Religious Procession Turns Into Fistfight

RELIGIOUS PROCESSION TURNS INTO FISTFIGHT

NECN
Nov 10 2008
MA

(NECN/ABC) – The Holy Sepulchre, the traditional site of Jesus’
crucifixion, is one of Christianity’s holiest shrines, but Sunday,
it became the scene of an unholy punch up. Greek and Armenian orthodox
monks traded blows just yards from what is believed to be Jesus’ tomb.

Armed Israeli police were caught in the middle, trying to calm
things down.

The trouble started during an Armenian ceremony marking the 4th-Century
discovery of fragments of what was thought to be Jesus’ cross. The
Armenians said the Greeks started it, the Greeks said it was the
Armenians’ fault.

"Somebody came from behind, there was no police at the time, from
behind and he hit me like this, they broke the lens of my glasses
and I have this scratch and I was a little dizzy at the moment,"
said Greek monk Serafim.

This was by no means the first violent outburst between rival Christian
churches here – it’s been happening for hundreds of years.

The church is divided among the competing Christian sects down the
last inch and disputes about who controls what and when have often
sparked violence.

Two monks, one Greek, and one Armenian were arrested – and quiet has
returned, for now, to the church of the Holy Sepulchre.

ABC’s Simon McGregor-Wood reports from Jerusalem.