Archive · 9 Aug 2026
Kerala priests of Orthodox and Jacobite factions clash over church
Two groups of Christian priests in a place called Kerala, India, had a big argument.
They were fighting about who owns a church.
One group said a court decided the church belongs to them.
The other group said a different court decided it belongs to them.
The argument got physical, and priests started pushing each other.
Police came to stop the fighting.
Since no one would calm down, the police closed the church.
Government leaders will talk with both groups to try to solve the problem.
The two groups have been disagreeing about churches for many years.
Everyone is hoping the meeting will help them find a peaceful answer.
Priests of the Malankara Orthodox and Jacobite Syrian factions clashed over ownership of St John's Bethlehem Church at Piramadom near Muvattupuzha in Kerala.
Orthodox priests cited a Muvattupuzha Sub Court judgment in their favour, while the Jacobite side cited a Munsiff Court ruling in theirs.
The verbal clash escalated into pushing and shoving between priests, prompting police intervention.
Police closed the church after neither side agreed to back down, and district administration called both factions for discussions on Monday evening.
The ownership dispute between the two factions has continued for several years, with several court rulings over churches and properties.
- Who
- Priests and believers of the Malankara Orthodox and Jacobite Syrian factions, with police and district administration intervening.
- What
- A clash over the ownership of St John's Bethlehem Church, which escalated into pushing and shoving and led police to close the church.
- When
- Sunday morning, with follow-up discussions between both factions scheduled for Monday evening.
- Where
- St John's Bethlehem Church at Piramadom near Muvattupuzha in Kerala, India.
- Why
- A long-running ownership dispute between the two factions, with each side citing rival court rulings in their favour.
Orthodox faction
Jacobite faction
Court rulings on church ownership
Orthodox faction
Orthodox priests say a Muvattupuzha Sub Court judgment rules in their favour, so they reached the church to take possession.
Jacobite faction
Jacobite priests and believers say a Munsiff Court ruling supports them and resisted the Orthodox move.
Injuries in the clash
Orthodox faction
The Orthodox faction claimed its priests were injured in the melee.
Jacobite faction
The Jacobite faction also claimed that its priests were injured.
- Church
- St John's Bethlehem Church
- Location
- Piramadom near Muvattupuzha, Kerala
- Factions involved
- Malankara Orthodox and Jacobite Syrian
- Current control
- Jacobite faction
- Orthodox claim
- Muvattupuzha Sub Court judgment in their favour
- Jacobite claim
- Munsiff Court ruling in their favour
- Police action
- Church closed after clash; cases to be registered after complaints
- Next step
- Discussions with district administration on Monday evening