(Image Source: euronews)
BY ADNAN S. KHAN
ANCHOR CHRISTINA HARTMAN
Prayer and blessings were replaced with brooms and bats when some 100 priests got into a brawl in the Church of Nativity in Bethlehem.
The fight broke out between Greek Orthodox and Armenian Apostolic members over the boundaries of their respective jurisdictions within the church. As this Telegraph video shows the fight became quite intense and came to a stop only after baton-wielding policemen entered the fray.
The fight broke out while the church was being cleaned in preparation for Orthodox Christmas on January 7th. But USA Today says the incident is nothing new.
“Roman Catholic, Greek Orthodox and Armenian clerics share the administration of the church, which oftens leads to jurisdictional disputes.”
According to the BBC, the 1,700-year-old church is in deteriorating condition largely because the priests cannot decide how to divide the cost of upkeep. BBC also adds, similar incidents have plagued other holy sites as well.
"Jerusalem's Church of the Holy Sepulchre, built on the site where many Christians believe Jesus was crucified, has also seen similar incidents.”
No one was seriously injured according to authorities. Euronews notes being men of the cloth, also came in handy in the aftermath of the violence.
“Police separated the rival groups, and no arrests were made because they are all ‘men of God’ according to a lieutenant colonel in the city’s force.”
