Congregation-facing Mass resumes at St. Mary’s Cathedral Basilica in Kochi
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
On Sunday morning, August 30, 2026, the St. Mary’s Cathedral Basilica in Kochi, Kerala, witnessed a Holy Mass with the priest facing the congregation after a four-year hiatus. The Archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamaly had been advocating for this mode of Mass, in contrast to the Unified Mass promoted by the Synod of the Syro-Malabar Church.
The Archdiocesan Movement for Transparency (AMT), which had been championing the congregation-facing Mass, announced on the same day that a consensus had been achieved, and the Sunday service was conducted accordingly. According to a release dated August 22, the Archdiocese would continue with a Unified Mass on Sundays at 5 p.m., while reserving the congregation-facing Mass for special occasions such as festivals, anniversaries, and other events.
The same mode of Mass would also be applied to Sunday noon marriage ceremonies. Furthermore, the consensus included a swift resolution to any litigation filed among church members due to the dispute over the Mass format.
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