The Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church has welcomed the State government’s efforts to mediate in the long-running church dispute, saying it will cooperate with talks based on the Supreme Court judgment of July 3, 2017.In a statement, Yuhanon Mar Dioscoros Metropolitan, president of the Orthodox Church Media Wing, said the church would consult legal experts before deciding on further steps regarding the recent High Court Division Bench judgment concerning five parish churches and a chapel in Palakkad, Ernakulam and Kollam districts.The judgment concerns police protection for Cherukunnam St Thomas Orthodox Church, Mangalamp Dam St Mary’s Orthodox Church, and Erikkumchira St Mary’s Orthodox Church in Palakkad; Odakkali St Mary’s Orthodox Church and Attinkunnu Kurishupalli (chapel) in Ernakulam; and Mukathala St Stephen’s Orthodox Church in Kollam.According to the metropolitan, the apex court had already made it clear that the 1934 Church constitution governs the churches of the Malankara Church. In the case of the places of worship covered by the latest judgment, the High Court has directed that the order be implemented through the civil court.“The position of the Orthodox Church is that the law should be implemented through the courts. At the same time, we have always welcomed mediation efforts by the government to resolve the dispute amicably,” the Metropolitan said. Published - August 13, 2026 07:51 pm IST