Brawling priests

lambert's picture

McClatchy:

« Obama honeymoon over in Arab world | Main
November 10, 2008
Surreal scuffle erupts at Jerusalem church

Church

(Israeli police scuffle with an Armenian monk next to the place traditionally believed to be the tomb of Jesus Christ at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in the Old City of Jerusalem. AP photo/Bernat Armangue)

No respectable Sunday church service is complete without a good brawl, right?

Jerusalem’s Church of the Holy Sepulcher - the holiest site in Christianity - has been riven by centuries of conflict that make it impossible for the rival Christian sects to agree on peacefully sharing the revered space.

On Palm Sunday this past April, Greek Orthodox and Armenian priests pummeled each other with palm fronds in a dispute over perceived slights over who could use what parts of the church when.

This past weekend, the two sects squared off for another brawl in front of the tomb where tradition says Christ was buried and rose from the dead.

Splendid.

I’m sure the historical Jesus, if he existed, would have been so pleased.

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vastleft's picture

I was just about to post on this

The McClatchy link is broken. I assume you were trying to link to one of these...

http://washingtonbureau.typepad.com/jeru...

lambert's picture

Link fixed, thanks

Surreal scuffle erupts at Jerusalem church!

Great headline. Although I'm not sure whether it's a scuffle or a fracas.

"First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, then you win." -- Mahatma Gandhi

First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, then you win. -- Mahatma Gandhi

vastleft's picture

Might have been a donnybrook, but that was more apt for

"The Troubles"

Stellaaa's picture

It' not new...

every year, particularly around easter we love to get into it.

Ahhh, love those monks.

empty's picture

Old story

I think the scuffles started at the time the Ottomans lost control of Jerusalem.

vastleft's picture

Old resentments die hard. I'm still mad at the Ottomans

bringiton's picture

Give 'em all guns

and let God sort them out.

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