Pope Francis urges Syro-Malabar Church to maintain uniform liturgical practice

Pope Francis has issued a letter to the Syro-Malabar Church, urging its bishops to maintain liturgical uniformity in the celebration of the Holy Qurbana, the Eucharist in the East Syriac tradition. The letter was signed on July 6, following the release of the motu proprio Traditionis Custodes, which addressed the use of the traditional Latin Mass. The pope’s message echoes themes from his encyclical Evangelii Gaudium, emphasizing unity and the importance of communal worship.

The Syro-Malabar Church, one of the Eastern Catholic Churches in communion with Rome, has a long tradition rooted in the East Syriac liturgy. In 1999, a synod of the church reached a compromise on liturgical practices, adopting a mixed approach where half of the Eucharistic celebration was conducted ad orientem, with the presider facing east, and the other half versus populum, with the presider facing the congregation. This decision aimed to balance traditional practices with the reforms introduced after the Second Vatican Council.

The ad orientem practice is historically associated with the Chaldean Rite, from which the Syro-Malabar tradition has evolved. Conversely, the versus populum style aligns more closely with the Latin Church’s post-Vatican II reforms. While the 1999 synod sought to harmonize these approaches, some members of the Syro-Malabar Church remained dissatisfied with the compromise, continuing to prefer the versus populum style. This division highlighted broader tensions within the church regarding liturgical identity and tradition.

Pope Francis’ letter reinforces the need for unity within the Syro-Malabar Church, urging its bishops to uphold the synod’s decision and promote a single mode of celebrating the Holy Qurbana. The pope emphasizes that liturgical practices reflect the unity of the faithful and their relationship with one another and with the broader Church. His call for conformity underscores the importance of communal worship as a means of fostering spiritual and ecclesial cohesion.

The Syro-Malabar Church is part of a broader family of Eastern Catholic Churches, each with its own liturgical traditions while remaining in full communion with the Pope. These churches, including the Ukrainian Greek Catholic, Maronite, Melkite, and Romanian Greek Catholic Churches, share a common faith and structure but maintain distinct rites and practices. The pope’s letter to the Syro-Malabar Church reflects a broader concern for maintaining unity within the Catholic Church, particularly in the face of liturgical diversity and historical divisions.

The call for liturgical uniformity in the Syro-Malabar Church is part of an ongoing effort to strengthen the bonds of communion among the Eastern Catholic Churches. While the specific context of the Syro-Malabar Church’s liturgical practices is unique, the pope’s message resonates with the broader mission of fostering unity and solidarity within the Catholic communion. This aligns with the biblical theme of unity, as seen in Psalm 133:1, which speaks of the blessedness of brothers dwelling in unity.

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