More than 100 churches in Wayanad will not hold midnight mass on Christmas Eve due to wildlife threat

Wayanad: As many as 162 parishes under the Mananthavady Diocese in Wayanad will break with tradition and wrap up the Christmas mass before midnight.

In a circular issued to the laity, Bishop Jose Porunnedam of the Diocese has urged the believers to wind up X'mas celebrations at the churches by 10 pm on Christmas Eve. The reason: The increasing threat from wildlife in the region.

The Bishop said that the life of human beings is more important than celebrations. Though churches under the Diocese are spread across at least three districts in north Kerala, over 100 of the parishes are situated in Wayanad.  

On last Christmas Eve, in a few parishes, under the Diocese, in zones marked as prone to attacks from the wildlife, holy masses were concluded before midnight. The Diocese had granted them special permission to do so. However, this year, the change applies throughout the Diocese.

According to Fr Manoj Ambalathinkal of the Diocese, the move was essential as the intensity of human-animal conflict has increased in the district.

“Most parishes under the Diocese are situated either on the fringes of forests or in wildlife-infested plantations. The agrarian community is struggling to perform their farming activities even during the daytime,” said Fr Ambalathinkal, adding that human movement after late in the night is risky in the regions.

On December 9, dairy farmer Prajeesh, a native of Moodakolly near Vakery in Sulthan Bathery, was killed by a tiger. He was the second victim of a tiger attack in Wayanad this year. According to the Forest Department's data, the number of deaths due to wildlife attacks in the district in the last 10 years is 51, of which 41 were from elephant attacks.