Archbishop Cyril Vasil, Papal delegate to Ernakulam-Angamaly archdiocese arrived in Kochi on Wednesday, December 13, 2023, amid building tensions over a large group of laypeople and around 400 priests in the archdiocese possibly facing stringent action by Rome if they disobeyed the Syro-Malabar synod diktat on celebration of Mass.
The archbishop arrived here on the second phase of his mission in the archdiocese and was received at the airport by the new apostolic administrator of the archdiocese Bosco Puthur.
Pope Francis issued a warning last Thursday to members of the archdiocese to begin Mass celebrations according to the synod decision or face excommunication from the Catholic fold.
The group opposed to the synod decision has said it will continue negotiations with Rome to point out “factual errors” that had crept into the Pope’s understanding of the situation.
Archbishop Vasil, a member of the Jesuit order, is expected to meet groups of priests on Wednesday. No schedule of his programme in Kochi was available earlier.
Archbishop Vasil’s attempt to forge peace through negotiations failed earlier this year after the group opposed to the synod mass alleged he was being misled by the former Major Archbishop George Cardinal Alencherry and apostolic administrator Andrews Thazhath and his coterie.
The visiting archbishop met Pope Francis ahead of his visit to India, seeking the pontiff’s blessings.
Meanwhile, it is learnt that the visiting papal delegate will leave Kochi ahead of Christmas to return later.
The Pope has ordered the archdiocese hierarchy and all members to begin the synod Mass celebrations from Christmas day.
