This Ladder has been above the entrance
to the Church of Holy Sepulchre
since 19th Century!The Deir al-Sultan monastery was built on part of the main church roof more than 1,000 years ago.
The modest collection of small rooms has been occupied by monks from the Ethiopian Orthodox Church since 1808.
But a recent engineering report by an Israeli institute found that the monastery and part of the roof were "not in a good condition" and that parts of the structure "could collapse, endangering human life".
Ownership of the monastery, however, is hotly disputed between the Ethiopians and the Egyptian Coptic Church, and the dispute is holding up much-needed repair work. |
Unholy row threatens Holy Sepulchre
Sunday, 19 October 2008 - By Wyre DaviesArticle HEREAn unholy row is threatening one of the most sacred places in Christianity - the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.
The centuries-old site, where many Christians believe Jesus was crucified, is visited by hundreds of thousands of pilgrims and tourists every year.
A recent survey says that part of the complex, a rooftop monastery, is in urgent need of repair, but work is being held up by a long-running dispute between two Christian sects who claim ownership of the site.
Within the main building, dark-robed monks with long beards chant and swing incense as they conduct ceremonies in the many small chapels and shrines.
There has been a church on this site for 1,700 years. Over the centuries it has been destroyed and rebuilt several times - but some parts are very old indeed.
Collapse risk
Various Christian denominations - Greek Orthodox, Armenians, Catholics, among others - have always jealously defended and protected their own particular parts of the site.
Disputes are not uncommon, particularly over who has the authority to carry out repairs.
For example, a wooden ladder has remained on a ledge just above the main entrance since the 19th Century - because no-one can agree who has the right to take it down.
The latest row is potentially much more serious. | Fight erupts in Jerusalem church
Sunday, 20 April 2008
Article HEREIsraeli police had to break up a fist fight that erupted between Greek and Armenian Orthodox clergymen at one of Christianity's holiest sites.
The scuffles broke out at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem on Orthodox Palm Sunday.
Brawls are not uncommon at the church, which is uneasily shared by various Christian denominations.
In this case, witnesses say an Armenian priest forcibly ejected a Greek priest from an area near the tomb of Jesus.
They say the attacker felt the Greek priest had spent too long at the tomb.
When police arrived to break up the fight, some were reportedly beaten back by worshippers using palm fronds.
Two Armenians were detained by police, prompting supporters to stage a rally in protest outside the police station.
Rivalry between the six different churches which grudgingly share the Holy Sepulchre dates back to the aftermath of the crusades, and to the great schism between Eastern and Western Christianity in the 11th Century.
Each denomination controls, and jealously guards, its own section of the labyrinthine site. | Holy war over Jerusalem church
Tuesday, 30 July, 2002 - By Mark DuffyArticle HEREOne of Christianity's holiest sites has been the scene of an unseemly punch-up between rival monks.
Fists flew in a row over the position of a chair on the roof of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, in the heart of Jerusalem.
For Christians, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre marks the site of Christ's burial and resurrection.
As such, it is one of Christianity's holiest places.
But for centuries it has also been the scene of furious rivalry between different Christian churches.
The latest fracas involved monks from the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and the Coptic Church of Egypt, two groups which for years have been vying for control of the church's roof.
Things came to a head on Sunday when the Ethiopians objected to an Egyptian monk's decision to move his chair into the shade.
The Ethiopians said the move violated an agreement which defines the ownership of every chapel, lamp and flagstone in the church.
Eleven monks - seven of them Ethiopian, four Egyptian - were hurt in the violence which followed as the rivals hurled stones, iron bars and chairs at each other. |
