for the parishioners. We are expecting the whole heart support of all of Malankara Orthodox Church for this reconstruction of our church, which helped the church inn getting one of the landmark judgment.

Bank Details

Name : St. George Orthodox Syrian Church Kathipparathadam…

A/C No : 13300100064962

Federal bank  Manippara,  Karimban branch,

IFSC Code : FDRL0001330

MICR Code  : 685049805

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