The Jacobite Syrian Christian Church seems to be going the vegetarian way.

A report in The New Indian Express states that Catholicos Baselios Thomas I, head of the Church, has asked members not to use meat for ‘nercha sadya’ (feast) in churches under it. The circular sent out is important because of the existing debate in India on eating meat and the beef ban.

According to the daily, though the Catholicos has not specified which meat, it mostly hints at beef, as this is the meat which has so far been used for the ‘nercha sadya’ in churches in Kerala. The circular which was sent out on April 18, asks those who follow this faith to avoid meat and liquor in churches for feasts. This circular was similar to the one which had been sent out on July 28, 2015.

The circular also states additionally that church feasts that serve meat need not invite Catholicos or Metropolitans. The April 18 circular also says that those who serve meat and liquor at church feasts would be expelled from the church. The daily reports that the pastoral decree did not seem to have much of an impact because a feast held for the 355th death anniversary of Abdul Jaleel Bava at North Paravur served meat. And priests took part in this celebration.

But the Jacobite Almaya Forum, a laymen organisation in the Church, has told the daily that the Catholicos should resign. Forum leaders Paul Varghese, Sabu Thozhupadan and Mathachan Thukaklan were quoted as saying that those who followed the faith were not obeying the Catholicos' orders and thus he needs to quit. They stated that meat was being served at ‘nercha sadya’ at North Paravur Church for centuries and this circular was issued only to participate in the beef debate in India. They have stated that the people close to the Catholicos misled him to issue the circular and asked for the circular to be withdrawn.