RELIGIOUS RIVALRY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 984, 27 April 1911, Page 4

RELIGIOUS RIVALRY.

If there is any spot on this earth where one would expect to find worshippers dwelling in peace and in harmony, it would be at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, which marks the place where Christ was born.

Yet at this time of the year, after Christmas, it is Invariably the scene of rivalry and strife. In it worship various religious sects —Latins, Greeks and Armenians. On account of the hatred that exists between these religious bodies, the Turkish Government has been forced to issue special decrees, stating what portions of the edifice they may respectively occupy, the number of lamps they may use, the number of times they may burn incense, as well as the time and duration of their services. Then once a year come the housecleaning orders. These expressly specify what portions of the floor, the pillars, walls, and calling each particular sect may clean. This work is done in the presence of the Governor of Bethlehem and a strong force of soldiers ; a necessary precaution, because should one sect show the least irregularity by over-stepping the defined limits, there is at once a violent dispute. Often fights occur between the rival priests, and before now blood has been shed in the sacred building. In the grotto here, which is said to mark the spot of the Nativity, there is a star of silver nails in the floor below the altar. In cleaning it recently an Armenian deacon knocked off the head of one of the nails. The Governor called in a blacksmith to drill out the old nail and replace it with a new one. Instantly the Greeks and Armenians objected, declaring that the blacksmith was a Latin, and that if he carried out the repair it would establish a precedent in favour of the Latins. In the end, a wandering Gipsy artisan, a man of no standing or character, effected the repair. Every time the guard is changed here the soldier has to examine the star, count the lamps, and see that nothing has been disturbed. One among many instances of this unchristian jealousy is the window which has not been cleaned for 30 years. It is in the ceiling above the portion of the Church belonging to the Armenians. Now the ceiling, curiously enough belongs to the Greeks, and as these two sects quarrelled over who should clean the window the Turkish Government forbade either party doing it, with the result that it has never since been cleaned at all. another incident occurred some little time ago, when the Armenians applied for and obtained a permit to hang some brass chains, meaning to attach lamps to them. All went well until they were about to fix the lamps, when their rivals interfered, pointing out that the order was to hang chains only, and to-day the empty chains still dangle in the church as a mute witness to intrigue and rivalry.