Senior Bishops of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church will assemble here Friday against the backdrop of protests by a section of priests in the Ernakulam-Angamaly archdiocese against the reinstatement of Cardinal George Alencherry as major archbishop.
The permanent Synod of the Church consists five bishops including the major archbishop Cardinal Alencherry as its president.
Archbishops Andrews Thazhath, Mathew Moolakkatt, George Njaralakkatt and Bishop Jacob Manathodath are the other members.
"The meeting of the permanent synod was scheduled earlier. Obviously the recent developments in the church will also be discussed in the synod," a church official said here Thursday.
The meeting is being held against the backdrop of rift among priests in the Syro-Malabar Church over certain issues such as reinstatement of Cardinal Alencherry as major archbishop of the Ernakulam-Angamaly archdiocese.
While some priests belonging to the Ernakulam-Angamaly archdiocese are seeking appointment of an administrative archbishop with independent charge at the earliest to defuse the crisis, the priests supporting the cardinal are demanding disciplinary action against the protesting priests.