Kottayam: The Knanaya Catholic Naveekarana Samithi has demanded an end to the practice of endogamy and permission to marry those belonging to the other Catholic and Christian denominations. Endogamy is the custom of marrying only within the limits of a local community, clan or tribe. The samithi raised the demand in the context of the Vatican appointing a committee to study the issues of the Knanite community. Bishop Michael Mulhal of Pembroke was appointed last year to study the issues and submit a report.
Over one lakh members of the church who married outside the community have left the church in the Kottayam diocese. According to the practice in the Knanaya community, if a member marries outside the community, he/she will have to leave the church. If a childless couple adopt a child, the child will not get legal status. The Knanites are allowed to marry from the Knanaya Jacobites, who share the same ethnicity.
“Endogamy should be abolished since the practice is against the Canon Law, the Constitution of India and is a human rights violation. It is the right of a person to marry anyone according to his or her wish. Those who are marrying outside the community should not be ousted from the community,” president of Knanaya renewal samithi T.O. Joseph told DC. Mr Joseph, who married a girl belonging to the Ernakulam-Angamaly diocese, was forced to leave the community years ago.
According to the custom, a man or woman who marries outside the community will be readmitted to the community only after the partner dies. The children born in the first marriage will not be given legal status. “Endogamy has been practised by the Knanite community for many centuries. It is not imposed on anyone,” Archbishop of the Kottayam Archdiocese, Mar Mathew Moolakattu, told DC. There are approximately 1.6 lakh Knanites in different parts of the world.
