Last year, despite strong opposition from some of the clergy and laity, the Syro-Malabar Church’s leading bishops agreed to impose a uniform method of celebrating the liturgy in all of the church’s eparchies (dioceses). The uniform method envisions the celebrant turning towards the faithful in the initial rites but then turning towards the altar during the Eucharistic sacrifice.

In some eparchies, however, including the Major Archeparchy of Ernakulam–Angamaly, the entire liturgy has been offered facing the people in recent decades. Priests and laity “refused to follow the synod decision and intensified their protests by launching hunger strikes, street protests and other campaigns,” the report notes. The metropolitan vicar of the archeparchy (archdiocese)—in opposition to his Major Archbishop—dispensed the entire archeparchy from the synod’s decision.

Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, Prefect of the Vatican’s Congregation for Eastern Churches, supported the synod’s decision, and ordered the metropolitan vicar to revoke his dispensation. Cardinal Sandri and the Major Archbishop, Cardinal George Alencherry were burned in effigy.