Pope’s decree to wash women’s feet on Holy Thursday divides Kerala churches

Kerala : Christians in Kerala stay divided over the Pope’s decree to include women and girls in the foot-washing rite on Maundy Thursday.

Pope Francis had changed the rules to add women and girls to the dozen people whose feet are ceremoniously washed in each church on Holy Thursday, but the oriental churches have been exempted from the change in practice.

Archbishop Cyril Vasil, the secretary of the Congregation for Oriental Churches, has informed the Syro Malabar and Syro Malankara churches in Kerala that the fiat from Vatican is limited to the churches that follow the Roman rite.

The explanation came after the Syro Malabar Church Major Archbishop, Cardinal George Alencherry, wrote to Vatican to seek clarity on the Pope’s directive.

The synod will deliberate on the change to the age-old rite that symbolically represents Christ’s gesture to his 12 disciples on the eve of his crucifixion.

Even within the Latin Church, not all dioceses are prepared to let women participate in the rite. While several parishes under the Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Kochi, Kottappuram and Kannur dioceses have chosen a few women to take part in the ritual, the Archdiocese of Verapoly said churches under its limits would stick to tradition this year.

The list of people to take part in the Maundy Thursday rite has been already prepared by the parish churches and the change could be brought about from next year, a spokesman for the diocese said.

Kottappuram bishop Joseph Karikkassery will wash the feet of 12 people, including women, at the St Mary’s Cathedral on Maundy Thursday. Kannur bishop Alex Vadakkumthala said he had already told the parish priests under the diocese to add women in the rite.

The Thiruvananthapuram diocese has told the parishes that the priests could add anyone including women and children to the group to take part in the feet-washing ceremony. Parish priests are free to take a decision on the matter. The neighbouring Neyyattinkara diocese, however, will follow the status quo on the matter.

Kollam bishop Stanley Roman has directed the parish priests that they could allow elder women and nuns to take part in the rite. Punalur bishop Sylvester Ponnumuthen has also sent a similar directive to let parish priests select elder women for the rites, depending on the situation in each parish.

The Vijayapuram diocese will implement the Pope’s decree from this year itself.

Syro-Malankara Church head, Cardinal Mar Baselios Cleemis Catholicate, said the church would stick to the oriental tradition this year. He said the church would consult the other oriental churches before deciding on the change suggested by Vatican. He said the Pope has only suggested the inclusion of women in the rite and that did not amount to a decree.

The hesitation by oriental churches on the matter has come under criticism. Secunderabad-based Forum of Religions for Justice and Peace has written to Cardinal Alencherry, wondering if the Syro-Malabar Church was wasting an opportunity to send across a message of inclusiveness. The forum’s national convener Fr Jacob Peenikkaparambil and secretary Manju Kulappuram also urged the cardinal to form a committee to study the proposal.

Source : Dailyhunt