Leo XIV has terminated the appointment of Archbishop Cyril Vasil' as papal delegate to the Syro-Malabar Church, the Holy See Press Office announced on July 7, 2025. The Slovak Greek Catholic archbishop had been sent to India in 2023 to resolve the liturgical dispute that has been raging for decades in the Eparchy (diocese) of Ernakulam-Angamaly, within this Eastern Church, which has 5.5 million members. In recent days, a compromise has been announced between the Synod and the dissident priests, thus avoiding a schism.
This Eastern Catholic Church has narrowly avoided a schism over liturgical reforms after years of conflict thanks to a compromise between its Synod and priests.
A controversial liturgical reform
The Syro-Malabar Church, whose foundation dates back to the early years of Christianity, has been torn apart since the 1970s. The Second Vatican Council called on Eastern Churches to return to their ancient traditions in order to serve as a bridge to the Orthodox Churches. Consequently, the 35 dioceses of the Syro-Malabar Church were asked to abandon their Latinization and return to the Chaldean rite.
However, the northern and southern provinces opposed this. The former preferred to follow the Latin Church by celebrating Mass facing the faithful. The latter, by contrast, agreed to celebrate with the priests’ backs to the faithful, according to the Chaldean rite.
In 1999, the Syro-Malabar Synod — the assembly of this autonomous Church — reached a liturgical compromise, whereby part of the celebration is faced toward the congregation and another part with the back to the congregation. But the Eparchy of Ernakulam-Angamly, marked by great vitality and with 655,000 faithful, continued to resist.
The situation worsened under the leadership of Cardinal George Alencherry, elected head of the Church in 2011. After the failure of several apostolic administrators, Rome decided in August 2023 to send a papal delegate in the person of Bishop Cyril Vasil'. On the ground, the Slovakian faced strong opposition that degenerated into numerous episodes of violence: the papal representative was rebuffed and portraits of the former prefect of the dicastery for the Eastern Churches, Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, were burned in public.
A schism narrowly avoided?
In December 2023, with the forced resignation of Cardinal Alencherry, observers spoke of an “imminent schism.” In this context, Pope Francis sent a video message to the Syro-Malabar faithful, imploring them not to become “a sect” by separating from their Church.
“In the name of the Lord, for the spiritual good of your Church, of our Church, I ask you to recompose this rupture [...]. Restore communion, remain in the Catholic Church!” urged the Argentine pontiff.
Rome then issued an ultimatum to the 400 recalcitrant priests: celebrate according to the new rite from Christmas Day onwards, or face excommunication. Although the warning had little effect, Pope Francis did not declare a schism.
With the election of a new major archbishop, His Beatitude Raphael Thattil, in January 2024, talks resumed. They finally reached a compromise that came into effect on July 3: priests of the Archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamaly are ultimately required to celebrate according to the “unified” rite only once on Sundays and may organize other celebrations according to the old rite.
When this agreement was announced, seemingly closing this stormy chapter, Pope Leo XIV expressed to Bishop Vasil’ his “deep gratitude for the work accomplished.”
“But the situation remains complex and fragile, with some not applying the compromise. It cannot be ruled out that in the future the Syro-Malabar Synod will reopen the case,” a Vatican source told I.MEDIA.
