More violence in the Holy Land
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But this time Jews & Muslims aren't to blame:
Once again, monks come to blows at Church of Holy Sepulcher
By The Associated Press
Israeli police rushed into one of Christianity's holiest churches Sunday and arrested two clergyman after an argument between monks erupted into a brawl next to the site of Jesus' tomb.
The clash broke out between Armenian and Greek Orthodox monks in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, revered as the site of Jesus' crucifixion, burial and resurrection.
It began as Armenian clergymen marched in an annual procession commemorating the 4th-century discovery of the cross believed to have been used to crucify Jesus. It ended with the arrival of dozens of riot policemen who separated the sides, seizing a bearded Armenian monk in a red-and-pink robe and a black-clad Greek Orthodox monk with a bloody gash on his forehead. Both men were taken away in handcuffs.
Six Christian sects divide control of the ancient church. They regularly fight over turf and influence, and Israeli police are occasionally forced to intervene.
The feud revolves around a demand by the Greek Orthodox to post a monk inside the Edicule - the ancient structure built on what is believed to be the tomb of Jesus - during the Armenian procession. The Armenians refused, and when they tried to march the Greek Orthodox monks blocked their way.
"We were keeping resistance so that the procession could not pass through...and establish a right that they don't have," said a young Greek Orthodox monk with a cut next to his left eye. The monk, who gave his name as Serafim, said he sustained the wound when an Armenian punched him from behind and broke his glasses.
Father Pakrat of the Armenian Patriarchate said the Greek demand was against the status quo arrangement and against the internal arrangement of the Holy Sepulcher. He said the Greeks attacked first.
Archbishop Aristarchos, the chief secretary of the Greek Orthodox patriarchate, said his monks had not initiated the violence. "I'm sorry that these events happened in front of the Holy Sepulcher, which is the most holy religious monument of Christianity," he said.
After the brawl, the church was crowded with Israeli police holding assault rifles and equipped with riot gear, standing beside Golgotha, where Jesus is believed to have been crucified, and the long smooth stone marking the place where tradition holds his body was laid out.
Video of the fighting here.
Man, those monks fight dirty.
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I may be going to hell for this--like this would be the reason--but the sweetest words uttered this weekend were "video of the fighting here." I can't be the only one who saw the dude in red dive into the pile near the beginning of the clip and felt obligated to shout "No-one expects the Spanish Inquisition!"
Dennis
Okay, it's also deeply sad on another level. But still.
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Alo your posts are getting more lame by the day. You used to be interesting. Now, quite frankly, your boring.
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\ said:
I may be going to hell for this--like this would be the reason--but the sweetest words uttered this weekend were "video of the fighting here." I can't be the only one who saw the dude in red dive into the pile near the beginning of the clip and felt obligated to shout "No-one expects the Spanish Inquisition!"Dennis
Okay, it's also deeply sad on another level. But still.
LOL Dennis
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That's perfect, Dennis.
Ha. You sound bummed, DH. Is everything all right?\ said:
Alo your posts are getting more lame by the day. You used to be interesting. Now, quite frankly, your boring.
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Looks like he's having some trouble with those steps there...
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That was after a bad psychotic episode and related treatment. The drugs had a "weight gain" effect. Here I am running at the beach getting back in my ripped form:
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Oh, Al.
Diss Monks ? Is that what you think is interesting?
Not one bit of criticism of terrorists, but a story
about Monks in a Holy Christian Shrine?
Typical.
You should put yourself on ignore. Anti Christian spam we don't need.
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