Congregation-facing Mass resumes at St. Mary’s Cathedral Basilica in Kochi

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The scheduled congregation-facing Mass will be held during the time of festivals, anniversaries, among other occasions. The same mode of mass would apply to marriage ceremonies being held on Sunday noon. | Photo Credit: R.K. Nithin

The observance of Holy Mass was held on Sunday morning (August 30, 2026) at the St. Mary’s Cathedral Basilica in Keralam’s Kochi after a gap of four years, with the priest facing members of the congregation.

A sizeable share of priests and laity members of the Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese had been demanding this mode of Mass, while opposing the Unified Mass that the Synod of the Syro-Malabar Church had been insisting on.

The Archdiocesan Movement for Transparency (AMT), which had been demanding the congregation-facing mass, said in a release on Sunday (August 30, 2026) that a consensus had been reached on the matter and that the Sunday service was held accordingly.

A communication shared by the AMT —dated 22 August and bearing the sign of Fr. Thomas Mangattu, Administrator of the Cathedral Basilica— said that a Unified Mass will be held on Sundays at 5 p.m.

The scheduled congregation-facing Mass will be held during the time of festivals, anniversaries, among other occasions. The same mode of mass would apply to marriage ceremonies being held on Sunday noon.

The consensus also spoke of church members taking swift measures to withdraw litigation they filed against each other in the wake of the dispute regarding the mode of mass.

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