Monks Fight at Church of the Holy Sepulcher

In another case of “one can't make it up,” monks at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem got into a fist fight over the week-end. Followers of the Prince of Peace went at each other, and eventually the Israeli police came into break up the brawl. Both sides blamed each other for the violence, naturally.

MWC news noted, “The fight broke out during the Feast of the Cross, during which the Armenian community marks what they believe was the fourth-century discovery of the cross upon which Jesus was crucified. However, Greek Orthodox clergy denied they were responsible for the brawl.” The source also said, “ An Armenian and a Greek Orthodox monk were arrested after the brawl, police said on Sunday. Dozens of worshipers, dressed in traditional vestments of their sects, kicked and punched each other, knocking down tapestries and overturning decorations at the site in east Jerusalem.

One member of the Greek side said, “"We protested peacefully, we stood here in the middle and we claimed that we shall not leave the procession ... unless they leave our guardian inside. This didn't happen and in that moment the police interfered We tried our best not to use violence against the police or against the Armenians because this is our attitude - peaceful, co-access on the holy sites."

An Armenian priest said, “What is happening here is a violation of [the] status quo, the Greek [sic] have tried so many times to put their monk inside the tomb but they don't have the right to put their monk inside the tomb when the Armenians are celebrating the feast.”

Actually, this particular church has seen plenty of fighting among the various “Christians.” Allegedly build on the site where Jesus of Nazareth was buried and resurrected, the place generates great passions. Ashraf Khalil in Jerusalem for the Los Angeles Times ended his report on the incident by pointing out, “Famously, the keys to the church's front door are held, via mutual agreement, by a Muslim family to keep the Christians from fighting over that as well .”

© Copyright 2008 by The Kensington Review, Jeff Myhre, PhD, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent. Produced using Fedora Linux.

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