The St Mary’s Cathedral Basilica in the Ernakulam Angamaly archdiocese of the Syrian Catholic church wore a deserted look on Christmas eve as well as on Christmas Day on Sunday, as the two opposing groups decided that there would not be any mass there till the quarrel between them ends.

There were fisticuffs and fights between the two groups on Friday and Saturday. This was following a group of padres and laity wanting to conduct the holy mass with the padre facing the mass instead of the altar as directed by the Cardinal.

The fisticuffs ended with several people including padres getting injured and admitted to hospitals. The basilica is not closed but the two warring groups decided that no holy mass would be conducted until a consensus is reached on the matter.

The laity and padres supporting the mass facing the believers said that the altar of the basilica must be reconsecrated for the Holy Mass to be conducted there again as the fight between the two groups had led to even the upturning of the altar.

A letter has already been shot off to the Vatican for intervention in the matter.

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