Church wants to increase wine production to meet demand

Kochi: Citing growth in number of Churches, Syro-Malabar Catholic Church in Kerala has approached the state Excise Department seeking permission to increase the capacity of the church-owned mass wine production facility near here.

At present the facility in Thrikkakkara owned by the Archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamali is allowed to produce 1,600 litres of mass wine per year. The Church now wants to increase it to 5,000 litres per annum.

Talking to PTI, Syro-Malabar Church spokesperson Fr Paul Thelakkat said there was "a significant rise" in the numbers of Churches and its followers in the state and so the quantity of mass wine, which symbolises the blood of Jesus Christ, is required to be increased to perform the Holy Mass.

According to the mass wine license issued in 1986, the Church was allowed to produce 800 litres of mass wine per year and this was increased to 1,600 litres in 1992.

The wine produced at the Thrikkakkara facility is supplied to all Syro-Malabar Catholic churches in the state for use during Mass.