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Greek Orthodox Patriarch of the Holy Land Theofilos III (center) leads the Palm Sunday procession at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem on Sunday. (AP)
Last update - 23:37 20/04/2008
Armenian, Greek worshippers come to blows at Jesus' tomb
By The Associated Press
Tags: Church of the Holy Sepulcher 

Dozens of Greek and Armenian priests and worshippers exchanged blows in Christianity's holiest shrine on Palm Sunday, and pummeled police with palm fronds when they tried to break up the brawl.

The fight is part of a growing rivalry over religious rights at Jerusalem's Church of the Holy Sepulcher, built over the site where tradition says Jesus was buried and resurrected.

A fist-fight broke out after Armenian clergy kicked out a Greek priest from their midst, pushed him to the ground and kicked him, according to witnesses.
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Two Armenian worshippers were briefly detained by police. Scores of Armenian supporters staged a protest outside the police station during the questioning of the two, beating drums and chanting.

The Holy Sepulcher is shared by several Christian denominations according to a centuries-old arrangement known as the status quo.

Each denomination jealously guards its share of the basilica, and fights over rights of worship at the church have intensified in recent years, particularly between the Armenians and Greeks.

The Eastern Orthodox churches, including the Armenians and Greek Orthodox, follow a different calendar than Western Christians and began Easter Week observances on Sunday.

Father Pakrad, an Armenian priest, said the presence of the Greek priest during the Armenian observances violated the status quo. Our priests entered the tomb. "They kicked the Greek monk out of the Edicule," he said.

Pakrad accused the Greek Orthodox of trying to step on the Armenians' rights. "We are the weak ones, persecuted by them for many centuries."

The Greek Orthodox Patriarch in the Holy Land, Theofilos III, told The Associated Press "the Armenians are pushing to change the rules, and try to challenge was he said is the dominance of his church in the Holy Land."

"This behavior is criminal and unacceptable by all means," he said. "They wanted to trespass on the status quo concerning the order that regulates the services between the various communities."

Last year, pre-Christmas cleaning in the Church of the Nativity turned ugly when robed Greek Orthodox and Armenian priests went at each other with brooms and tones. The Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem - built over Jesus' traditional birth grotto - also falls under the status quo arrangement.

The status quo divides the Holy Sepulcher among the Armenians, Roman Catholics and the Greek Orthodox who have the largest share. The Coptic, Ethiopian Orthodox and Syrian Orthodox churches also have duties to maintain specific areas.

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      1.   Fighting priests at the tomb of Jesus 16:57  |  Mark B. 20/04/08
      2.   point of focus 17:37  |  potobac 20/04/08
      3.   Just like Jesus would have wanted it to be!!! 17:59  |  anti-racist 20/04/08
      4.   Greeks are perky & priests are wishperers of their old Religion 18:00  |  Noname 20/04/08
      5.   How sad. This has yet to become a"House of prayer for all people" 18:20  |  Virginia 20/04/08
      6.   This is toooo funny 18:20  |  Rav Harley 20/04/08
      7.   Turn the other cheek 18:34  |  AV 20/04/08
      8.   The vicious circle of violence 18:42  |  Isay 20/04/08
      9.   Is this church celebrating "Easter" now? Or is this old news? 19:16  |  Curious 20/04/08
      10.   Chrisitanity was supposed to be about Sharing? 19:26  |  Questioner 20/04/08
      11.   Mark B of amsterdam....amazing isn`t it? 19:48  |  Lynn 20/04/08
      12.   hypocrites 20:11  |  george 20/04/08
      13.   Fist fight at Jesus Tombe 20:25  |  Mitrani Yamile Ms 20/04/08
      14.   beautiful, beautiful 20:37  |  frenz 20/04/08
      15.   God forgive them for they know not what they do 20:40  |  Christian 20/04/08
      16.   Jesus Will Be Proud 21:16  |  Eli 20/04/08
      17.   I would love to see how a Rabbi would adjudicate this dispute 21:30  |  AV 20/04/08
      18.   Oh, come on, get a sense of humor. This was hilarious. 21:35  |  d.dor 20/04/08
      19.   You guys who judge the jews: remember the "throw the 1st stone" 21:44  |  Alain 20/04/08
      20.   Fist Fight Over Traditional But Unsubstantianed Christian Site? 21:57  |  Lavi 20/04/08
      21.   Jesus, my precious Jesus, You are worthy of so much more! 22:17  |  Amen. 20/04/08
      22.   It is all because of Jewish occupation 22:30  |  Pro-Racist 20/04/08
      23.   Religion 22:43  |  Nemesis 20/04/08
      24.   Marx was wrong 22:47  |  W 20/04/08
      25.   How DO you pummel with a palm frond? 23:13  |  Aphemia 20/04/08
      26.   A shame for us, a good excuse for others 23:22  |  V 20/04/08
      27.   `rok`m-sok`m-robots` 00:04  |  Akiva P 21/04/08
      28.   what would yeshu do??? 00:09  |  Akiva P 21/04/08
      29.   Pro-Racist 00:24  |  Akiva P 21/04/08
      30.   Marxist Atheist Communism is the most violent ideology EVER 00:27  |  Peacemaker 21/04/08
      31.   this would not happened under muslim rulers 02:01  |  Moise 21/04/08
      32.   Easter Now yes 03:58  |  No Name 21/04/08
      33.   when you look at these blokes do we see Christ 05:11  |  union with Christ 21/04/08
      34.   There was - and is - a good reason 06:11  |  Mark Lincoln 21/04/08
      35.   Mark Lincoln -- and a religion which produces Osama Bin Laden 07:40  |  USALovesIsrael 21/04/08
      36.   Ah! A Christian example of Khilul Hashem! 08:37  |  David 21/04/08
      37.   Armenian, Greek worshippers should hold their heads in shame. 17:32  |  Scott A. Laws 21/04/08
      38.   Greek & Armenian priests 19:01  |  Pavel Vasilievich 21/04/08
      39.   GREED , one of the 7 Deadly Sin 21:30  |  Yakut 21/04/08
      40.   It`s like two brothers fighting. 21:42  |  Gary Jilavdarian 21/04/08
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