Leo XIV withdraws the papal delegate after agreement that avoids the schism in the Siro-Malaba church

The ghost of the schism has flown in recent years on the Metropolitan Archieparchy of Ernakulam-Angamaly-belonging to the Siro-Malabar Church and based in India-one of the 24 oriental churches in full communion with the Catholic Church.

Part of the clergy and the faithful of Ernakulam-Angamaly, the main Indian episcopal headquarters in number of priests, and the one that presides over the bishop in charge of the entire Siro-Malabar church, did not accept the reform of the liturgical rite of 1999, which was later confirmed in the Synod of the Siro-Malabar Church of 2021.

However, this Monday Pope Leo XIV seems to have settled the controversy when the commission made in 2023 to Mons. Cyril Vasil ‘as a pontifical delegate before the Siro-Malabar Church, to mediate in the dispute.

For Vatican News, The site Official website of the Vatican, with this decision of the Pope “concludes the mediation work of the Holy See between the Siro-Malabares.”

Speaking to ACI Press, Martin Bräuer, expert from the Ecumenical Research Institute of Bensheim (Germany), said that “Rome now considers that the conflict has ended and, therefore, no longer needs a pontifical representative. Secondly, the agreement reached within the Church is recognized without the direct mediation of Archbishop Vasil ‘”.

Indeed, the news occurs After July 3, festival of the apostle Saint Thomas-patron of the Siro-Malabar Church–, new measures to apply the liturgical reform approved by the 2021 Synod.

The commitment achieved now allows Ernakulam-Angamaly parishes to celebrate the liturgy with the priest looking towards the faithful (towards people), being the Latinized form of the rite, provided that at least one Sunday or festive mass is celebrated according to the traditional way, that is, with the priest oriented towards the altar (to the east) during consecration.

According to the reform of the 2021 rite, during the Mass the priest had to go to the town during the first part of the celebration, but the Liturgy of the Eucharist celebrated it looking at the altar.

Prior to the reform that generated the dispute, all the solemnities had to be held in line with the guidelines given by the synod Siro-Malabar four years ago. Now, on the other hand, they accept as enough that in all the churches only one of their masses is celebrated on Sundays and holidays.

“This rule also applies to parishes with ongoing civil procedures, provided that it does not contravene the decisions of the state courts,” says the academic.

In addition, he said, it is explained that the Synod will only address future liturgical changes “if they are discussed in the spirit of synodality with the canonical organs of the Archieparchy.”

Other points include “the use of the sanctuary according to liturgical norms, the possibility that external bishops celebrate the unified form in all churches and that any internal conflict is resolved in an environment of respect and friendship,” says Bräuer.

What was the liturgical dispute?

While the synod held in 2021 promoted the return to the liturgy aimed at altar as a traditional form of the syrup-oriental rite, many priests and faithful of Ernakulam-Angamaly defended the form that had been generalized after the Second Vatican Council.

The Vatican then requested the 35 dioceses of the Siro-Malabar Church to eliminate the elements of the Latin rite and return to their original traditions, in this case to the pure Chaldean rite, today present especially in Iraq.

For Bräuer, the remarkable thing is that “this agreement was achieved in a synodal form, that is, through reciprocal dialogue and listening,” which grants legitimacy and hope to its practical application.

This case has been, according to the expert, a fire test for the delicate balance between the papal authority and the autonomy of the Eastern churches. It must be remembered that it was San Juan Pablo II who in 1998 gave the bishops Siro-Malabares authority to resolve liturgical conflicts.

According to Bräuer, “the Siro-Malabar church first tried to resolve the conflict internally. When it failed, Rome intervened, but did not succeed.”

The Pontifical Delegate, Mons. Vasil ‘, who belongs to the Byzantine rite and had worked in the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches, was highly criticized by his authoritarian style. “He could not find the right tone with the parties in conflict,” says Bräuer.

However, it was not an easy job. When Mons. Vasil‘He traveled to India on August 4, 2023, at the beginning of his mission, some priests publicly burned photos of him and It was received with a rain of eggs.

In this sense, it was the Metropolitan Vicar, Mons. Joseph Pamplany, successor of the Apostolic Administrator Monsco Puthur, who managed to move towards a solution thanks to an open communication strategy and active listening.

Finally, the consensus-which flexible the norms that the communities of this rite in the Metropolitan Archieparquía of Ernakulam-Angamaly had to adopt a year ago, after an ultimatum of Pope Francis-he forged in a meeting between Mons. Pamplany and the major and metropolitan archbishop of the archdiocese, Mons.

Another of the new norms that have softened the positions is that deacons can be ordered without having to compromise in writing not to celebrate according to the previous form of the rite.

The ghost of the schism buried forever?

Although the threat of schism has been dissipated for now, there is still a way to go. According to Bräuer, even the priests who opposed the unified liturgy have accepted the agreement, although not without reservations.

His spokesman, Fr. Kuriakose Mundadan, expressed in a letter his willingness to support the agreement, although he strongly criticized both the way in which the liturgical reform and the repressive attitude of some previous managers were adopted.

“In addition to criticizing the way in which the Syno imposed the liturgical reform, he also criticized the treatment received by the opponents of the reform. And he considered that the Pontifical delegate aggravated the situation,” says Bräuer.

“Pope Francis constantly requested unity, but in the end he failed to resolve the conflict. It was clear that the problem could not be solved solely through authority and discipline. Now a synodal solution has been found, which we hope is lasting,” adds the expert.

In any case, Bräuer emphasizes that it will be decisive how the agreement is implemented in the coming months: “Only then will we see if the agreement is stable and durable.”

For priests who currently face disciplinary processes, friendly solutions will be sought, and the Ernakulam-Angamaly metropolitan archieparquía will also commit to resolve litigation in civil courts.

Those who prefer the Latinized rite to the traditional are minority: they barely represent about 450,000 people, that is, 10% of the Siro-Malabar believers, which, in total, total about five million. However, they are quite noisy. On the Internet Videos circulate of aggressions to bishops and confrontations between groups of Catholics.

The special court created to resolve this type of liturgical disputes will not be dissolved, at least for now.

Lessons for the entire Catholic Church

Asked about the value of this experience for other liturgical conflicts in the Church, Bräuer remembers that the liturgy is the “prayed dogma”, that is, an “expression of the faith of the Church” that can adopt many forms, as seen in the Catholic Church: for example, “in the West, with the ancient Mozarabic rite, and also with inculturated forms of the Mass in Congo, Australia or Mexico.”

“Liturgical diversity enriches the Church, but fidelity to tradition does not mean clinging to the past, but to welcome change with discernment,” he concludes.