Recent Walk

More to come. I'm excited.

Giving & Taking a Beating, Christian Style at the Tomb of Jesus

I don't know if I'll go to hell for this, but I find it very funny to see priests fist fighting and using branches of palm trees to whack each other at the tomb of Jesus, also known as the Holy Sepulcher!

This from the Associated Press: Dozens of Greek and Armenian priests and worshippers exchanged blows at one of Christianity's holiest shrines on Orthodox Palm Sunday, and used palm fronds to pummel police who tried to break up the brawl.The fight came amid growing rivalry over religious rights at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, built over the site in Jerusalem where tradition says Jesus was buried and resurrected.

This was not the first time violence has erupted there. The Holy Sepulcher is shared by several Christian denominations, each doggedly guarding its section of the basilica, though the most serious fights have been between the Greeks and the Armenians--both Orthodox.

But, there's more: The Church of the Nativity in nearby Bethlehem — where Jesus is said to have been born — also falls under the status quo arrangement. Last year, pre-Christmas cleaning in that church turned ugly when robed Greek Orthodox and Armenian priests went at each other with brooms and stones!

I wonder which side God is on, and why doesn't he settle this dispute? After all, it's very damaging for the image of his brand. Anyway, God must be fond of this place because every year during only during Greek Easter [April 27th this year] a miracle takes place! That's how the immaculate, supernatural light is given by God to the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem and he comes out of the Sepulcher with a lit torch!

There's pressure, mind you, because according to the rules if this man fails to come out with a lit torch then other Christian orders take over! So far, this hasn't happened. The Sepulcher is searched on the morning of the ceremony and sealed. The Patriarch is frisked before being allowed to enter--to make sure he's got no matches, lighter, etc--and in a few minutes when everything is covered in total darkness, he exits with the lit torch! Surely, it's a miracle! Don't you think? [I found this source but it's in ..Greek. It describes the whole even in detail]

For extra credit: identify the wearer of those lovely red Prada shoes